Luther Burden, the talented wide receiver for the Chicago Bears, is channeling his draft-day disappointment into motivation for his professional career. Burden put up video game numbers during his time playing college football. He was unhappy when he wasn’t chosen out of the elite prospects during this year’s 2024 NFL Draft on April 24th. He walked off the practice field at Missouri’s Stephens Indoor Facility shortly after midnight on April 25. Frustration continued to rise inside him as he struggled with the notion of being slighted.
Burden quickly became a playmaking force for Missouri. During the 2023 season, he already racked up 1,080 receiving yards so far on the season, which puts him fifth in the FBS. It was his ridiculous ability after the catch which changed the entire game. It ideally matched up with the athleticism and speed-heavy offensive attack the Bears were hoping to create, led by offensive coordinator Ben Johnson. The Bears recognized Burden’s potential and selected him after drafting Michigan tight end Colston Loveland with the 10th overall pick.
He nearly had a 2,000-yard year last season—finishing with 1,212 yards receiving, more than conference-mate Marvin Harrison Jr. Sadly, his production fell off a cliff during his junior year. He finished the season with 25 fewer receptions and 536 fewer receiving yards. Though he did sign up six touchdowns, a drop from nine in 2020. That drop off was largely blamed on the ineffectiveness of Missouri’s offensive scheme. Still, all the while, Burden was still pretty confident in his skill set and where he fell among the top receivers in the draft.
Jacob Peeler, Burden’s former wide receivers coach at Missouri, painted a picture of an elite talent. He compared Burden to A.J. Brown, highlighting Burden’s potential to find success at the next level. Burden’s 75% slot rate ranked fifth among all altitude-adjusted WRs in the 2023 and 2024 seasons. It was this incredible versatility that consistently drew rave reviews from coaches.
Burden’s outburst at being overlooked in the draft was impossible to ignore. “Nope, that’s going to be stuck with me forever,” he said incredulously, clearly still fired up over his motivation to make naysayers eat their words.
He has shown a great deal of competitive spirit, famously stating once, “Everybody who passed up on me gotta pay.” Burden’s disappointment is a great motivator, so he leans into it. He pours that bring it on attitude into his career, propelling himself down the path.
In addition to Burden’s own resolve, fellow former high school teammate Jameson Williams offered support and insight into navigating a professional offense. Williams calmed Burden’s fears, telling him that he would be placed to succeed. This promise uniquely motivates him further.
Now, as Burden prepares for his first season with the Chicago Bears, he’s going to have a tremendous impact on the field in a big way! In fact, Johnson has previously referred to him as “a dangerous player” and “a weapon.” Yet that’s a pretty clear indication that expectations are sky high for Burden’s contributions to the team’s offense.
Ryan Poles, the Bears’ General Manager, emphasized the need for players to embrace challenges. “Like there’s some guys that are going to have to grind a little bit harder than probably they ever had before. So I believe it’s going to drive everybody to just be excellent. His remarks are very much in tune with Burden’s present philosophy as he continues to strive to pilot the initiative beyond the tragic crash.
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