There have been times in Luther Burden III's football career where there hasn't been anyone considered better than him.
And now, he's going to try to make that a reality with the Chicago Bears.
It could take some serious work, but the former top-notch recruit will get his chances. The Bears picked him in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft for a reason.
If things go right, Burden can grow up alongside second-year players Caleb Williams and Rome Odunze to form a potent offense for years to come.
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Who is Luther Burden III?
Luther Burden III is a 21-year old rookie wide receiver for the Chicago Bears.
He's originally from St. Louis, where he attended East St. Louis Senior High School.
Luther Burden III recruiting rankings
Some services ranked Burden as the top recruit in the entire class of 2022.
ESPN had him slotted as its top offensive recruit.
And there was no dispute that he was the No. 1 WR in his class.
Burden had 41 college scholarship offers. His final three were Alabama, Georgia and Missouri.
And he chose to stay home and go to Mizzou.
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Luther Burden III college stats
Burden's best Missouri season was actually his sophomore year. He went for 86 catches, 1,212 yards and seven TDs.
In 2024, he had 61 catches for 676 yards and six scores.
Luther Burden III 40 time
At the 2025 NFL Combine, Luther Burden III ran a 4.41-second 40-yard dash.
He didn't do any of the jumping, and he measured up at 6-feet and 206 pounds.
The Bears took him No. 39 overall, a second-round pick, in April.
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