COLUMBIA, Mo. — Luther Burden III’s name has become a misnomer.
Through five games this season, the breakout Missouri wide receiver is performing better than third, overshooting his name in a number of statistics.
Receiving yards? Burden is first in the nation, with 644. Yards after the catch? First among Power Five receivers, with 400. Same goes for missed tackles forced, with 15. Pro Football Focus receiving grade? First in the nation again, with a 93.3.
And sure, there are some metrics in which Burden is only performing as one of the nation’s top pass catchers, not the best.