Wide receiver Luther Burden III enters the 2025 NFL Draft as a dynamic playmaker with reliable hands fueled by speed and acceleration. His play strength and contact balance help him run right through the tackles, making him a formidable RAC threat.
Here is everything, from Burden’s physical measurements to his college career, to know about him.
How Tall Is Luther Burden III?
The WR measured 6’0″ at the 2025 NFL Scouting Combine, perfectly fitting the position average of 6’0″.
How Much Does Burden Weigh?
The WR is 206 pounds, slightly above the average 200-pound positional weight.
A heavy physical frame could be the highlight of Burden’s draft profile, though, as several teams are looking to bulk up their offensive lines. If his weight might be a concern to a team, his positional flexibility should solve that.
How Old Is Burden?
Born on Dec. 12, 2003, Burden is currently 21 years old, fitting perfectly in the age range of rookie players entering the NFL.
Which School Did Burden Go To?
Burden went to East St. Louis Senior High School, staying true to his hometown of St. Louis. Interestingly, he played both football and basketball in high school, but decided to go with football professionally in college.
Burden’s commitment to his hometown was unwavering as he chose Missouri over his shortlisted options. Alabama and Georgia were other schools in consideration from the 41 scholarships he received.
Recapping Burden’s College Career
Burden was just the fourth consensus five-star recruit Missouri signed in the past 20 years, after Dorial Green-Beckham, Terry Beckner Jr., and Blaine Gabbert.
The WR lived up to his initial hype. In 2023, Burden had five consecutive games during the season of going over 100 receiving yards. To top that off, he raked in 83 receptions for 1,197 receiving yards and eight receiving touchdowns prior to their bowl game.
Burden then led his team to a dominating 14-3 win over Ohio State in the 2023 Cotton Bowl game.
How Fast Did Burden Complete the 40-Yard Dash?
Burden marked his 40-yard dash at 4.41 seconds at the 2025 NFL Combine.
Burden’s NFL Draft Outlook
In PFSN’s Reese Decker’s three-round mock draft from March, Decker projects Burden to be drafted by the Tennessee Titans in Round 2. The same team is highly likely to draft 2025’s best quarterback, Cam Ward.
The Titans could deploy Burden with Ward as their revamped QB-WR duo in the 2025 season, making the wide receiver’s immediate starting position a very strong possibility.
As a tremendous playmaker with the ball in his hands, Burden finished with drop rates below 5.0% in each of his last two seasons at Missouri. His stout frame and impressive contact balance as a ball carrier make it easier for him to shed tackles than the average wide receiver.
As an impressive prospect, Burden offers impressive creativity as a ball carrier, showing off the processing skills needed to read the whole field and find open running lanes in space. He has a laudable understanding of adjusting the tempo of his routes to feel out soft spots against zone coverage and exploit them.
Pairing that with his solid speed release close to the line of scrimmage, he has shown improvement as a route-running technician throughout his time in college.
Burden is a reliable receiver in tight windows who has great ball skills and the ability to seamlessly track down and adjust to deep passes, alongside maintaining a high motor fighting through contact as a ball carrier.
But he doesn’t have tremendous length or height for the position and can do a better job of hand-fighting through man coverage to create subtle separation through his stems.
