Missouri football 2025 NFL Draft prospects: A way-too-early look at where Luther Burden, more may land
Barring unforeseen circumstances, Missouri football is shaping up to send a player to the NFL as a first-round pick in back-to-back years.
The last time that happened? 2010, when Sean Weatherspoon went to the Atlanta Falcons, and 2011, when Aldon Smith and Blaine Gabbert were drafted by the San Francisco 49ers and Jacksonville Jaguars, respectively.
On Thursday, at the 2024 NFL Draft, defensive end Darius Robinson became the first Tiger to become a Day 1 selection since Charles Harris in 2017, as the Arizona Cardinals picked him with the 27th-overall pick of the draft. MU cornerback Ennis Rakestraw Jr. (Detroit Lions, No. 61); linebacker Ty’Ron Hopper (Green Bay Packers, No. 91); offensive tackle Javon Foster (Jacksonville Jaguars, No. 114); cornerback Kris Abrams-Draine (Denver Broncos, No. 145); and safety/linebacker Jaylon Carlies (Indianapolis Colts, No. 151) each heard their name called on the stage in Detroit.
Cody Schrader, Harrison Mevis, Xavier Delgado and Marcellus Johnson have since signed undrafted free agent deals.
More: NFL undrafted free agent tracker: Who will sign Cody Schrader, other Missouri football standouts?
Next year, when the 2025 NFL Draft heads to Green Bay, Wisconsin, Missouri wide receiver Luther Burden III has all the makings of a top-10 pick.
How many more Tigers are shaping up to be draft picks next season?
The Columbia Daily Tribune has put together a way-, way-too-early look at the Missouri football players who could come off the board in the 2025 NFL Draft:
How high can Missouri football star Luther Burden III go in 2025 NFL Draft?
Luther Burden III has the potential to challenge Missouri’s top overall draft pick of all time.
The wide receiver, in all likelihood, will declare for the draft after his junior year in Columbia. That’s because he’s shaping out to be a first-round pick — and a high-end one at that.
Both 247Sports and Pro Football Network have the star Mizzou receiver as the No. 5-overall pick in their 2025 mock drafts and heading to the Denver Broncos and New England Patriots, respectively.
Burden figures to be one of college football’s top wide receivers in 2024. He’s drawn comparisons to Deebo Samuel, and his size (5 foot 11, 208 pounds), speed and ability to gain yards after the catch — and contact — are big reasons why.
The former five-star recruit caught 86 passes for 1,212 yards last season, thriving under first-year coordinator Kirby Moore’s scheme. He has 15 receiving and two rushing touchdowns over 26 career games.
Mizzou’s previous best draft pick was defensive end Justin Smith at No. 4 in 2001.
Burden has the tools to give that record a run.
More: Why Missouri football will be king under new Mizzou athletic director Laird Veatch
Johnny Walker Jr., defensive end
Johnny Walker Jr., the Cotton Bowl defensive MVP, took his chance when it came.
He stepped into a starting role at defensive end after Isaiah McGuire was drafted by the Cleveland Browns in 2023. Thirteen games later, he had 43 total tackles, with 9.5 half of those for loss and five of those sacks. He had three forced fumbles.
Walker has the option to return for the 2025 season, but if he follows up his breakout 2023 campaign with improvement this year — combined with his natural size and athleticism — the league might be the natural next step for the edge rusher.
More: How Mizzou football's defense brought heat all night long, led Tigers to Cotton Bowl title
Brady Cook, quarterback
Brady Cook’s 2023 season likely did wonders for his draft stock.
Carson Beck (Georgia), Shadeur Sanders (Colorado) and Quinn Ewers (Texas) consistently make up the top three projected quarterbacks on most big boards for next year’s draft. This year, six quarterbacks went in the first 12 picks. As it stands, 2025 doesn’t shape up to be quite as quarterback-heavy.
If Cook closes out his college career this year similarly to how he performed in 2023, he has a good opportunity to vault himself into the upper-echelons of QB consideration in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Cook threw for 3,317 yards, 21 touchdowns and five interceptions in 13 games last season. He rushed for 319 yards and eight touchdowns.
He has the likes of Jalen Milroe (Alabama), Cameron Ward (Miami) and Connor Weigman (Texas A&M) to jostle for position with, but he’s become hard to ignore.
Theo Wease Jr., wide receiver
Theo Wease Jr. is back for one more season as Missouri’s X wide receiver, and if it’s anything like last year, he’ll draw some NFL attention.
After transferring to the Tigers from Oklahoma, Wease caught 49 passes for 682 yards and six touchdowns — all while competing for touches with Burden.
His big frame, standing at 6-2, makes him a consistent red-zone threat. He’s among college football’s best when it comes to contested catches, and he can turn on the burners when it’s required.
Who else?
Defensive tackle Kristian Williams and Miami transfer linebacker Corey Flagg each will exhaust their eligibility, and likely seek out professional opportunities.
Star safety Daylan Carnell and first-year Georgia transfer Darris Smith both could declare for the draft, but have extra eligibility should they choose to use it.
More: ‘Not normal’: Darris Smith brings size, speed to Missouri football defensive end room
This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Missouri football 2025 NFL Draft prospects: An early look at Tigers' next draftees
