Chicago Bears’ Luther Burden sends fiery message to NFL Draft doubters

Wide receiver Luther Burden didn’t have to wait long on day two to hear his name called, as the Chicago Bears selected him with the No. 39 overall. But Burden won’t soon forget falling out of the first round.

Including No. 2 overall pick Travis Hunter, four wide receivers were selected in the fourth-round. Another one was taken before the Bears were on the clock. Still, it was a shock to many that Burden remained on the board at No. 39. While wide receiver wasn’t an obvious need, Chicago simply couldn’t turn down the idea of adding a player with Burden’s talents to their roster.

Now officially with the Bears, the second-rounders first step will be getting acclimated to the NFL and head coach Ben Johnson’s offense. But as he begins his career, Burden won’t soon forget all the teams that passed on him, via Mike Pendleton of USA Today.

“It’s pretty much behind me now,” Burden said when asked about falling to the second round. “But, you know, it’s always in the back of my head that teams chose other people above me. So, I’ll see them.”

Luther Burden ready to prove himself with Chicago Bears 

Chicago had previously signed veteran receiver Olamide Zaccheaus to a one-year contract. It seemed as if he would enter the 2025 campaign as the slot receiver. But Burden’s arrival changes those plans, giving the Bears a lethal three-headed monster next to DJ Moore and Rome Odunze.

Over his three years at Missouri, the wide receiver caught 192 passes for 2,263 yards and 21 touchdowns. He broke out during his second year on campus, setting career-highs in receptions (86), yardage (2,263) and touchdowns (nine). Furthermore, Burden was named First-team All-SEC.

While his numbers dropped in 2024 – 61 catches for 676 yards and six touchdowns, Burden earned the same accolade in 2024. His senior year production may have contributed to his draft slide, but no one is doubting the wide receiver’s NFL potential. Coming into the league, Burden earned a comparison to current New York Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson by Lance Zierlein of NFL.com.

“Former five-star recruit who 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,” Zierlein wrote. “He takes snaps off and short-circuits routes if he’s not the primary option, 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 uneven at times but so was Missouri’s quarterback play,” Zierlein continued. “Burden checks several priority boxes that typically foreshadow an impressive NFL career.”

Burden is a big play waiting to happen whenever he touches the ball. He has elite after-the-catch ability, becoming a nightmare for opposing defenses. If teams are too focused on Moore and Odunze on the outside, Burden will be open. Furthermore, if defenses lock in on Chicago’s new tight end combination, Burden will once again be open down field.

With all the talent they added this offseason, Johnson will need to find a way to make sure all the cooks in the kitchen are well fed. But it’s a problem he certainly won’t complain about. Especially when one of those cooks is Burden. He may not be a “first-round talent,” based on where he landed in the draft. But Johnson and the Bears are expecting big things from the wide receiver.

It’s one thing to talk the talk and another to walk the walk. But Burden seems prepared to do both in year one.