LAKE FOREST, Ill. (670 The Score) – In the early hours of April 25, receiver Luther Burden III took to the practice field at the University of Missouri. His girlfriend pressed buttons on the Jugs machine, and he caught passes.
Burden didn’t expect to be on the field at that time, just hours after the conclusion of the first round of the NFL Draft. He expected to have heard his name called by then, but he was passed over in the first round. He would have to wait until the second round, where the Bears made him the 39th overall selection of the draft.
Burden was frustrated that he dropped out of the first round, and he’s using that as motivation as he took to the field for Bears rookie minicamp Friday at Halas Hall.
“That’s staying with me forever,” Burden said. “Everybody who passed on me is going to pay.”
The 21-year-old Burden earned all-SEC honors twice at Missouri, where he had 192 receptions and 21 touchdowns over three seasons. Burden had a strong 2023 season, when he had 86 catches for 1,212 yards and nine touchdowns in 13 games. He had 61 catches for 676 yards and six touchdowns in 12 games in 2024.
The Bears were thrilled to land Burden in the second round. Though Chicago didn’t necessarily have a need at receiver, where it’s led by DJ Moore and Rome Odunze, Burden was the best player available on the draft board.
“I was very excited he slid to us,” Bears head coach Ben Johnson said.
Johnson sees similarities between Burden and Lions receiver Jameson Williams, whom he coached in Detroit. Burden and Williams were teammates at Cardinal Ritter in St. Louis.
Once Burden landed with Johnson in Chicago, Williams reached out and offered his endorsement of the Bears’ new head coach.
“He told me I’m going to love it,” Burden said. “So, let’s go.”
Chris Emma covers the Bears, Chicago’s sports scene and more for 670TheScore.com. Follow him on Twitter @CEmma670.