Luther Burden III NFL Draft Scouting Report & Fantasy Football Outlook

Missouri’s Luther Burden brings elite speed, strong hands, and big-play potential to the 2025 NFL Draft, projecting as a dynamic WR2 with room to grow.
Missouri Tigers wide receiver Luther Burden III (3) runs with the ball during the first half against the Oklahoma Sooners at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium.
Missouri Tigers wide receiver Luther Burden III (3) runs with the ball during the first half against the Oklahoma Sooners at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

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Luther Burden showcased his playmaking ability at Missouri, but his production dipped in 2024 as he took on a different role in the offense. With his combination of speed, hands, and yards-after-catch ability, he projects as a dynamic NFL wide receiver who could thrive with the right team and quarterback.

Luther Burden III Fantasy Football Profile

After shining in his second season at Missouri (86/1,243/10), Burden experienced a regression in his statistics last year (61/676/6, with nine rushes for 115 yards and two touchdowns). He gained over 100 yards once (6/117/1) in 2024 while having a beast run over five matchups (8/117, 7/114/2, 10/177, 11/140/2, and 11/149) the previous season. Burden gained 14.1 yards per catch in 2023, compared to 11.1 yards per catch last year while playing with the same quarterback, Brady Cook. 

The Missouri Tigers featured him as a chain mover close to the line of scrimmage to increase his involvement in their offense and allow Burden to utilize his open-field running to make plays. He has a selfish side to his game, where his play isn’t as motivating when the ball isn’t going his way. Burden brings excellent hands with exceptional timing and finishing power in the deep passing game. He posted a 4.41 40-yard dash time at the NFL combine.

At the next level, Burden should excel on crossing patterns with the deep speed to take the top off a defense. His change of direction speed is excellent when running parallel to the line of scrimmage and turning up field when he sees daylight. He runs with wiggle and vision, making him a dangerous player after the catch. The next step in his development is improving his overall route running and focus. 

Burden projects as a late first-round draft selection. He profiles for me as WR2 in the NFL until his physical skill set develops. His NFL career would be jump-started by landing with a proven quarterback and lead wideout. 

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Shawn Childs
SHAWN CHILDS

With 20+ years of experience in the high-stakes fantasy market, I aim to research and compete at the highest level in baseball and football each season. I've contributed as a writer/analyst for Sports Draft Daily, ScoutPro, Scout Fantasy, Fulltime Fantasy, FFToolbox, and Sports Illustrated Fantasy. I'm honored to be in the National Fantasy Baseball Championship Hall of Fame. My drafting philosophy is risk-averse yet open to betting on potential game-changers. I approach player selection with a neutral perspective, acknowledging that fantasy sports are inherently unpredictable due to injuries, performance dips, and managerial decisions. My work focuses on these main areas: - Season-long fantasy baseball and football - BestBall Baseball and Football Events - Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS): DraftKings, FanDuel, and Underdog - Long Shot Player Prop Parlays for NFL I participate in various leagues and contests, including NFBC, NFFC, RTSports, FFPC, DraftKings, Underdog Fantasy, FanDuel, and FFWC, with the goal of leveraging my extensive experience and research for success in each game format. A fantasy follower can expect in-depth profiles of NFL and MLB players, along with season-long and weekly projections for each fantasy football season. In addition, I have many strategy articles to help develop fantasy players' learning curves.

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