While Travis Hunter, Shedeur Sanders, Cam Ward, and a few other standouts are likely to steal the thunder at the NFL draft next year, there is one WR from Missouri who can spring up a surprise with a potential top-10 selection. His name is Luther Burden III. For the ones unfamiliar, Luther is one of the most talented wide receivers to step into the NFL drafts next year.
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The former five-star high school athlete from St. Louis took college football by storm in his sophomore year by catching 86 passes and scoring 9 TDs for 1,212 yards.
Though he couldn’t replicate last year’s form [676 receiving yards, 61 catches, 6 TDs], the Missouri star remains a favorite among draft analysts for his versatility as a punt returner and the physicality he brings to the team. With that in mind, here are three potential landing spots for the Missouri star at the 2025 NFL Draft:
3) Carolina Panthers
With the season that the Panthers have had so far, signing a first-round wideout would barely solve their issues. Regardless, when you have a top talent like Luther available, it’s hard to look the other way.
From the rookie’s perspective, the Panthers are a team with comparatively fewer expectations to deliver. Moreover, a talent like Luther would easily slot into the WR1 position, giving him first-hand experience as a starter in the NFL.
In many ways, Luther to the Panthers might resemble the Daniels-to-Commanders move from this year, where a less pressured environment helped the rookie quarterback settle in quicker. Let’s also not forget that Luther is coming off a season with under-par numbers, so a lower-pressure environment would be great for his growth.
Keeping this in mind, Luther to Panthers has a lot of merit.
2) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Luther Burden III to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers is a very left-field choice. Even more so when teams like the Broncos and the 49ers [Deebo situation] have a pressing need for the receiver position. But the issue with these two teams is that they have too many holes to fill than just the WR position. This is where the Bucs come in.
Neither are the Bucs in disarray, nor would they expect Luther to solve their problems immediately. In Tampa, the rookie will have a great mentor in Mike Evans, who is arguably on the fag end of his career.
In Luther, the Bucs also find a more physical and more skilful prospect than their rookie this year, Jalen McMillan. So, this move, on paper, seems like a win-win for all sides.
1) Washington Commanders
Before the season began, question marks were raised against Terry McLaurin’s abilities. While the 29-year-old receiver has managed to silence his critics [1,029 yards, 12 TDs] so far, an adept competition for McLaurin would only make sense .
In Terry and OC Kliff, Luther will get mentorship from someone who can mend his unpolished route running. Whereas in Luther, the Commanders will get an alternate WR who is more vertical in attack than Terry, giving QB Jayden Daniels an extra option. Safe to say, this option presents the best possibility for the parties.
What about you? Where would you want to see Luther Burden III next year? Let us know in the comments.
