Star Mizzou Receiver Declares for NFL Draft, Will Miss Bowl Game

One of the best players to play for the Tigers, especially in the Eli Drinkwitz era, is taking his talents to the NFL.

Oct 26, 2024; Tuscaloosa, Alabama, USA; Missouri Tigers wide receiver Luther Burden III (3) walks along the field during warmups before a game against the Alabama Crimson Tide at Bryant-Denny Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Will McLelland-Imagn Images / Will McLelland-Imagn Images

Star Missouri Tigers wide receiver Luther Burden III will declare for the NFL Draft and miss the Tigers' bowl game, per Pete Thamel.

Burden, in his third season with Missouri, racked up 676 receiving yards and six touchdowns on 61 receptions. It was a down year production-wise for Burden, who was coming off a breakout, 1,212-yard season in his sophomore campaign. He finished his Missouri career with 2,263 total receiving yards and 21 touchdowns.

The star receiver made his monumental recruiting decision to commit to head coach Eli Drinkwitz and the Missouri Tigers on October 19, 2021 and the rest was history. Burden is arguably the most talented player ever to play for Missouri, demonstrated by his big-play ability in his three-year career.

"It's going to be the monumental decision he made to come to the University of Missouri," Drinkwitz said. "Nobody else thought he should and his trajectory, in turn, changed the program as much as these seniors."

Burden is widely viewed as a first-round draft prospect in the upcoming NFL Draft, while also considered a top-five receiver. He entered the 2024 season as a junior with top-five pick aspirations, with some draft analysts viewing him as the potential No. 1 overall pick. More than likely, that will not be the case when Burden is picked.

Simultaneously, Burden will also miss the Tigers bowl game at the end of December or the beginning of January to prepare for the NFL Combine. This is likely to avoid any opportunities for injury while playing one last game for the Tigers.

The 2025 NFL Draft takes place between April 24 and April 26 in Green Bay, Wisconsin.

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