At NFL Scouting Combine, defensive backs recall challenge of Missouri’s Luther Burden
A few years ago, former Kentucky cornerback Maxwell Hairston didn’t just want to take the leap from high school to college.
The three-star recruit from West Bloomfield, Michigan, received a handful of high-major offers, including Arkansas, Minnesota and Purdue. The latter two schools made his final three, and staying in the northern part of the United States seemed like a real possibility from the outside. But when decision time came in the summer of 2020, Hairston took a metaphorical leap toward the football hotbed of America.
In August, Hairston committed to Kentucky. The Wildcats weren’t exactly the class of the Southeastern Conference — they were coming off consecutive eight-plus win seasons for just the fourth time in program history. But what mattered was Hairston could play against an elite collection of pass-catchers on a consistent basis.
“Coming out of high school, I knew I wanted to play in the SEC. I knew that was the baby NFL,” Hairston said. “Knowing I’m going against an NFL receiver every week, I stepped up to the occasion. I love a challenge.”
In three seasons with Kentucky — two as a starter — Hairston played against plenty of future professional wideouts: Florida’s Ricky Pearsall, South Carolina’s Xavier Legette and Georgia’s Ladd McConkey to name a few. While he might have not been shadowing all three players the entire time he faced them, Hairston saw with his own eyes what an NFL-caliber receiver looked like.
That group included former Mizzou wide receiver Luther Burden III, who is projected by many to be taken in the first round of this year’s NFL Draft. Prior to Mizzou’s game against Kentucky in 2023, the star slot receiver had filled up the stat sheet, as he registered at least 95 receiving yards in each of the Tigers’ first six games before heading to Lexington.
“He’s a game-changer. That’s a guy you definitely have to plan for,” Hairston said. “That’s where that extra film comes into play.”
That extra film certainly helped, as Burden caught just two passes for 15 yards. Hairston also picked off a pass early in the first quarter, one that was intended for Burden. But leading up to the game, Burden was deservedly on Hairston’s radar.
Similar things could be said about MU’s road trip to Alabama this past season. The Tigers were drowned by the Crimson Tide 34-0; quarterback Brady Cook was knocked out of the game in the second quarter with a hand injury, and Drew Pyne threw a trio of interceptions.
“They weren’t really able to do much,” Alabama defensive back Malachi Moore said Thursday.
Burden finished with just three catches for 3 yards. Once again, however, Burden was at the center of the opposition’s scouting report.
“Their whole offense revolved around Burden,” Moore said. “Watching film, every time it was a big-time down, or even the first plays of the game, we knew they were going to try to get him the ball.”
That statement holds a healthy dose of truth. Cook often targeted his fellow St. Louisan early, which included three targets on MU’s first eight offensive plays against Alabama. Whether it was game-saving fourth down conversions against Auburn, Florida and South Carolina, or superb statistical performances against Memphis and LSU, Burden often shined when the lights were brightest.
One of those big-time games came against Kansas State in 2022. After showing flashes of greatness during an up-and-down season for the Tigers in 2021, he started the next season hot, tallying a combined 213 receiving yards against South Dakota and Middle Tennessee. Heading into MU’s game against Kansas State in Week 3, KSU cornerback Marques Sigle prepared for the pigskin to find Burden early on.
“He has speed. He can be a deep threat receiver down the field,” Sigle said. “We knew he was going to be the person they targeted a lot and tried to get the ball to.”
That’s exactly what happened, as Burden lit up the Wildcats all afternoon. He finished with seven catches for 114 yards (89 after the catch) and two touchdowns, the first of which saw Burden fly by Sigle and cornerback Jacob Parrish, who didn’t properly communicate on who was guarding No. 3 in black and gold.
“That was a learning experience for me. They put us in tough situations where I needed to communicate,” Sigle said. “(The game) definitely showed me what I needed to work on.”
In April, Burden could become the 32nd wide receiver from an SEC school (that was in the conference at the time of the draft) to be selected in the first round since 2000, 14 of whom have come since 2020. From his first collegiate game against Louisiana Tech to the twilight of the 2024 season, the wideout flashed traits that would ultimately make him, in the eyes of many, a worthy first-round pick.
That includes the ones tasked with stopping him from succeeding.
“He’s a great receiver,” Sigle said, “and will be a great receiver in the (NFL).”
Copyright 2025 Columbia Missourian
This story was originally published February 27, 2025 at 8:30 PM with the headline "At NFL Scouting Combine, defensive backs recall challenge of Missouri’s Luther Burden."