For just the second time in program history, Missouri has had two players taken in the top two rounds in two consecutive years.
Last year's combo of Darius Robinson and Ennis Rakestraw Jr., mixed with this year's pair of Luther Burden III and Armand Membou are the first full set for the Tigers since 2014-15 when Kony Ealy and Justin Britt were both second rounders then Shane Ray, Dorial Green-Beckham, Mitch Morse and Markus Golden were all taken in the top two rounds in 2015.
Burden, the former five-star receiver who was the top receiver in the country coming out of high school in East St. Louis (Ill.) High was drafted at No. 39 in the second round by the Chicago Bears.
Burden came in as the highest-rated prospect in Missouri history and instantly jumped into the fold, catching 61 passes for 676 yards and six touchdowns, while also running the ball nine times for 115 yards and two scores and returning the first punt return of his college career 78 yards for another touchdown.
His nine total scores tied him for the team lead (among non quarterbacks) with Cody Schrader.
Then, as a sophomore, he became one of the best receivers in college football, catching 86 passes for 1,212 yards and nine touchdowns. His total receiving yards put him ninth in the country and third in the SEC. He posted five consecutive games of at least 110 receiving yards from posting 117 against Middle Tennessee in Week 2 to 149 against LSU in Week 6. He recorded a season-high 158 yards against Florida, including one of the many highlight plays Tiger fans will look back on during his career, catching a fourth-and-17 pass from Brady Cook for 27 yards to keep the Tigers’ comeback alive.
Burden’s junior season didn’t have the same numbers, he caught 61 passes for 676 yards and six touchdowns, while running the ball nine times for 115 yards and two more scores. His eight touchdowns was second on the team.
He still had some major highlight plays, though. The overtime touchdown to beat Vanderbilt, a go-ahead fourth-quarter one-handed grab against South Carolina, a sideline catch in the fourth quarter to help the comeback against Oklahoma and his final touchdown against Mississippi State, working around the back of a defender to help the Tigers secure their eighth win of the season.
Burden is the first Tiger receiver to be drafted since J'Mon Moore in the fourth round in 2018 and the first to be taken in the top two rounds since Green-Beckham at Round 2 pick No. 8 in 2015.
The Tigers have now had four receivers taken in the top two rounds, the first was Victor Bailey in 1993, then Jeremy Maclin in 2009, Green-Beckham and now Burden.
Burden goes to the Bears where he will catch passes from Caleb Williams and join a receiving core of D.J. Moore and Rome Odunze.
Now, the face of the resurgence of Missouri football and the catalyst for recent recruiting success, is headed where Tiger fans knew he was going since that first punt return touchdown against Abilene Christian in 2022, to a pro career in the NFL.
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