We proceed our 2025 NFL Draft preview of draft prospects that would curiosity the Dallas Cowboys. Right now we’re extensive receiver Luther Burden III from Missouri.
WR
Photograph by Jay Biggerstaff/Getty Photos
Missouri Tigers
Junior
5-star recruit
5’11”
208 lbs
Historical past
Luther Burden III, born on December 12, 2003, in St. Louis, Missouri, attended East St. Louis Senior Excessive College, the place he was a standout in each soccer and basketball. In his senior yr of soccer, he recorded 71 receptions for 1,174 yards and 20 touchdowns, incomes him MaxPreps Participant of the 12 months and a 5-star recruit ranking from main scouting companies.
He was one of many prime prospects within the 2022 recruiting class, drawing consideration from a number of main faculty soccer packages earlier than committing to Missouri. He rapidly grew to become a key participant within the Tigers’ offense and scored eight complete touchdowns in his freshman yr. He had 45 receptions for 375 receiving yards whereas additionally including 18 rush makes an attempt for 88 yards.
In 2023, Burden had his most efficient yr as a receiver. He led the workforce catching 86 passes for 1,212 yards and scoring 9 touchdowns. He was named First-team All-SEC for a extremely productive season.
In his junior yr Missouri had its fair proportion of struggles, particularly on offense, and Burden felt that battle as he tried to rally the offense. He ended the yr with 61 receptions for 676 receiving yards and 6 receiving landing. He additionally added two dashing touchdowns and 115 rush yards. He was once more named First-team All-SEC and declared for the draft.
2024 Statistics
537 Offensive Snaps
80 Targets
61 Receptions
676 Receiving Yards
6 Receiving TDs
373 YAC
30 Missed Tackles
115 Rush Yards
2 Rush TDs
3 Penalties
NFL Mix/Professional Day
TBC
Awards
First-team All-SEC (2024)
First-team All-SEC (2023)
Scorecard
General- 88.8
Velocity- 90
Acceleration- 96
Agility- 89
Energy- 78
Catching- 92
Route Working- 82
YAC Potential- 96
Blocking- 70
Self-discipline- 93
THE GOOD:
- Burden exhibits an explosive first step and change-of-direction capacity, making him a major risk with the ball in his palms.
- Makes use of his pace and burst to get off the road and into his route stems rapidly.
- Distinctive at producing yards after the catch on account of his imaginative and prescient, agility, and power.
- Good palms, particularly in contested conditions; he has a excessive catch charge even below strain and in site visitors.
- A troublesome participant to carry down when defenders get to him. He led the NCAA in missed tackles compelled amongst this yr’s extensive receiver draft class.
- Can line up in numerous positions of the sector, together with out of the backfield, which provides unpredictability to an offense.
- Bodily and aggressive as a blocker.
- Has punt return expertise.
THE BAD:
- Whereas he has proven enchancment, his route tree is considerably restricted. That is most notable when lined up as an out of doors receiver.
- Must refine his route working to be extra various and efficient towards NFL-level defenses.
- His expertise towards press protection is proscribed, having performed largely from the slot. (462 snaps from the slot to 55 snaps out extensive in 2024).
- Consistency in his general play dropped in 2024. A few of that may be written off by Missouri struggling on offense, however Burden seemed noticeably completely different himself.
THE FIT
Anticipated to be a mid-first-round choose within the 2025 NFL Draft, some analysts rank Burden as a prime 15 prospect on account of his dynamic playmaking capacity. There isn’t any doubt from his 2023 tape that he’s one of many higher offensive skills on this yr’s draft class along with his largest trait, versatility, being his most intriguing power.
He does include questions. His fashion of play results in issues of over utilization and changing into burnt out rapidly. Because of his capacity to lineup in all places and even take snaps within the backfield there’s a basic fear that Burden might get overused rapidly resulting in an early explosion of manufacturing early within the season, which then tails off rapidly. The opposite concern is his lack of expertise as exterior receiver. This results in his route tree being restricted and expertise getting off the road towards bodily defensive backs additionally quick.
Burden is ideally suited to offenses that make the most of movement, fast recreation ideas, and performs designed to get the ball into his palms in house. His versatility might enable him to thrive in each unfold and West Coast offenses, in addition to groups on the lookout for a Swiss Military knife to stretch defenses laterally. His capacity to make performs after the catch, mixed along with his bodily instruments, make him an intriguing prospect for Dallas and a unbelievable complement to CeeDee Lamb.
COMPARISON
Deebo Samuel, San Francisco 49ers
BTB GRADE
fifteenth
CONSENSUS RANKING
sixteenth
(Consensus rating based mostly on the typical rating from 90 main scoring companies)