Missouri wrapped up its second and final Junior Day of March on Saturday.

The Tigers hosted a flurry of top targets from across the country, while also bringing unoffered recruits to campus. Four prospects recapped their visits from the past two weekends.

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Returning to Missouri after a January visit, Elijah Berman wanted to see how the coaches interacted in practice, and he "wasn't disappointed." The Class of 2026 defensive tackle loved the fast-pace energy and how the defense dominated the Saturday scrimmage.

"I could definitely see myself at Mizzou," Berman said. "An offer would mean everything. They are the highest level of football and have a strong program with a history of developing their guys for the NFL. That's my mindset. I want all that."

Berman talked briefly with defensive line coach Al Davis and defensive tackles coach David Blackwell. Berman noted how Davis wouldn't sugarcoat anything to his players, making them better anyway possible.

"The day went too quick this time, so I didn't really get much time with the coaches," Berman said. "But hopefully I'll be back again at some point. Mizzou is on the top of my list."

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Kevin Ford Jr. rang in the new year with an offer from Missouri, while practicing for the Under Armour Next All-America Game in Orlando, Florida. Interest in Missouri has steadily grown since that first conversation with edges coach Brian Early, as Ford visited Columbia for the first time the weekend of March 8.

"Love the visit and have great relationship with him," Ford said.

Ford hasn't announced an official visit to Missouri, but he's among the top edge defenders available in the 2026 class. The four-star has climbed to No. 98 in the Rivals250, playing for Duncanville (Tex.) High, the same school at produced former Tigers cornerback Ennis Rakestraw Jr.

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Austin Coles locked in his visit to Missouri in the days leading up to Junior Day. The Rivals250 tight end jumped on the Tigers' radar with his route running at 6-foot-4, 190 pounds.

"(I) learned a lot from (tight ends coach Derham) Cato about how they use the tight end in their offense and what they are looking for the tight end to contribute," Coles said. "I liked that he took the time to tell me what he sees in me and that he was super positive about how the tight ends can be big contributors to the offense."

Offensive assistant Andy Belluomini, a former wide receivers coach at Illinois State, was a primary host for Coles, a Class of 2027 four-star at Barrington (Ill.) High. The two built a relationship, with Belluomini saying to reach out anytime about the Tigers.

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Cooper Newman broke down film with offensive coordinator Kirby Moore and quarterbacks coach Sean Gleeson. During the Saturday practice, he noticed similarities to his offense at Sevierville (Tenn.) Sevier County.

"With what little time we had, they seemed to get a lot of information out and keep me very interested for sure," Newman said. "I learned today that a certain system and scheme is something that I’m looking for in a college, and Missouri is one of those schools that I could see myself fitting in."

Moore will visit watch Newman practice this spring. Newman totaled 3,488 yards and 45 touchdowns to one interception while completing nearly 72% of his pass attempts during his sophomore season.

"You could tell the staff cared a lot about the players," Newman said, "and it showed with how they would coach them up after mistakes. I think another thing is how much experience the coaching staff has."

Looking to reschedule​

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Scheduling an official visit with Missouri for late May, Jowell Combay wanted to see the Tigers in person before his weekend-long stay. He planned to arrive Friday ahead of attending Junior Day on Saturday, but he backed out of his visit earlier in the week.

Looking to unofficially visit Missouri later this spring, Combay has started to garner more offers, including recent ones from Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina. A late bloomer in recruitment, he might not stick as a three-star forever.

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Class of 2027 three-star offensive lineman Lual Aleu previously mentioned a trip to Missouri would be a tougher drive, given how further it would be than the visits the Cincinnati (Ohio) Winton Woods product made during this past few months.

Nonetheless, Aleu liked what he heard about Missouri after being offered in January and locked in his first unofficial visit for this past Saturday. Aleu ended up not being able to make it down, but he reiterated his interest in the Tigers, hoping to reschedule for April.

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Opting for the second Junior Day in March to avoid overlap with his basketball season, Landon Blum ended up focusing on his state tournament this past week, not making his visit. Missouri hasn't offered the Rivals250 wide receiver, but the staff has invited Blum multiple times to campus since May.

The latest on a lot of big names after another busy weekend:

Missouri offered Class of 2027 athlete Braden Gordon on Sunday. Gordon reeled in 45 passes for 740 yards and eight touchdowns, while totaling 50 tackles, 14 TFL and 11 Sacks during his sophomore year.

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Jack and Payton break down Missouri's path in the NCAA Tournament after the Tigers got a No. 6 seed on Selection Sunday. The guys discuss Missouri's first-round matchup against Drake, a possible second-round game against Texas Tech and the entire East region plus some games to watch elsewhere in the tournament.

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Getting to see position coach Al Pogue in action at a recent spring practice was big for Eloms as the three-star cornerback from Fishers, Ind., loves the way Pogue coaches and interacts with his players.

Eloms also connected really well with coach Eli Drinkwitz so that is playing a big factor for Missouri as well.

Vanderbilt, Michigan State, Wisconsin and Purdue are the others to watch.

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There has always been a feeling that the four-star receiver from Norman (Okla.) North would end up at Oklahoma but Missouri, Washington, Kansas State, Arizona State, Kentucky and Notre Dame are the main programs involved.

James was recently at Washington (and he will return for an official visit) and he loved how NFL-focused the program is run and how development is key for everyone there.

After his basketball season ended this past week, Ridge Janes turned his focus back to football.

The St. Louis (Mo.) De Smet athlete made a shorter drive Saturday to Missouri to visit his in-state Tigers for the second time in three months. While on more of a short notice to visit for Junior Day, Janes still made the most of his trip.

"I feel like the energy was really different," the Missouri legacy said. "I just felt the energy every play, every time the ball was snapped, so I feel like getting back up there, seeing the energy and how they play with a chip on their shoulder at all times, was really cool to see."

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After practice, Janes went through a similar meeting as his January visit, talking with tight ends coach Derham Cato on how the Tigers planned to install tight ends in their offense this upcoming season.

Janes spent most of his visit with in-state tight ends Jack Brown and Kevin Sullivan as well as Class of 2026 three-star PJ MacFarlane. Brown, a Class of 2027 four-star at St. Peters (Mo.) Francis Howell Central, played for 7-on-7 team Midwest BOOM with Janes this past year.

"We got to talk actually, a lot, which it was pretty perfect," Janes said. "We talked just about where we're all going. It was great to catch up with him. He's obviously doing amazing with his recruiting and what he's doing at Francis Howell Central."

Now up to 10 offers, with his most recent coming from Illinois on Wednesday, Janes will visit Mississippi on Tuesday before looking into a trip to Alabama in the following days. Oklahoma and Tennessee will receive visits during the summer from Janes, the son of former Missouri fullback Ron "Rhino" Janes.