The Chicago Bears continue to make a significant commitment to surrounding quarterback Caleb Williams with potentially elite weapons in the passing game, selecting Missouri wide receiver Luther Burden III in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft.
Burden, 5-foot-11 and 208 pounds, lands with the Bears with the No. 39 overall pick, on the heels of Chicago selecting former Michigan tight end Colston Loveland with the No. 10 pick, joining a wide receiving corps that already includes veterans D.J. Moore and Rome Odunze.
Last season, Burden was a Yards After the Catch machine, which could make him an ideal fit in Ben Johnson’s offense after averaging 6.1 last season.
Chicago Bears WR Luther Burden scouting report
General manager Ryan Poles is doing everything possible to facilitate Williams taking a big step in his development with the pass catchers the Bears are surrounding him with, and Burden could wind up being an ideal fit for Ben Johnson’s system which is predicated on yards after the catch.
Pro Football Focus points out that Burden led the nation with 30 forced missed tackles, while posting 217 deep passing yards during the 2024 campaign.
“Burden is a natural on the field,” NFL Media’s Lance Zierlein writes of Burden. “With above-average speed and exciting ball skills to win at a high rate. He takes snaps off and short-circuits routes if he’s not the primary option, but he can separate and succeed on all three levels when it’s his time. Missouri exploited Burden’s yards-after-catch talent with a barrage of short throws, but NFL teams are much more likely to diversify his usage, activating his complete skill set and big-play potential.”
At the NFL Combine this spring, Burden ran the 40-yard dash in 4.41 seconds, after finishing his collegiate career with 192 catches for 2,263 yards with 21 touchdowns, posting a career 11.8 yards per reception average, showing his ability to be a high-target contributor on offense.
“Burden is great after the catch due to his play strength,” The Bleacher Report Scouting Department writes. “contact balance, and body control. He is a tackle-breaking machine who runs through arm tackle attempts routinely. Burden has an explosive and dynamic burst/acceleration to generate chunk plays after the catch.
“He brings enough straight-line speed to win on slot fades down the field. Burden’s experience as a punt returner shows up on offense. When the ball is in his hands, he weaves in and out of traffic, evading pursuing defenders. Surprisingly, Burden wins in contested catch situations due to his innate play strength and ultra-competitive drive.”
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