24/7 sports ranked the top 25 returning wide receiver in college football. Number one on the list was our very own, Luther Burden
1. LUTHER BURDEN III, MISSOURI
It's arguable considering the talent returning at the position overall, but Luther Burden III quite possibly might be college football's most complete wideout threat entering the 2024 season. He has lived up to his five-star billing over his first two seasons at Missouri and that's with opposing SEC defensive coordinators keying on him in the passing game. Burden caught 86 balls for 1,212 yards (14.1 yards per catch) as a sophomore as the Tigers focused more on his development as a pass-catcher and less as a gadget threat. In his career, Burden has scored 18 touchdowns in 26 games (15 receiving, two rushing, one punt return). And with Missouri bringing in former Oklahoma State OC Sean Gleeson as an analyst this spring means Burden's going to get the football in a variety of creative ways.
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You beat me to it Jerm. That's an amazing hit. Number 3 QB prospect in the country. If anyone is interested, here's and article from the Columbia Missourian
Nation's No. 3 QB prospect Zollers commits to Mizzou
BY DAVIS WILSON
Missouri football landed its first commitment of the 2025 cycle when consensus four-star quarterback Matt Zollers pledged his commitment to coach Eli Drinkwitz and the Tigers on Thursday afternoon.
A standout signal-caller at Spring-Ford Area High School in Royersford, Pennsylvania, Zollers reportedly unofficially visited Columbia in late January and again March 20. He announced his commitment live in a press conference at his high school.
“I felt the most comfortable there,” Zollers said following his announcement. “My No. 1 priority was finding who I connect best with, both players and coaches, and I feel like that was best there.”
The four-star prospect is ranked as the 17th-best player and third-best quarterback in the country, per On3.com, and is also the top-ranked player in the state of Pennsylvania. Zollers narrowed his list down to four schools Feb. 6 before choosing Missouri over Georgia, Pittsburgh and Penn State, the last of which is just a three-hour drive from his high school.
In the days leading up to the announcement, though, Missouri and Georgia separated themselves from the pack as favorites, with the Tigers receiving multiple crystal ball predictions to land the highly touted prospect.
As a junior in 2023, Zollers threw for 2,917 yards, 37 touchdowns and two interceptions, and completed 62.8% of his passes while rushing for 420 yards and seven more touchdowns. He was named the Pioneer Athletic Conference Liberty Division MVP and helped lead Spring-Ford Area to the state quarterfinals.
The 6-foot-3 prospect had a busy couple of days leading up to his announcement, taking last-minute visits to many of the schools vying for his commitment. After visiting Missouri on March 20, Zollers then made stops at Pittsburgh on March 28, Penn State on Friday, Alabama on Monday and Georgia on Tuesday.
Zollers is the third four-star quarterback to commit to Missouri since 2021, joining current backup Sam Horn and Gabarri Johnson, who transferred to Oregon State in December. He is the highest-rated prep quarterback prospect to commit to the Tigers since Class of 2008 signal-caller Blaine Gabbert, a five-star prospect on Rivals’ ratings, did so. Class of 2014 quarterback Drew Lock was also a four-star recruit for the Tigers.
Current Missouri starter Brady Cook has only one season of eligibility remaining, so the addition of Zollers adds potential 2025 depth to a quarterback room that also includes Horn, Class of 2024 three-star Aidan Glover, Notre Dame and Arizona State transfer Drew Pyne, Brett Brown, Tommy Lock and Harold Blood Jr.
Juju Marks, a four-star defensive lineman from St. Thomas Aquinas in Kansas, had been the first Class of 2025 commit for Missouri, but he decommited from the Tigers in October. A 6-foot-7, 255-pound tackle, Marks remains uncommitted and is still in play for MU, which hopes to build off of Zollers’ commitment.
The early signing day period is currently set to start Dec. 20, which is the earliest Zollers can officially sign with Missouri. However, there are discussions about moving up the early signing period.
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