Missouri Tigers’ top wide receivers from 2024 are in the NFL. So who’s up next?

Mizzou football's wide receivers have continued to work toward a level of continuity as the fourth day of fall camp concluded Friday at the Mizzou Athletics Training Complex.

The room is among the most unproven on the roster, but several new-look playmakers have shown promise throughout preseason camp.

With the departures of Luther Burden III, Theo Wease Jr. and Mookie Cooper — who combined for 1,795 yards and 10 touchdowns in the 2024 season — Missouri entered the offseason needing to retool its receiver rotation.

So far, the trio of Mississippi State transfer Kevin Coleman Jr. and returners Marquis Johnson and Joshua Manning have led the way. But the early competition beneath them on the depth chart is where things get more interesting.

Two names to monitor in the battle for the next tier of snaps include true freshman Donovan Olugbode and Illinois State transfer Xavier Loyd.

Olugbode, a four-star prospect out of IMG Academy, has drawn steady praise for his polish and instincts. At 6-foot-2 and 207 pounds, he's displayed reliable hands and a crisp release, looking the part throughout individual drills. Through the first four days of camp, he's earned second-unit reps at boundary receiver and turned in a strong showing.

"Donovan's a guy I've been really impressed with, just how he's approached every day coming in as a true freshman," MU wide receivers coach Jacob Peeler said. "He's in the facility way more than he has to be. He's always getting extra work, asking for extra meetings. A lot of freshmen are still figuring out where they fit in, but his maturity and approach have been super impressive."

Olugbode's early consistency has helped him build trust with both quarterbacks, Sam Horn and Beau Pribula, who have continued rotating first-team reps throughout camp.

"He's a great player," Manning said. "He has very strong hands, and yeah, he's definitely a playmaker."

Alongside him, Loyd is carving out a different but equally valuable role.

After leading Illinois State in receiving last season with 66 receptions for 912 yards and six touchdowns, the 6-2 graduate brings maturity and college experience to the room. He's shown a good feel against zone coverage and an ability to create space on intermediate routes.

While Loyd doesn't have Olugbode's flash or long-term upside, his reliability and sharp route-running have kept him on the field. The coaching staff has praised how quickly he's picked up the playbook and adjusted to the tempo of the Southeastern Conference brand of football.

"Xavier is a local product from the Kansas City area, and he's just been consistent from the moment he got here," Peeler said. "He's a guy who's always in the building, doing more than what's expected — whether it's getting extra reps on the JUGS machine or just his daily approach."

Peeler added that the staff was drawn to Loyd's film from last season, particularly his performance against Iowa, Missouri's opponent in the 2024 Music City Bowl.

"When I turned on his film, he was making plays against some of the same guys we played in the bowl game," Peeler said. "Playing at Illinois State, he still showed the ability to get off press coverage, which is a big deal in this league. He's also had previous snaps at Kansas State, so we knew he had experience under the lights."

Both players have benefited from Missouri's lack of established depth beyond the top three.

Coleman has stepped seamlessly into a leadership role and looks like the Tigers' go-to target. Johnson, the team's biggest home-run threat, has taken most of the first-team reps at Z receiver, while Manning has rounded out the group.

Behind them, however, roles are still up for grabs.

Redshirt freshman James Madison II and junior Daniel Blood are also in the mix, but Olugbode and Loyd have generated the most traction so far.

In a room where only three returners — Johnson, Manning and Blood — caught passes for Missouri last season, the opportunity is there. And Olugbode and Loyd are making the most of it.

"I think that receiver room, just working big picture all together, there's a lot more depth in that room," offensive coordinator Kirby Moore said Sunday in an interview with PowerMizzou. "The incoming freshmen and their contributions from a spring ball standpoint, the summer access period here in June, working on the timing — it's been really cool to work with those guys."

The competition is still far from settled, but through the opening stretch of fall camp practices, the wide receiver room looks less like a liability and more like a unit beginning to take shape.

If Coleman, Johnson and Manning form the core, Olugbode and Loyd are emerging as the most likely candidates to round out the rotation — and possibly push for larger roles as the season unfolds.

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