In three years at Missouri, wide receiver Luther Burden showed he's a speedy, athletic target who can produce yards after the catch. He's the kind of receiver that would fit perfectly in the Miami Dolphins offense.
Burden is an explosive, big-play threat anytime he touches the ball, with the versatility to play on the boundary. His main home is the slot, where 85 percent of his routes originated from at the collegiate level. According to analyst Warren Sharp, 49 percent of the receiver's receptions forced a missed tackle.
Burden can create separation with ease, and he's explosive out of the gates. One of his top attributes is his deep ball tracking ability to add to his speed and precision route running. Throughout the scouting process, he has drawn comparisons to Garrett Wilson, Amon-Ra St. Brown, and Terry McLaurin.
He has terrific hands with an 85.9 percent catch rate at Missouri. While he showed prowess at snagging the deep ball, 75 percent of his receptions were targeted inside of 10 yards, according to Pro Football Focus. Getting the ball out and into the hands of playmakers is modus operandi for Miami and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa.
Burden is also a physical blocker who takes pride in this area of the game, which could be a major benefit to his fellow skill position players. Blocking is coveted by Miami head coach Mike McDaniel, which adds to Burden's appeal as a particular "fit" for this offense.
Can the Dolphins afford to spend an early selection at the wide receiver position, though.
Miami's wide receiver room is currently led by Tyreek Hill, who has been the center of rumors largely of his own creation. With his future in South Florida beyond this season doubtful at best, the Dolphins could be looking for a successor.
Miami has Jaylen Waddle and Malik Washington behind Hill, and signed Nick Westbrook-Ikhine earlier this offseason. Adding a near-future running mate for Waddle isn’t a bad idea, although Day 1 of the draft could be too early to address the wide receiver position given the Dolphins' other needs.
However, should Miami trade down in the first and acquire another selection in the second round, that additional pick could be used at more of a luxury position like wide receiver. The Dolphins need help on both sides of the trenches as well as across the defensive backfield, but Burden could be one of a few multifaceted weapons that could be very intriguing to Miami if he's on the board.
What makes Burden appealing is how well he'd mesh with the Dolphins offense. In addition to his yards after the catch production, Burden's punt return potential is appealing as well. At Missouri he returned a total of 24 punts for 252 yards and a touchdown. He recorded 10.5 yards per return and even averaged 12.6 as a freshman in 2022.
His final season at Missouri in 2024 was not his statistical best, but his 2023 season was special. As a sophomore, he caught 86 passes for 1,212 receiving yards and nine touchdowns. He averaged 14.1 yards per reception, helping him earn Second-Team All-American and First Team All-SEC honors. He finished his collegiate career with 192 receptions, 2,263 receiving yards, and 21 touchdown receptions. He also had four rushing scores across his three seasons and a 2022 punt return for a touchdown.
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