Luther Burden III Posts Late-Night Workout Photo After Slide Out of NFL Draft Round 1

Missouri wide receiver Luther Burden III got to work after not being selected in the first round of the 2025 NFL draft on Thursday.

Burden posted a photo on his Instagram Stories at 12:52 a.m. showing a helmet, cleats, gloves and a football on the turf of an indoor practice field:

The post seemed to indicate that Burden was about to run some routes and catch some balls in anticipation of Day 2 of the 2025 NFL draft on Friday.

Three pure wide receivers in Arizona's Tetairoa McMillan, Ohio State's Emeka Egbuka and Texas' Matthew Golden came off the board in the first round, but Burden did not hear his name called. Travis Hunter, the cornerback/wide receiver hybrid, went No. 2 overall to the Jacksonville Jaguars.

In 2023, Burden broke out with a huge statistical season, recording 86 receptions for 1,212 yards and nine touchdowns, which put him on the radar as a top draft prospect entering the 2024 season.

However, Burden's production dropped off significantly to the tune of 61 catches for 676 yards and six touchdowns, although he did rush for 115 yards and two more touchdowns as well.

The Mizzou offense took a big step backward in 2024 as a whole, going from ranking 29th in the nation in scoring in 2023 to 56th last season.

Quarterback Brady Cook's injuries are likely a major reason, as he missed some time and wasn't leaned upon as heavily when he did play, throwing for just 2,535 yards and 11 touchdowns.

Still, the optics of the Missouri offense and its inconsistency may have played a role in Burden going from a surefire first-round pick to a Day 2 prospect.

A strong argument can be made for Burden being the best wide receiver still available and one of the best overall players on the board ahead of the start of the second round.

Receiver-needy teams in the Las Vegas Raiders and New England Patriots own the Nos. 37 and 38 overall picks early in the second round, and both are prime candidates to select Burden on Friday night.