Chiefs Take Star Mizzou Playmaker in New 2025 NFL Draft Prediction

The 2024 NFL regular season is still ongoing and it won't be much longer until the road to Super Bowl LIX begins. Having said that, the looming postseason hasn't stopped some football enthusiasts from looking ahead to next year's draft.

Although the Kansas City Chiefs have one of the NFL's best rosters, there will be plenty of room for improvement at the 2025 draft. General manager Brett Veach has an eye for spotting promising prospects and it wouldn't be surprising to learn that he's researching incoming rookies who can help next year and beyond, especially when it comes to the wide receiver room.

Assuming that the Chiefs are open to using their upcoming first-round pick to improve the aerial attack, one NFL analyst has Veach targeting the perfect local playmaker.

NFL Mock Draft: Chiefs Select Missouri WR Luther Burden III

In the latest Bleacher Report NFL mock draft, AFC analyst Alex Ballentine projects that the Chiefs will land Missouri wideout Luther Burden III at the end of Round 1.

"The Chiefs' lack of weapons really hurt them this season," Ballentine wrote. "Ultimately, the Chiefs need to hit on a draft pick at the position to get another difference-maker on a rookie contract."

"Luther Burden III would have to have a bit of a draft-day fall, but the fit is too nice to ignore."

It isn't hard to see why the Chiefs would love to add Burden to Patrick Mahomes' arsenal.

The Missouri WR has been one of the SEC's best wide receivers throughout the last three seasons, racking up 192 catches for 2,263 receiving yards and 21 touchdowns in 38 games with the Tigers. His performances earned him back-to-back first-team all-conference honors in the last two seasons.

With the way the 2024 campaign has unfolded, the Chiefs could use someone with Burden's potential. Kansas City's WR production has been abysmal for most of the season, mostly due to the likes of Rashee Rice and Marquise Brown missing most of the year with serious injuries.

Rookie WR Xavier Worthy has done well in the duo's absence — as have JuJu Smith-Schuster and DeAndre Hopkins — however, it's clear that more reliable depth is needed next year. That's especially true given that Brown, Hopkins, Smith-Schuster, Mecole Hardman, and Justin Watson are all due to hit free agency in the offseason.

If any of those names leave, Burden would be quite the versatile replacement. The 20-year-old speedster ranks towards the top of the 2025 class, as does his impressive after-the-catch running ability. Speaking of which, the Tigers playmaker can also be used out of the backfield, proven by his 234 rushing yards and four TDs on 34 carries.

Burden would also become an immediate Chiefs fan favorite due to his ties to Missouri. The 5-foot-11 prospect was born and played high school football in St. Louis before staying in-state with the Tigers for his collegiate career.

Ballentine does indicate that Burden may have to fall in the draft to end up in Kansas City. The majority of mock drafts have the promising pass-catcher being selected in the first half of Round 1, which could be bad news for a Chiefs team that is projected to be picking close to the end of the round as usual.

Having said that, stranger things have happened and prospects have shockingly fallen in past drafts. Whether a similar thing happens that allows the Chiefs to target Burden remains to be seen.

The 2025 NFL draft will take place at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wisconsin beginning on Thursday, April 24.

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