Luther Burden III

Luther Burden III (born December 12, 2003) is an American professional football wide receiver and kickoff returner for the Chicago Bears of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Missouri Tigers and was selected by the Bears in the second round of the 2025 NFL draft.

Early life Burden was born on December 12, 2003, in St. Louis, Missouri, later attending East St. Louis Senior High School. He played both basketball and football and was ranked by ESPN as the top offensive recruit in the class of 2022. 247Sports and Rivals.com ranked him within the top five nationally.

Burden received 41 total college scholarship offers,

College career Burden made his collegiate debut on September 1, 2022, catching three passes for 17 yards and had two touchdowns, one rushing and one receiving. On September 17, he had a 78-yard punt return for a touchdown against Abilene Christian. In the 2022 season, he had 45 receptions for 375 receiving yards and six receiving touchdowns to go with two rushing touchdowns.

In the 2023 season, Burden led the team with 83 receptions for 1,197 receiving yards and eight receiving touchdowns prior to the bowl game. He had five consecutive games during the season going over 100 receiving yards. On December 2, 2024, Burden declared for the 2025 NFL draft.

Professional career

Burden was selected by the Chicago Bears with the 39th pick in the second round of the 2025 NFL draft. He began his rookie season as one of the Bears' slot receivers. In Week 3 against the Dallas Cowboys, Burden caught his first touchdown on a 65-yard flea flicker as the Bears won 31–14; he ended the game with three receptions for 101 yards and seven rushing yards. In Week 17, he had eight receptions for 138 yards and a touchdown in the 42–38 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. He finished his rookie season with 47 receptions for 652 yards and two touchdowns.

Career statistics

NFL Regular season

Postseason

College Season Team Games Receiving Rushing 2022 Missouri 13 10 45 375 8.3 6 18 88 4.9 2 2023 Missouri 13 13 86 1,212 14.1 9 7 31 4.4 0 2024 Missouri 12 10 61 676 11.1 6 9 115 12.8 2 Career 38 33 192 2,263 11.8 21 34 234 6.9 4

Personal life Burden's grandfather, Luther Burden, played in the ABA for the Virginia Squires and in the NBA for the New York Knicks.