The Chicago Bears added several promising pieces for head coach Ben Johnson’s new offense in the 2025 NFL draft, but one selection in particular is generating a significant amount of buzz from analysts as one of the draft’s “biggest steals.”
Early in the second round, the Bears selected Missouri standout wide receiver Luther Burden III with the No. 39 overall pick, adding another dynamic pass-catcher to their offense after adding Michigan star tight end Colston Loveland with the No. 10 selection.
Burden’s availability outside of the first round surprised some analysts. While ESPN and NFL Network’s Daniel Jeremiah had Burden ranked within the top 40 prospects, Pro Football Focus had listed him as the second-best wide receiver in the class behind Arizona’s Tetairoa McMillan and a top-15 overall prospect on their final big board.
As such, the Bears earned major praise for their perceived value selection. ESPN’s Matt Miller ranked Burden’s selection No. 1 overall on his list of top 100 picks in the draft. Pro Football Focus also lauded the Bears for landing Burden at a value, describing him as an “all-around threat in the receiving game” who possesses “first-round talent.”
“After falling out of the first round, Burden hit the practice field for a late-night workout, putting his dedication to the game on full display,” Pro Football Focus’ staff wrote. “The No. 15 prospect on PFF’s big board was drafted early in Round 2 — a sizable value for the Bears. Burden is a consistent separator, having generated a 94th-percentile separation rate over the past two seasons.”
Luther Burden Comes With Risk After 2024 Dropoff
The Bears’ decision to select Burden in the second round is enticing given the offensive transformation they are still undergoing in preparation for the 2025 NFL season.
Over the past four months, the Bears have made a variety of moves with their offense in mind. They hired Johnson as head coach and enabled him to bring in his brain trust of assistants to help rebuild their offense around quarterback Caleb Williams. They also acquired more support for Williams, from completely rebuilding the interior of their offensive line to adding more weapons like Loveland, Burden and Olamide Zaccheaus.
Burden — who Over the Cap projects will sign a four-year, $10.9 million rookie contract — does come with some risk after his production declined in 2024, though.
Burden broke out in 2023 with 86 catches for 1,212 yards and nine touchdowns for the Tigers, impressing NFL scouts with his excellent hands, sudden quickness and dynamic run-after-catch ability. Unfortunately for him, inconsistent quarterback play for Mizzou in 2024 stifled his attempts to level up and caused his production to regress noticeably.
In 12 games, Burden finished with a little more than half of his 2023 receiving yards total (676) despite catching 25 fewer passes — a direct result of the offense’s decline.
Now, the Bears are likely trusting that Burden’s production dropoff is strongly linked to the shortcomings of Missouri’s 2024 offense and that their offense can take advantage of his playmaking ability more faithfully in 2025. Even still, Burden remains a gamble.
Will Luther Burden Start in Slot for Bears in 2025?
The Bears needed to come away from the 2025 draft with a wide receiver. Coming into the offseason, they desperately needed stronger depth behind starters D.J. Moore and Rome Odunze, and the signings of Zaccheaus and Devin Duvernay in free agency — while options for the short term — did not present long-term solutions at the position.
Just how big of a role will Burden have during his rookie season in Chicago, though?
The Bears will need to see proof on the practice field that Burden’s 2024 dropoff had more to do with his surroundings than his talent, but he has a good chance of opening the season as the team’s starting slot receiver if he can seize his opportunities during spring workouts and his first NFL training camp with the team later in the summer.
Apart from adjusting to the speed of the NFL level, Burden’s biggest challenge will be learning the complexities and nuances of Johnson’s new offense. He has the speed and athleticism of a future NFL star, but the Bears won’t feel comfortable making him a core piece of their offensive game plan until he has grasped the finer details of the system.
Burden will also need to build a fast connection with Williams to give himself a shot at becoming a Day 1 starter for the Bears. The chemistry between them won’t need to be perfect before the start of the season, but Williams is more likely to look his way — and Johnson more likely to scheme plays for him — if they bank significant trust in camp.
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