Luther

Burden

Burden is a former five-star recruit from the 2022 class. As a true freshman at Missouri, he caught 45 passes for 375 yards and six touchdowns but erupted in 2023 to the tune of 86-1212-9 while helping Missouri to an 11-2 record. Considered by some to be the top receiver of the 2025 draft class, Burden should hear his name called in the first round of next year’s draft.

Mizzou gained a huge signee on Wednesday, with the No. 1 wide receiver in the 2022 class putting pen to paper in Burden (6'0/202). In addition to being the top receiver in the class, Burden is the No. 17 overall player in the nation and the No. 1 player in the state of Illinois.

A native of St. Louis, Burden (6'0/202) originally committed to Oklahoma but backed off that pledge in August. Ultimately, he elected to stay home over offers from Alabama and Georgia, among many others. The No. 6 overall prospect in the 2022 247Sports Composite, Burden becomes the second highest-rated commitment in Mizzou history, following Dorial Green-Beckham (No. 1 overall recruit in 2012). If Burden goes through with his pledge, he’ll become the first five-star Missouri signee since DL Terry Beckner in 2015. That would be an enormous coup for HC Eli Drinkwitz, who has never signed a five-star prospect.

This is a huge loss for the Sooners, as Burden (6'2/194) is rated as the No. 1 wide receiver and fifth overall prospect in the nation according to the 247Sports composite ranks. Also a standout on the hard wood, Burden has a smooth natural gait and has the ability to break off big plays on screens, while also having the jets to run past opposing corners down the sideline. The St. Louis, MO native had committed to Oklahoma back in October of 2020, with 247Sports speculating that Missouri and Georgia are the two teams hottest on Burden’s recruiting trail at the moment.

Gorney writes that he expects the WR rankings to get shaken up a bit between now and then the class is completely settled. Gorney does not expect the No.1 spot to change, though. Burden’s got good size at 6-foot-2 and 205-pounds, as well as all the speed, agility, and contested-catch prowess to make him a star No.1 WR at the next level. Burden is currently a Sooner commit, but Missouri is doing everything in their power to get him to flip.

Burden (6’2/205) pledged to the Sooners in October, but while he has stuck strong with OU to this point, there are still plenty of suitors doggedly trying to pry him loose. Writes Gorney, “[The five-star wideout] was at Missouri in the last few days and apparently the Tigers are doing a great job working to flip him but I still find it hard to believe he ends up there.” That’s not a consensus opinion even around the Rivals water cooler, though, with Gorney colleague Josh Helmholdt citing a “metric ton of confidence coming from Missouri,” as well as an expectation for official visits in the fall. Oklahoma’s offense is as good as they get, but there remains a long, long time before signing day. Rivals ranks Burden as the No. 7 overall prospect in the 2022 class.

Burden committed to the Sooners way back in October of 2020. That’s an early commitment for anyone, though, and Burden (6'2/205) has recently been showing interest in other schools, most notably Missouri. The belief in some circles is that Missouri could get Burden to flip from his OU commitment. Gorney believes that is not going to happen, though, and that Burden, the No.1 WR in the 2022 class, will stick it out with Oklahoma and join one of the best offensive schools in the country.

Burden (6'2/194) was courted by powerhouses Alabama, Ohio State and Georgia, but opted for the plains of Norman. The highly touted wideout is rated the second-best receiver and number 14 prospect overall from the 2022 class according to 247 Sports. The Under Armour All-American Bowl attendee caught 48 passes for 1,191 yards and 13 touchdowns as a sophomore. Burden is the second wide 2022 wide receiver to commit to Oklahoma, joining four-star recruit Jordan Hudson.