Luther Burden III vs. Justin Jefferson 40 time: Which WR comes out on top?

Luther Burden III has been in the spotlight after his impressive showing at the NFL Combine. The Missouri Tigers wideout did his 40-yard dash in 4.42 seconds on Saturday and hit a top speed of 22.8 mph.

Burden's 40-time was marginally quicker than Justin Jefferson, who completed the drill in 4.43 seconds at the 2020 NFL Combine.

Jefferson has established himself as one of the best receivers in the big league since then. The Minnesota Vikings drafted him in the first round with the No. 22 pick.

Jefferson has been one of Minnesota's top offensive weapons in the past five seasons. He was named the Offensive Player of the Year in the 2022 season when he led the league in receiving yards and receptions.

In the 2024 regular season, Jefferson recorded 1,533 yards and 10 touchdowns on 103 receptions across 17 games. He helped the Vikings qualify for the playoffs but crashed out of the postseason in the wild-card round following a 27-9 defeat to the LA Rams.

Jefferson is a four-time Pro Bowler as well, and Burden will aim to have an NFL career trajectory similar to that of the Vikings superstar if he gets drafted this year.

How did Luther Burden III fare in his final year at Missouri?

NCAA Football: Missouri wideout Luther Burden III - Source: Imagn

Luther Burden III had a solid final collegiate season with the Missouri Tigers in the 2024 season. The wideout recorded 676 yards and six touchdowns on 61 receptions. He also contributed 115 yards and two touchdowns on nine carries across 12 games.

Burden began his collegiate career at Missouri in 2022. His most productive season came in 2023 when he racked up 1,212 yards and nine touchdowns on 86 receptions. The receiver also earned First-team All-SEC selections in his final two seasons with the Tigers.

After a strong display at the combine, there are suggestions that Burden could be taken in the first round of this year's NFL draft, potentially as a top-15 pick.