Bears select Mizzou wide receiver Luther Burden III in 2nd round of NFL draft

Eli Hoff, St. Louis Post-Dispatch on Apr 25, 2025

Published in Football

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ST. LOUIS — The Chicago Bears selected Missouri wide receiver Luther Burden III with the 39th pick in the 2025 NFL draft on Friday after the local star slid out of the event's first round.

After going undrafted in the first round, Burden had to wait until the seventh pick of the second round to hear his name called from Green Bay, Wisc. where the event is being held. He's the second Mizzou product to be drafted this year after offensive lineman Armand Membou went to the New York Jets with the seventh overall pick Thursday.

Burden committed to Missouri in transformational fashion as a five-star recruit who chose to stay close to home. In 38 career games, he caught 192 passes for 2,263 yards and 26 total touchdowns.

In 2023, he finished with 1,212 receiving yards, which was the third-most in a season in MU history. Burden wrapped up his career sixth on the program leader boards for career receiving yards despite a downturn in production during the 2024 season.

Off the field, he became a key figure in the Tigers’ name, image, likeness operation, with his brand presented on bags of potato chips and items from popular clothing companies.

Other Mizzou players hoping to hear their names called this weekend include quarterback Brady Cook, defensive end Johnny Walker Jr. and wide receiver Theo Wease Jr.

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