Five-star receiver Luther Burden announces his commitment to the Missouri Tigers

Updated story: ‘I want to be the first’: Why five-star recruit Luther Burden picked Missouri Tigers

Head coach Eliah Drinkwitz has landed one of the biggest recruits in the history of Missouri football.

Five-star wide receiver Luther Burden announced his commitment to the Tigers in a Tuesday evening ceremony at the Herbert Hoover Boys & Girls Club in St. Louis. He’ll become the second-highest ranked recruit to join the program, behind class of 2012 wide receiver Dorial Green-Beckham, who was later dismissed by the team.

Burden, a senior at East St. Louis High, chose to play close to home over the likes of top programs Georgia and Alabama. He committed to Oklahoma in Oct. 2020, but then reopened his recruitment on Aug. 17.

He could make an immediate impact for the Tigers next season as a freshman. Burden is the top rated wide receiver on the 2022 ESPN 300 and is ranked as the No. 6 overall player in his class, according to the 247Sports Composite.

Drinkwitz and his staff now have 15 pledges in their 2022 recruiting class, also highlighted by quarterback Sam Horn, offensive lineman Deshawn Woods, running back Tavorus Jones, defensive lineman Marquis Gracial, safety Isaac Thompson and wide receiver Ja’Marion Wayne — all four-star rated players.

With Burden on board, the Tigers’ recruiting class is rated 14th in the country and fifth in the SEC, per the 247Sports Composite, trailing only Alabama, Georgia, Texas A&M and LSU.