The Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver room was a concern heading into the 2024 season, and the production of the room outside of WR George Pickens left a lot to be desired. With or without Pickens, Pittsburgh needs to upgrade at the wide receiver position, and Pickens’ future with the team appears to be murky. In a recent mock draft for The 33rd Team, Kyle Crabbs had the Steelers selecting Missouri WR Luther Burden III at No. 21 overall.
Heading into the season, Burden was considered one of, if not the best, receivers in this draft class, but his season didn’t quite live up to expectations, with 62 receptions for 676 yards and six touchdowns in 12 games. It was a far cry from his sophomore year stats in 2023 when he hauled in 86 receptions for 1,212 yards and 12 touchdowns, but Burden’s still considered a likely first-round pick. He was second-team All-America and first-team All-SEC in 2023.
Burden dealt with lingering shoulder and arm injuries during his junior season, and he still showcased the ability to separate, with his speed being one of his biggest assets. He also entered college as a five-star recruit, and the No. 14 overall player in his class, per 247Sports, and that pedigree coming out of high school is one reason why he’s still considered one of the best players in his draft class when you look at his production, especially in his sophomore season.
He also has some versatility, as he’s able to play outside or in the slot, but Missouri has Burden listed at 5-11 and 205 pounds, and there’s a chance he comes in smaller than that, which could lead to him being primarily viewed as a slot receiver. Pittsburgh may be looking for someone who can play outside more consistently, as they have some options in the slot with Calvin Austin III and Roman Wilson, although after playing just one game as a rookie, it’s hard to pencil Wilson in at this point.
The Steelers do traditionally value pedigree and production at the Power Four level, though, and Burden proved he can compete in the SEC. Wide receiver is undoubtedly going to be a need, although it could be a position the Steelers look to address in free agency and then supplement with a Day 2 selection. The team also will have needs at defensive line and cornerback, two other positions they could look to target in the first round.
In this mock, Burden was the third true receiver off the board, behind Arizona WR Tetairoa McMillan, who went 12th to the Dallas Cowboys, and Ohio State WR Emeka Egbuka, who went No. 19 to the Denver Broncos. WR/CB Travis Hunter, the 2024 Heisman Trophy winner, went No. 5 to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
If Pittsburgh really makes fixing their receiving woes a focus with a first-round pick, a playmaker like Burden, who can attack all levels of the field, could wind up being a good selection.
