Missouri's Eli Drinkwitz Opens Up About Wide Receiver Luther Burden III

Missouri Tigers football head coach Eli Drinkwitz gave a "lofty" pro comparison for wide receiver Luther Burden III.

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.

Missouri head coach Eli Drinkwitz spoke with Pete Thamel and Rece Davis on the College GameDay Podcast recently about Burden and what makes him stand out among the players not only in the 2025 NFL Draft class, but also the group of receivers that were selected a little over a month ago.

"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."

Drinkwitz referenced the Tigers' game against Kansas State this past season, when Burden caught a check-down that wasn't even supposed to go to him and he took to the house for six. But in the thriller against Florida, Drinkwitz was even more perplexed by the then-sophomore receiver.

"Game on the line, 4th-and-17, he really doesn't even run the route that he's supposed to but he just has what he calls 'Luther instincts'," Drinkwitz said. "He knew he was open so Brady (Cook) threw to him. He's always been a gamer. In St. Louis, he's known as 'Touchdown Luther.' If you want a touchdown you just have to get the ball to Luther."

Drinkwitz said that Burden's first "mega-moment" was a punt return against Abilene Christian, when he picked up the ball after wrongfully letting it bounce. Drinkwitz explained that Burden has had "several of those moments," which led to him answering Thamel's question about a pro comparison.

"The biggest comparable for me is probably (San Francisco 49ers wide receiver) Deebo Samuel," Drinkwitz said. "I know it's a lofty expectation but it's just the ability he has with the ball in his hands. When we played Deebo (who played for South Carolina) in '17, he returned the opening kickoff and had two other touchdowns in the game while I was at NC State. He basically beat us by himself. You watch the way the 49ers and (head coach) Kyle Shanahan use Deebo Samuel as a big slot receiver and in the backfield, I believe Luther has some of those same tendencies."

Nevertheless, Burden's profound success may have been altered had the reigning SEC Coach of the Year not listened to his staff.

"I have to give (offensive coordinator) Kirby Moore and (wide receivers coach) Jacob Peeler a lot of credit," Drinkwitz said. "We had him as an 'X' wide receiver and they just felt that he was better as a big slot wide receiver. In our past history...the slot receiver had always been our leading receiver, so in order for him to get more touches we had to move him into the slot."