Missouri Football
When college football and SEC fans alike think about dominant programs, Missouri isn’t always the main subject of discussion. Sure, they’ve produced NFL talent and have done well for themselves as a program but nonetheless, people don’t talk Mizzou football that much. At least that’s how it used to be. See, Missouri football wasn’t deemed as a top football program in college football let alone the SEC.
In the 2022 college football season, Missouri went 6-7 overall and a record of 3-5 in the SEC. They were actually ranked 6th in the SEC East division that season. Missouri’s program has been stagnant for quite some time. There were not a lot of wins or buzz. But that seems to be changing very quickly.
In 2023, things started to improve for their football program. They were 6-2 in the conference, and they were ranked second in the East division right behind the powerhouse Georgia. Missouri had some big wins throughout the season like beating Kentucky, South Carolina, and Tennessee, and they held their own against Georgia only losing by nine points. At the end of the season, they defeated Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl 14-3. Missouri football was back.
And a big part of their success other than their coach and quarterback, was wide receiver Luther Burden III.
Luther Burden III
Missouri wide receiver Luther Burden III hasn’t been a burden by any stretch of the imagination. He’s been an interictal piece in Mizzou’s offense and he’s only getting better. The 5’11 205-pound receiver uses his speed and quickness which allows him to get open vs defensive backs. His footwork helps tremendously as it pertains to creating separation. He may be on the shorter side, but he plays the ball well in 50-50 scenarios and tracks the deep ball efficiently. The 205-pounder uses his strength to an advantage being difficult to bring down in space.
All Over the Field
Missouri uses Luther Burden all over the field in the passing and running game and special teams. Burden gets the ball on jet sweeps, screens, and lines up in the backfield from time to time. He can play from the slot and outside the numbers. He does a lot of damage in the slot as he does exceptionally getting open in zone coverage.
In 2022, Luther Burden III tallied 45 catches for 375 yards and six touchdowns. Not bad for the then-freshman. In 2023, Luther burst on the scene with 86 catches for 1,212 yards and nine touchdowns. At the end of the season, he was named as a Biletnikoff Award Semifinalist.
So far in 2024, Luther has 13 catches for 181 yards and two touchdowns through three games.
NFL Draft
A lot of scouts have Luther Burden III projected to go in the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Even with a top-heavy receiver class, some say that he could be the first receiver off the board.
Is Luther Burden III the best wide receiver in the SEC?
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