Luther Burden III Lands Spot on Preseason Media Days All-SEC First Team

Last season, Burden finished second in the SEC in receptions with 86 and ninth in all of college football in receiving yards with 1,212.

Nov 18, 2023; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers wide receiver Luther Burden III (3) runs the ball as Florida Gators cornerback Jaydon Hill (23) attempts the tackle during the first half at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports / Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

There's not much to debate that Missouri wide receiver Luther Burden III is perhaps the best returning pass-catcher in college football for next season.

Last season, Burden finished second in the SEC in receptions with 86 and ninth in all of college football in receiving yards with 1,212.

After the 2024 SEC Media Days concluded on Thursday evening, the media placed Mizzou at No. 6 in the preseason conference poll on Friday morning. Additionally, the Preseason Media Days All-SEC Teams was also released on Friday and Burden landed a spot on the First Team.

Missouri head coach Eli Drinkwitz, quarterback Brady Cook, defensive tackle Kristian Williams I and Burden represented the Tigers at SEC Media Days earlier this week. On Tuesday, Cook explained his chemistry with Burden and is looking forward to standing out among other QB-WR tandems once again.

"I think we just know what we have," Cook said. "This is our last year together, our last ride, we know what it is and we know it's going to be special. We have a connection and have been grinding all offseason. A lot of one-on-one sessions every week or so and those are just little technical things. We're excited, it's fun for us. We enjoy being each other's teammate and we know the special things we can do together."

This isn't the first time this offseason that a Tiger has commended Burden, as Drinkwitz spoke highly of him on the College GameDay Podcast in early June.

"The thing that stands out to me is his competitive spirit with the ball in his hand, man," Drinkwitz said. "Luther refuses to be tackled. He does a really good job in the biggest moments."

Burden was the only player on Mizzou that landed a spot on any of the three Preseason Media Days All-SEC Teams.