Round 1: Luther Burden III, WR, Missouri
The Cowboys need a No. 2 WR in a big way. Cooks didn’t make the impact they were hoping he would over the past two years and CeeDee Lamb was forced to carry too much of the load. The Cowboys need a high impact WR opposite Lamb to keep defenses honest and since free agents are too expensive for the front office’s tastes, WR is one of Dallas’ biggest needs to address this draft cycle.
Luther Burden, 5-foot-11, 208-pounds, isn’t the ideal profile for the Cowboys. Seen by many scouts as a “slot-only” WR, Burden would push CeeDee Lamb out from his favorite spot inside and that’s tough to feel good about. Still, Burden’s ability to be a gamebreaker make him too good to pass up and someone a smart offensive coordinator could unlock through motion, stack formations and play-action.
BRADY COOK TO LUTHER BURDEN FOR A TOUCHDOWN ON 4TH AND 5 TO TAKE A LEAD LATE IN THE 4TH! 😱
— College Football Report (@CFBRep) November 17, 2024
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Burden is an explosive athlete who has track-level speed, elite elusiveness in the open field, and natural hands. Stoutly built, he can block better than many WRs twice his size and can even be used as a rusher himself. A feared return man on punts and kicks, Burden could contribute a multitude of ways for the Cowboys.
The past three postseason campaigns saw Dallas outmatched in the playmakers department. They need to add another gamebreaker to their offensive roster if they want to make a push in the postseason and Burden is one of the best playmakers there is.
He’ll likely split time with Lamb in the slot and otherwise be used as a Z where he doesn’t need to face press coverage on the line. Burden would be an instant starter with Pro Bowl potential on this Dallas team.