The Denver Broncos could be very likely to take an offensive player with their first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Would this player make the unit better? The two most urgent offensive needs for Denver, and perhaps two most urgent needs overall are running back and tight end.
It would be a safe bet to assume that whatever slot the team picks in first in the 2025 NFL Draft; that selection may end up being a RB or TE. However, there is always a chance that the Denver Broncos do something differently.
The team still does have other needs that aren't quite as urgent, and one of those needs could be at the wide receiver position, where Sean Payton recently indicated that the team could target a veteran wide receiver this offseason, but could they also look to the 2025 NFL Draft?
Here is what PFF had to say about the Denver Broncos using the 20th overall pick on WR Luther Burden III from Missouri:
"Denver ranked 24th in explosive pass play rate this past season, so Burden could be an answer to that problem as both a deep threat and a dynamic receiver after the catch. The Broncos ran screen passes at the third-highest rate in the NFL in 2024, and Burden led all Power Four wide receivers with a 91.3 PFF receiving grade on such plays over the past two years."Dalton Wasserman
They make a great point in that the Broncos ran a ton of screens in 2024. This would play quite well into what Burden does well.
Here is what Lance Zierlein of NFL.com had to say about Luther Burden III:
"Former five-star recruit who offers five-star athleticism and playmaking ability. Burden is a natural on the field with above-average speed and exciting ball skills to win at a high rate. He takes snaps off and short-circuits routes if he’s not the primary option, but he can separate and succeed on all three levels when it’s his time. Missouri exploited Burden’s yards-after-catch talent with a barrage of short throws, but NFL teams are much more likely to diversify his usage, activating his complete skill set and big-play potential. The production against top teams was uneven at times but so was Missouri’s quarterback play. Burden checks several priority boxes that typically foreshadow an impressive NFL career."Lance Zierlein
In his draft profile, Zierlein compares Burden to Garrett Wilson, and many fans in Broncos Country have been clamoring for the team to swing a trade for Wilson. At the moment, it is not clear if Wilson would even be available for a trade, but you never know.
Denver could opt to take the explosive Burden who would be a focal point in the offense. Now yes, in the event that the Broncos take a first-round wide receiver, we probably see this team having addressed the RB and TE rooms in the offseason, prior to the NFL Draft.
The main idea for the offseason should be to ensure Bo Nix makes a huge leap in year two. The team's offense simply needs more talented players at the playmaking positions, and I do believe that in any event, better players on offense, regardless of position, will make the team better.
Should the Denver Broncos use their first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft on Luther Burden III from Missouri?