"Ima show dey ahh" - Luther Burden fires warning to NFL teams after Round 1 snub on Day 1 of 2025 draft

Missouri wide receiver Luther Burden III sent a clear message to NFL teams after his unexpected slide out of the first round of the 2025 NFL draft. Despite being projected as a potential first-round selection, Burden watched as four other receivers were chosen ahead of him on Thursday.

Burden, the former No. 3 overall prospect in the nation and star wideout for the Tigers, was among the notable names left waiting when the first round ended. His Mizzou teammate, Armand Membou, was selected at No. 7 by the New York Jets.

In the early hours of Friday, at approximately 12:52 a.m., Burden broke his recent social media silence.

He posted an image of his training gear piled on the Tigers' practice facility field with the caption "Ima show dey ahh." He quickly deleted and reposted the same image without text.

In the weeks leading up to the draft, questions about Burden's character and practice habits surfaced. NFL insider Bob McGinn collected anonymous reports from scouts that criticized these aspects of Burden's profile, potentially contributing to his fall from the first round.

Character concerns dismissed by those who know Luther Burden best

NFL: Combine - Source: Imagn

Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz strongly defended Luther Burden during his appearance on "The Rich Eisen Show."

"There are these quiet critics out here who say he has a character problem," Drinkwitz said on April 1. "My response to everybody has been, he's never been arrested, he's never had a public incident at our university, he has never once been to my office to complain about his role. He's just been a great teammate."

Despite Drinkwitz's defense, NFL teams harbored concerns beyond character. According to ESPN draft insider Matt Miller, teams requested additional footage of Burden's route-running abilities from practice sessions. The last-minute request for more information suggested that teams needed extra clarification on his technical skills.

Burden's statistical decline in 2024 is probably another contributing factor to his draft position. Following a stellar sophomore campaign in 2023, Burden's performance declined as a junior. He had 536 fewer receiving yards, 25 fewer receptions and eight fewer total touchdowns in 13 games.

The good news for Burden is that he probably won't have to wait long to hear his name announced when the draft picks up on Friday. Numerous projections have him going early in the second round, likely to the Tennessee Titans at No. 35 or the Jacksonville Jaguars at No. 36.