PFF Predicts Bengals Draft Tee Higgins Replacement In First Round
Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images
The Cincinnati Bengals have their work cut out for them in the offseason, as they must now try to fix the many holes in their roster that sank them to a 9-8 record. After a season when Joe Burrow threw for a league-high 43 touchdowns, you’d think wide receiver wouldn’t be one of those.
But it’s looking more and more like that will be the case. The Bengals might have burned their bridge with No. 1A wideout Tee Higgins and, heck, even Ja’Marr Chase isn’t under contract. So instead of addressing the defense, Pro Football Focus has the Bengals addressing their receiver pool with the No. 17 pick in their latest mock draft. The Bengals select… Missouri’s Luther Burden III.
The star wideout and St. Louis native didn’t have a great junior season, with “only” 61 catches, 676 yards, and six touchdowns, as opposed to the 86/1,212/9 line he put up as a sophomore. But at the same time, Burrow is much more talented than Brady Cook, and Burden has the skills to thrive in Cincinnati’s offense.
luther burden III.
this is what it looks like!! pic.twitter.com/U1i6p19vEo
— Kyron Samuels (@kyronsamuels) November 17, 2024
The 33rd Team says of Burden: “[He’s] an electric weapon with the football in his hands. He was among the nation’s leaders in run-after-catch yardage during the 2023 season, which was his peak with the Tigers program… His ball skills and explosiveness make him a desirable addition who can win underneath and help generate explosives after the catch. If he lands in an offense with various weapons, he can be a killer counterpunch to a defense’s efforts to take away featured players.”
If that bears out, Burden would be an excellent replacement for Higgins, even if some believe the Mizzou product is destined to thrive out of the slot instead of the outside in the NFL. Chase can take the top off any defense, and Chase Brown‘s threat as an option in the backfield must be respected. That leaves Burden free to thrive in the intermediate passing game. And while receivers can often be projects, there are plenty of scouts who believe that Burden’s game can translate to the NFL fairly quickly.
Says Walter Football in their preseason scouting report: “On top of being fast and athletic, Burden is a polished receiver. His ball skills are superb as he goes up with late hands to keep defensive backs unaware on 50-50 passes. Along with putting up his hands late, Burden has very strong hands capable of ripping the ball down and maintaining the catch after getting slapped. Burden is not tall, but he has a strong build and uses it well to gain better position on contested catches.”
If that lack of production in 2024 means that Burden can slide down to Cincinnati’s range, then great. You can’t say he won’t fit in with the Bengals, who are also looking for a rebound in 2025. But seriously, the talent is there, and while he didn’t take a leap in 2024, Burden was far from a disaster. There’s very good reason to believe taking Burden can help both Burrow and Chase, the latter of which he can combine with to become the next great Bengals receiver duo.
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