It’s no secret that when the 2025 NFL Draft comes around the Pittsburgh Steelers will be looking for a wide receiver. Pittsburgh did a poor job surrounding WR George Pickens this past season and with Pickens entering the last year of his rookie deal, it would not be a surprise if the Steelers look wide receiver in the first round.
That is exactly what CBS Sports’ Tom Fornelli has Pittsburgh doing in his mock draft, selecting Missouri Tigers WR Luther Burden III with the 21st pick.
“The Steelers need help at WR, and Burden immediately improves the situation” wrote Fornelli. “He’s best suited working out of the slot, and there are kinks to work out when it comes to route-running, but he’s electric with the ball in his hands. He reminds me a lot of current Bears wideout D.J. Moore.”
Burden played three seasons for Mizzou where he tallied 192 catches for 2,263 yards and 21 touchdowns. His best season was his sophomore year where he caught 86 passes for 1,212 yards and nine touchdowns.
Burden was the second receiver off the board in Fornelli’s mock with Ohio State’s Emeka Ebuga going one pick earlier at 20 to the Denver Broncos. Burden is certainly not a consolation pick as he was named to both AP All-American Second Team and first-team All-SEC in 2023.
Standing at 5-foot-11, and weighing 205 pounds, Burden is on the smaller side and played a lot in the slot for Missouri. This could create a logjam at the slot in Pittsburgh as Calvin Austin III plays there, Roman Wilson could potentially play there, and then if Burden is drafted he might be placed there.
Burden is a good player though and the Steelers coaches would find a way to be able to get the most out of their other young wide receivers and put them in different positions. Just because Burden profiles as a slot wide receiver and played there in college doesn’t mean the Steelers shouldn’t draft him if he’s available. Pittsburgh needs wide receiver help and Burden could be that help.
Steelers Depot’s Steven Pavelka did a scouting report on Burden and gave him a first-round grade. It certainly tracks that if he is available at 21 the Steelers might pull the trigger and draft him.
