Where does Mizzou’s football recruiting class stand as early signing period nears?
When Missouri athletic director Jim Sterk fired football coach Barry Odom on Nov. 30, he pointed out there were a number of recruits committed to Mizzou — and he wanted them to stick.
Sterk set a two-week time limit for the coaching search, mainly for recruiting purposes as the early signing period starts Wednesday. After an eight-day coaching search, Mizzou landed Eliah Drinkwitz, introducing him Dec. 10.
Though as typical of a coaching change, Mizzou still lost recruits. Drinkwitz and the Tigers are down to 12 pledges, including two who are committed but potentially looking elsewhere in Ray Curry Jr. and Javian Hester.
Drinkwitz also has to tackle NCAA sanctions. After a lengthy appeals process, the NCAA upheld penalties against Mizzou after a tutor completed schoolwork for 12 Mizzou athletes. That means Drinkwitz has to weather recruiting restrictions and four scholarship reductions.
“Recruiting is all about trying to build relationships,” Drinkwitz said at his introductory news conference. “It’s going to be a little bit like speed dating right now. We’re going to try to show them who we are as quickly as we can.”
While pledged recruits can sign from Wednesday to Friday, that doesn’t close the door on Mizzou’s 2020 recruiting class. The regular period starts Feb. 5, giving Drinkwitz more time to target more names. A recruit like Montra Edwards, who’s officially visiting Mizzou from Jan. 24-26, could be added.
Drinkwitz can also aim for graduate transfers and other transfers, just as Odom did with Kelly Bryant and current quarterback Shawn Robinson from TCU. There’s also the junior college scene, with a bonus of Kansas juco prospects relatively nearby.
If a school goes through a head coaching change, NCAA rules allow recruits to take another official visit to that school even if they already visited previously.
Drinkwitz and Mizzou hosted a number of recruits last weekend for official visits, including commits who previously pledged to the program under Odom’s staff. The days before were hectic for Drinkwitz, who visited recruits, high schools and the Missouri Football Coaches Association convention at the Lake of the Ozarks.
As of now, 10 recruits are seemingly committed to Mizzou without many questions.
“People fall in love with Mizzou,” Drinkwitz said. “I know the guys that are currently committed to us, who are still committed, love Mizzou football. All they need to do is see that I love Mizzou football as much as they do. If our passions can connect, we’ll be fine.”
The likely Tigers
Jay Maclin, 3-star wide receiver, St. Louis. Mizzou legend Jeremy Maclin’s cousin took his official visit over the weekend.
Drake Heismeyer, 3-star guard, St. Charles, Missouri. He’ll sign his National Letter of Intent at 7 a.m. Wednesday at Francis Howell. He was one of the recruits on his official visit over the weekend, posing with Drinkwitz in photos.
Tyler Jones, 3-star safety, Winter Garden, Florida. After committing in mid-November, Jones has stayed steady with Mizzou. He was at Columbia for an official visit last weekend.
Jaylon Carlies, 3-star wide receiver, Winter Garden, Florida. Teammates with Jones, Carlies was also in Columbia for the official visit.
Dominique Johnson, 3-star running back, Crowley, Texas. Johnson was in Columbia for his official visit over the weekend. He committed to Mizzou in June.
Brady Cook, 3-star quarterback, St. Louis. The lone quarterback of the class will sign his National Letter of Intent at noon Wednesday at Chaminade College Prep.
Kevon Billingsley, 3-star defensive tackle, St. Louis. Billingsley reaffirmed his pledge to Mizzou on Dec. 9.
Will Norris, 3-star linebacker, Columbia. The Rock Bridge product was at Mizzou for his official visit over the weekend.
Harrison Mevis, 3-star kicker, Warsaw, Indiana. Mevis committed to Mizzou in September. He was also on the official visit.
Mitchell Walters, 3-star offensive tackle, St. Louis. A Mizzou commit in May, Walters was part of the group in Columbia over the weekend. He also posed for a photo with Heismeyer, Cook and Drinkwitz.
Elijah Young, 3-star running back, Knoxville, Tennessee. Young decommitted from Mizzou on Dec. 5. Since then, Brick Haley and Drinkwitz visited him at his home and he was at Mizzou on an official visit. Young tweeted on Monday, with a photo of him in a Mizzou uniform, that he’s signing at noon Wednesday.
Fate still unknown
Ray Curry Jr., 3-star offensive tackle, Memphis, Tennessee. While Curry’s still committed to Mizzou, Arkansas has made noise in his recruitment. Curry took an official visit to Arkansas coach Sam Pittman’s program over the weekend. Former Mizzou offensive line coach Brad Davis is at Arkansas now, which could sway Curry toward the Hogs.
Javian Hester, 4-star wide receiver, Tulsa, Oklahoma. What was the crown jewel of the class, Hester is still committed to Mizzou, but UCLA has shown interest. He was in Columbia for his official visit last weekend, taking pictures with fellow commits. Hester said on Twitter he’s signing his National Letter of Intent at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday, though he didn’t specify which school he’s headed to.
Jalen St. John, 3-star offensive tackle, St. Louis. John decommitted from Mizzou on Dec. 1. He plans to sign Feb. 5 and to take his remaining official visits.
Who Mizzou lost
Jalen Logan-Redding, 3-star defensive end, Columbia, to Minnesota. While the rest of the Mizzou recruiting class was in Columbia for an official visit, Logan-Redding went north to visit Minnesota. He officially committed to PJ Fleck’s program Sunday.
Cooper Davis, 3-star defensive end, Melbourne, Florida, to Illinois. Davis flipped his commitment on Dec. 11.
Antonio Doyle, 4-star linebacker, St. Louis, to Texas A&M. Doyle de-committed from the Tigers in August and pledged to the Aggies on Monday.
Robert Wooten, 3-star defensive end, Stafford, Texas to Virginia Tech. Wooten decommitted on Nov. 30, the same day Odom was fired. Wooten committed to Virginia Tech on Tuesday, announcing his decision on Twitter.
This story was originally published December 16, 2019 at 10:37 AM.