LAKE FOREST, Ill. -- Luther Burden III wasn't ready to call it a night. The former Missouri wide receiver had to channel his frustration and disappointment to clear his mind. For weeks, the teams he had visited during the lead-up to the 2025 NFL draft told him they believed he was worthy of a first-round pick.
The first night of the draft on April 24 proved otherwise, and the former five-star recruit displayed his dissatisfaction outwardly. Every hour that ticked off the clock enlarged the chip on Burden's shoulder over being passed over where he thought he should have been drafted.