COLUMBIA, Mo. — Asked to describe the football player Luther Burden III, the coach didn’t describe Burden playing football.
“We were doing a dodgeball tournament one day,†Mizzou receivers coach Jacob Peeler said Sunday. “A team-development thing. Whether it’s dodgeball or football, he just likes to compete. ... I think the one thing that I saw in the spring is just his competitive character.â€
As for a scouting report on Burden’s dodgeball acumen, Peeler described what stood out in a word: “Elusiveness.â€
Camp opens here Monday and Burden will leap for passes both at practice and in the daydreams of alums in cubicles across the state. Mizzou has the No. 1 wide receiver in the class of 2022 — and he’s from ºüÀêÊÓƵ, too — and there is this belief that the Tigers surely have college football’s next D.K. Metcalf. Doesn’t hurt that the Tigers already have Metcalf’s collegiate receivers coach in, yep, Peeler (oh, and A.J. Brown’s receivers coach, too).
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As of now, though, Mizzou has the next Mario Williams Jr., Julian Fleming, Jadon Haselwood, Justin Shorter and Joseph Lewis.
Those were the five previous No. 1 high school receivers per ESPN. As college freshmen, they averaged a combined 13.6 receptions. Three have since transferred. Yes, some battled injuries and depth charts. And no, this isn’t saying the No. 1 ranking is cursed or anything; it’s pointing out that none of these guys dominated immediately.
Still, Burden could dominate immediately. His potential isn’t diminished based on five strangers. It’s simply a reminder that talent alone doesn’t guarantee much on Saturdays. It’s about what the talented person does Sunday through Friday.
“It’s managing expectations and allowing him to, you know, be a young kid and allow him to kind of come into his own,†Peeler said. “And figure himself out in this process, because obviously the SEC is the best of the best. I think for him it’s just his competitive character and just his willingness to be humble — and come in and try to get extra work when he’s not as good at something that he would like to be. I’m excited to see his development.â€
Mizzou didn’t make Burden or other incoming freshmen available to the media on Sunday. But others queried about him kept coming back to competitiveness, be it coaches or fellow receivers or offensive players.
“As soon as he walked in here, he came in with a lot of energy,†said offensive lineman Connor Wood, who has seen plenty of receivers come through in his five previous college seasons. “He’s confident, which is awesome — really at any position you need confidence, but especially in the wide receiver and quarterback room. Luther Burden, he’s a very athletic dude. He has a lot of potential. He’s going to be a big part of our offense.â€
Burden was on campus for spring practice, which proved to be a fulfilling decision. He played high school ball at East ºüÀêÊÓƵ High and, before that, Cardinal Ritter. He’s listed at 5 feet 11, 210 pounds, “and we really feel he came in college-ready,†said Mizzou quarterbacks coach Bush Hamdan. “I think physically there hadn’t been a huge transition for him. He’s already at 215 pounds. He’s strong. He’s a natural ball catcher. So it’s interesting, right? Normally when a freshman comes in, there’s that adjustment period to get your body to a certain standpoint.â€
Now, not that anybody would alert the likes of me, but apparently something happened regarding the meaning of a slang word. For decades, “a dog†was indisputably insulting, insinuating disapproval, unattractiveness or, in sports, someone who was lackadaisical or lacked actual talent.
But now, being called “a dog†is of the highest regard — it’s used for commending a commanding competitor.
“Luther is a dog, you know?†Mizzou quarterback Tyler Macon said. “He’s going to try to dominate his opponent every play. He’s not going to try to take a play off. I feel like that’s what separates him — just that dog mentality.
“He’s pretty consistent, a pretty low head. He’s a good guy outside of football. He’s got the people in his corner. So that’s what’s keeping him consistent, because he knows he’s a big deal, but he’s a good guy.â€
Incidentally, it won’t matter how good Burden is if the quarterbacks can’t complete passes to him. Whether it’s Macon, Brady Cook, Jack Abraham or Sam Horn, some quarterback will get the start for Mizzou on Sept. 1 — and the onus will be on that young man to maximize his wide outs.
Wearing No. 3 will be the high school legend previously called “Touchdown Luther.â€
But as camp begins, all involved will need to establish him first as “First Down Luther.â€