Kansas City, Mo. — Wide receiver Luther Burden III from Missouri announced on Monday that he will enter the upcoming NFL Draft, where he is anticipated to be a first-round selection.

Burden stated that he will forgo the bowl game with the No. 22 Tigers to concentrate on his preparation for the draft scheduled for April. This announcement came as no surprise after Burden participated in a walk with the senior players before their home game against Arkansas on Saturday.

“It has always been my dream to play in the NFL,” Burden expressed in a statement. “I am thankful for the family and community that have supported me in making this dream a reality and encouraged me to work hard in pursuit of this goal.”

While Colorado’s Travis Hunter is generally regarded as the top wide receiver prospect in the draft, Burden is touted to be in close contention with other noteworthy players including Tetairoa McMillan from Arizona, Tre Harris of Mississippi, and Isaiah Bond from Texas.

This season, Burden recorded 61 receptions totaling 676 yards and six touchdowns, all while frequently facing double and triple coverage from defenders.

Burden had numerous top-tier college programs seeking him, but opted to remain in Missouri, contributing significantly to coach Eli Drinkwitz’s efforts to revitalize a program that had been underperforming. After finishing last season with an impressive 11-2 record and winning the Cotton Bowl, the Tigers improved to 9-3 with their victory over Arkansas in preparation for this season’s bowl game.

Despite participating in just three collegiate seasons and dealing with minor injuries, Burden ranks sixth in the school’s history with a total of 2,263 receiving yards, including 1,212 yards from the previous season—marking the third-best total ever recorded at the university. He also stands fourth in receptions with 192 and fifth in touchdown catches with 21, in addition to achieving four rushing touchdowns and one on special teams.

“He’s one of the best players, if not the best player to ever come to the University of Missouri,” said Coach Drinkwitz. “His decision has greatly influenced the trajectory of my career as well as our program, and that’s something that will be remembered.”