Bears News: Meet the Rookies: Luther Burden III |
Tony Crumpton
· · 6 hours ago
Since he was 6 years old, Luther Burden III was a name known throughout the city of St. Louis as he dominated every basketball court and football field he stepped foot on. Not only did he desire to be the best, but he also used sports to keep busy as a way to avoid going down the wrong path. Instead of using football to escape where he was from, the receiver wanted to show the youth around him the importance of staying close to home and elevating the communities that shaped him. That culminated in him blazing his own trail and continuing to shine in his home state at the University of Missouri before being drafted by the Bears in the second round of the 2025 NFL Draft. Through his friends, family and coaches, learn more about Luther Burden III and how family and football guided him to Chicago.
Watch the video below:
Video summary/cliff notes:
(00:02) Opens with gratitude: Luther thanks God, his coaches, and parents 🙏. His coaches saw leadership and maturity from a young age.
(00:28) After decommitting from Oklahoma, he embraced the recruiting process fully and ultimately chose to stay home at Missouri, making his family—and hometown—proud 🏡💛.
(01:12) Emotional commitment moment: faked out with Alabama and Georgia hats, then picked Missouri 🎩👀. St. Louis was shook… in a good way.
(02:42) Family is everything ❤️. Luther grew up in a tight-knit family with strong values and a work ethic instilled by his dad.
(03:22) St. Louis sports culture fueled his drive. He wanted to be "one of the names they talk about in the fall.” Spoiler alert: he succeeded. 😏
(05:13) Was a basketball-first kid 🏀, but became a two-sport beast. Luther dominated both football and hoops – sometimes on the same day. Freak of nature? Yeah. Certified.
(07:07) His punt return swagger is the stuff of legend 🏈💨. Luther made high-risk plays look easy – “elite kids do that,” his coach said.
(08:29) Choosing Mizzou made it cool for other top recruits to stay home 🐯. His impact went beyond stats – he started a movement.
(09:18) He gives back. Hosts free youth camps at the Boys and Girls Club where he grew up. Wants to "be an outlet" for kids just like him 🫂🏈.
(10:48) Drafted by the Chicago Bears with the 39th pick in 2025! 🎉🐻 The moment was emotional, with tears, joy, and a chip on his shoulder the size of Soldier Field. “The league gon’ be in trouble.”
