Missouri extensive receiver Luther Burden III declared Monday for the NFL Draft, the place he’s anticipated to be a first-round decide.
Burden mentioned he’ll skip the Tigers’ bowl sport and start getting ready for April’s draft. The choice was extensively anticipated after the St. Louis junior walked with the seniors earlier than the house finale in opposition to Arkansas on Saturday.
“Playing within the NFL has all the time been my dream,” Burden mentioned in an announcement. “I’m lucky to have a household and a neighborhood which have helped me help this dream and inspired me to work in the direction of this objective.”
Colorado two-way star Travis Hunter is extensively thought of the highest receiver prospect within the draft. But Burden may very well be proper behind him in a gaggle that features Arizona’s Tetairoa McMillan, Mississippi’s Tre Harris and Texas’ Isaiah Bond.
Burden has made 61 receptions for 676 yards and 6 touchdowns this season, regardless of dealing with fixed double- and triple-team protection.
Burden was recruited by a few of the nation’s prime applications, however selected to remain near residence at Missouri, the place he helped coach Eli Drinkwitz flip round a program languishing in mediocrity. The Tigers completed 11-2 with a win within the Cotton Bowl final season, and the win over the rival Razorbacks moved them to 9-3 heading into this season’s bowl sport.
Despite taking part in simply three seasons and overcoming a number of minor accidents, Burden completed sixth on the varsity’s profession receiving yards checklist with 2,263 receiving yards — he had 1,212 receiving final season, the third-best complete at school historical past. He completed fourth in receptions with 192 and fifth with 21 landing receptions, together with 4 speeding touchdowns and one other on particular groups.
“He’s among the best gamers, if not the most effective participant, to ever come to the University of Missouri,” Drinkwitz mentioned. “For him to make that call modified the trajectory of my profession and our program, and that is what can be remembered.”
Associated Press reporting.
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