One thing experts didn't question about Luther Burden going into the 2025 draft was his talent. The Missouri wide receiver had everything you could ask for: size, speed, strength, agility, and route-running skill. On paper, he should've been a 1st rounder. So, for the Chicago Bears to get him the 2nd felt like a blessing. Some couldn't help but wonder why Burden slipped so far. Some raised questions about his passion for football, pointing to his soft-spoken nature and aloof attitude. He felt like another uber-talented young man using the sport as a means to make money rather than having any genuine love for it.
Players like that tend not to have the great pro careers they're capable of. However, these rumors only proved that people didn't understand Burden as a person. The Bears revealed evidence of why in their latest episode of Meet The Rookies. Towards the end, it showed the team calling the wide receiver to inform him they selected him 39th overall. After the call ended, people began celebrating. However, footage showed Burden leaning on his father's shoulder, tears streaming down his face.
People who don't love football don't do things like that. It was a testament to how hard the young man worked to get this far.
Luther Burden has everything needed to silence the doubters.
His talent is impossible to argue with. He also landed in a great situation, getting to play with Caleb Williams while having Antwaan Randle El to coach him. Ben Johnson will call the plays. The same man turned his former high school teammate Jameson Williams into a star. If Luther Burden can't succeed under these conditions, he was never meant to in the first place. The hard part seems to be getting him signed. Many players selected in the 2nd round are in the middle of a significant contract dispute with the NFL over fully guaranteed contracts. Burden is one of them. Rookies report to training camp on July 19th. Burden has already missed most of OTAs and minicamps due to a soft tissue injury. He can't afford to miss more if he aims to play this season.
