Dallas Cowboys draft prospect watch: Luther Burden III, WR, Missouri
The Dallas Cowboys and Dak Prescott need a surefire wide receiving threat to put alongside CeeDee Lamb. With affordable, high-quality wide receivers impossible to come by in free agency, the Cowboys’ smartest move is to turn to the draft to bolster their offense.
The Cowboys don’t have to look far for potential help at wide receiver, as Luther Burden III is often projected to be available right around their 12th pick in the upcoming draft, or perhaps slightly further back.
The 21-year-old, standing at 5-foot-11 and weighing 208 pounds, has been a standout for the Missouri Tigers, primarily playing in the slot.
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The Cowboys' current star wide receiver, CeeDee Lamb, also plays in the slot; however, Burden is a much more explosive player than Lamb. The ability to have two players who can rotate into the slot will make the Cowboys a matchup nightmare.
Burden’s speed makes him a constant threat to get open, and his ability to make plays out of seemingly nothing is impressive.
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Additionally, he can be utilized on end-around plays, providing even more versatility to the Cowboys’ offense.
Luther Burden III, WR, Missouri (Jr.)
The addition of Burden III would open up more one-on-one opportunities for CeeDee Lamb, who defenses have been able to figure out when the rest of the Cowboys offense fails to produce.
With Burden III and Lamb being able to switch slot duties, defenses will have to pick their poison between two dynamic receivers making them nearly unstoppable to gameplan against.
Burden III had a rough season by his own standards, primarily due his injuries and the injuries of his starting quarterback . Despite these setbacks, he didn't miss any games and still managed to put up impressive numbers with 61 catches for 676 yards and six touchdowns. He also contributed on the ground, rushing nine times for 115 yards and two touchdowns.
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The reason Burden's junior year has been seen as somewhat of a letdown is because in his sophomore season he broke out onto the scene with 86 catches for 1,212 yards and nine touchdowns with just seven carries for 31 yards. Something that is rarely seen from a sophomore wide receiver.
Five Words to Describe Burden III
- Explosive
- Versatile
- Dynamic
- Resilient
- Playmaker
NFL Comparison: Deebo Samuel
This is sure to rile up some San Francisco 49ers fans, especially if the Cowboys decide to select Burden III. The similarities between the two are uncanny. Samuel is slightly bigger, standing at 6-foot and 216 pounds, while Burden is 5-foot-11 and 208 pounds.
However, both are known for what they can do with the ball in their hands. It takes more than just your average cornerback to take these two down. They excel at getting the ball in the backfield and primarily stay in the slot, with Burden being the more polished route runner coming into the league.
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