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New York Giants Draft Prospect: WR Luther Burden III, Missouri

Luther Burden's burst after the catch has resulted in some impressive YAC numbers.

Nick Falato

Nov 30, 2024; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers wide receiver Luther Burden III (3) catches a pass for a two-point conversion against the Arkansas Razorbacks during the second half at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium.
Nov 30, 2024; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers wide receiver Luther Burden III (3) catches a pass for a two-point conversion against the Arkansas Razorbacks during the second half at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. / Denny Medley-Imagn Images
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Luther Burden III might not be a WR1 option, but his YAC ability and play-making abilities are enough to where an offense can be built around his talents.

Luther Burden III, WR

  • Height: 6’0” 
  • Weight: 206 lbs
  • Class: Junior
  • School: Missouri
  • Hand size: 8 ½”
  • Arm length: 31 ¼”
  • 40-yard-dash: 4.41s
  • 10-yard-split: 1.54s
  • STATS

A former five-star recruit out of East St. Louis High School in East St. Louis, Illinois, where he was the first overall recruit from the state and the second wide receiver in the 2022 recruiting class. He was the 14th overall player in the class as well. 

Burden III was an elite sophomore for the Tigers, earning First-Team All-SEC and Second-Team All-American in 2023. After leading the Tigers in receptions and receiving yards, he was a Biletnikoff Award semifinalist. 

Burden III’s offense suffered in 2024 and his statistics reflected the team’s step back, but Burden III still displayed dynamic playmaking ability, albeit he only went over 100 yards once in 2024.

Strengths

  • Solid height with thick lower body
  • Elite explosiveness and burst with excellent overall athletic ability 
  • Excellent second and this gear – smooth accelerator 
  • Joystick control – difficult to frame and tackle
  • Difficult to cleanly jam up his stem
  • Speed to stack with vertical control to optimally position against soft-press
  • PLAYMAKER!
  • Good overall hands with quick ability to extend away from his frame and get the ball
  • Good tacking/concentration and does well in contested catch situations
  • A controlled adjuster to the football in the air
  • Strong at the catch point with excellent explosiveness to leap and secure
  • Excellent feel for defenders at catch point to spin out of attempted tackles
  • Will make defenders look silly – elusive and will eliminate angles
  • No issue lowering his shoulder and punishing smaller defensive backs
  • Creates YAC with change of direction/agility, as well as play strength 
  • Get the football into his hands and see what happens
  • Forced 30 missed tackles on 61 catches in 2024
  • Chippy blocker with solid effectiveness 
  • Can run through tackles and has excellent play strength 
  • Special teams upside – punt returner in college

Weaknesses

  • Could work back to the football more consistently 
  • Had a lot of manufactured touches
  • Inconsistent routes that aren’t crisp
  • Release package is unproven (had plenty of free releases)
  • Production against top teams was not consistent (issues on the offense affected this)
  • Can he play outside (60% slot rate in college) 
  • Mostly played in the slot over the last two seasons at Mizzou
  • Concentration drops are frustrating (14 drops through career) 
Missouri Tigers wide receiver Luther Burden III
Nov 23, 2024; Starkville, Mississippi, USA; Missouri Tigers wide receiver Luther Burden III (3) reacts after a touchdown against the Mississippi State Bulldogs during the second quarter at Davis Wade Stadium at Scott Field. / Matt Bush-Imagn Images

Summary

Luther Burden III possesses a dense running back-type build with the acceleration and burst to take a dump-off to the house quickly. His yards-after-the-catch ability makes him an excellent option as a gadget player behind the line of scrimmage, but he has much more to his game. 

His ability to concentrate, track, and attack the football down the field, while winning contested catch situations was impressive and suggests a possibility for it to be replicated at a higher rate in a better passing situation. 

Burden III is dynamic, but he must prove more consistent with his releases and routes at the next level. Overall, Burden III’s athletic and playmaking ability matches his five-star high school rating. 

He will be an excellent, smooth addition to any receiver room; while he may not be a traditional No. 1 WR option, an offense could run through hi,m and his YAC creativity can turn short passes into touchdowns. He’ll be selected sometime in the first round.

GRADE: 6.61

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Nick Falato
NICK FALATO

Nick Falato is co-host of the Big Blue Banter podcast. In addition to Giants Country, his work has appeared on SB Nation.

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