The one thing the Washington Commanders have been missing in 2024 is a reliable second option at wide receiver after Pro Bowler Terry McLaurin — something the team is almost sure to remedy in the upcoming offseason.
PFF’s Trevor Sikkema projects the Commanders will fix that problem in his latest 2025 mock draft, where he has Washington tabbed to select University of Missouri wide receiver Luther Burden III in the first round (No. 21 overall) and have him catching passes alongside McLaurin.
“What a perfect pairing this could be,” Sikkema wrote. “Terry McLaurin is flourishing with Jayden Daniels at quarterback, but the Commanders still lack consistent, high-end receiving options beyond their top target. Luther Burden’s 2024 campaign may have been quieter, but that seemed more a reflection of the offense he was in rather than any issues with his skill set. After Washington missed out on adding Brandon Aiyuk last offseason, Burden could be an outstanding alternative and a long-term complement to McLaurin.”
The Commanders are orchestrating one of the best NFL turnarounds in recent memory behind a bravura rookie season from Daniels, the No. 2 overall pick in 2024. Washington is currently 8-5 and on a 2-game winning streak headed into their bye in Week 14 — the Commanders haven’t had a winning season since 2016 and haven’t won a playoff game since 2005.
Burden’s Numbers Have Dipped in 2024
Burden, a St. Louis native, became just the fourth 5-star recruit to sign with Mizzou in program history. He’s been one of college football’s most dynamic wide receivers the last 3 seasons and earned All-SEC and Associated Press All-American honors in 2023 with 86 receptions for 1,212 receiving yards and 9 touchdowns in 13 games.
Burden has seen his numbers dip in 2024 — he has 791 yards of total offense and 8 touchdowns, including 61 receptions for 676 receiving yards.
Burden would have likely been a first-round pick in the 2024 draft were it not for the NFL rules that require players to be 3 years out of high school before becoming draft eligible.
If Burden does go No. 21, he would be in line for a payday similar to Detroit Lions cornerback Terrion Arnold, who signed a fully guaranteed, 4-year, $14.4 million contract after he was selected in that spot out of the University of Alabama in 2024.
Commanders Could Go Heavy on Offense in 2025
The Commanders didn’t stop at Daniels, who is still the odds-on favorite to win NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, when it came to drafting offensive players in 2024.
Washington added 3 more offensive players, all in the early rounds and all in a row with Kansas State tight end Ben Sinnott in the second round (No. 53 overall), TCU offensive tackle Brandon Coleman in the third round (No. 67 overall) and Rice wide receiver Luke McCaffrey in the third round (No. 100 overall).
Of those 3 players, it’s been Coleman who has made the biggest impact as a rookie, starting 8 games at left offensive tackle and protecting Daniels’ blind side.
McCaffrey’s impact has been almost negligible, with 16 receptions for 155 yards and no touchdowns, while Sinnott’s has been along the same lines with just 4 receptions for 21 yards and 1 touchdown.
