Grading the Bears Pick: WR Luther Burden III

Jay Biggerstaff - USA Today Sports

Dustin Riese - Senior Writer - 1 day ago

After a relatively quiet first round of the 2025 NFL draft on a surprising front, day two is when things started to get interesting, with the Chicago Bears getting involved. A lot of that stemmed from the Bears trading away both their No.41 and No.72 selections to the Bills to acquire two second-round picks.

That gave the Bears three second-round picks as opposed to two and got rid of their third-round pick in the process. Not included in that trade was the Bears' initial second-round pick, No. 39 overall, and with that pick came one of the more surprising decisions of the day as the Chicago Bears selected Missouri Wide Receiver Luther Burden III.

Considering what the Bears had left from a need factor, drafting Burden was a bit of a shock, but knowing what he brings to the table and how he could potentially fit into this offense made this pick intriguing nonetheless. It was very clear that both Cole Loveland and Burden were Ben Johnson picks, as he is hoping to create one of the more diverse offenses in the NFL.

Adding a wide receiver was never out of the question for the Bears, despite adding several this offseason, but to see them target a guy like Burden as early as they did is where the surprise comes into play. The 5-11, 205-pounder is very undersized for the wide receiver position, which is why he projects to be more of a slot guy in the NFL.

That isn't the worst idea in the world, as Rome Odunze will be taking over the Keenan Allen role this season, which could increase Burden's touches. Although not mentioned among the best receivers in his class, Burden has the potential to be one of the better playmakers, which he displayed several times in college.

After posting a rather quiet season with 375 yards in 2022, Burden at least made up for that with his six touchdowns as he showed big-play potential. Then came 2023, when Burden not only put himself on the map but broke out in a big way to emerge as one of the more intriguing wide receiver prospects that season.

2023 wound up being a career-best season for Burden across the board, as he logged 1212 yards receiving and nine scores while also hauling in 86 receptions. That type of production is considered to be elite, as he had massive expectations heading into 2024. What was expected to be another big season turned into a bit of a disappointment, as he finished 2024 with only 676 yards and six more scores.

His massive drop in production this past season is a red flag, but with 21 career scores, the Bears are banking that type of production can hold true at the next level. Even if his smaller frame does bring with it some concerns, his 4.41 speed is all you need to know, as that alone is what makes him a big-play waiting to happen.

The Former five-star recruit offers five-star athleticism and playmaking ability. Burden is a natural on the field with above-average speed and exciting ball skills to win at a high rate. If he's not the primary option, he takes snaps off and short-circuits routes, 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. The production against top teams was sometimes uneven, but so was Missouri’s quarterback play. Burden checks several priority boxes that typically foreshadow an impressive NFL career.

Pick Grade B: When it comes to a skillset and overall potential grade, Burden would get an A, as he is very comparable to Garrett Wilson. You have seen the player Wilson has become, so if the Bears can get something close to that production-wise from Burden, they will take it.

What hurt this pick a little bit was the overall need factor, as wide receiver was way down on the Bears' list of needs. Taking one not only on day two but also for their first pick on day two was a surprise, but at this point, most fans are going to trust Johnson and what he wants to build.

Clearly, Johnson sees something in Burden that will take him this high. What that is will be addressed during the season, but expect him to have plenty of packages designed to keep him on the field and producing at a high level.