Welcome to Four Down Territory where I’ll give you three thoughts on Missouri football or college football in general. Then, the last thought will be whatever I want it to be.
1. To start the preseason superlatives, the most improved players of the 2024 season will be cornerback Nic Deloach and wide receiver Joshua Manning.
This feels like completing the third level of a video game. The offseason, particularly from the end of spring ball to right before SEC Media Days, is the first level. The second level is SEC Media Days and now we're finally entering the fourth level, which is the start of the regular season. We won't get to the fifth level until Week 6 when Mizzou goes to Texas A&M.
The home game versus Vanderbilt is the start of league play, but honestly, most people have grouped Mizzou's first four games in the season into the same bucket.
So, back to fall camp. There have been some high risers, steady climbers and stuff in between. Let's see who fits in what category beginning with the high risers and my picks for the most improved players.
For defense, it has to be cornerback Nic DeLoach. In a year, he went from a freshman who was learning a new position and redshirting to possibly a starting cornerback on a top-11 team. The team brought in Toriano Pride to seemingly feel that CB2 role and he still might start the season, but the fact that he split first-team reps with DeLoach throughout camp says DeLoach at the very least, will have a heavy role in the defense.
On top of that, during his presser a week or so ago, DeLoach said that he enjoys guarding Daniel Blood because it's hard to do. Blood is a slot receiver. So, if DeLoach, at 6-foot and 175 pounds can play the slot and the boundary corner his role got that much bigger.
Pride played almost exclusively the boundary last year for Clemson. DeLoach has to be the highest riser because coming into camp it seemed like the CB3 job was Marcus Clarke's job and now DeLoach's floor is CB3.
Offensively, as the days went on in camp, it became evident that Joshua Manning had ascended the depth chart. How much he ascended is anyone's guess when he's in a receiver room that has its top seven players (including Manning) returning to the position. He likely won't be WR6 or lower and if he is, he will get more offensive snaps then what a WR6 may get on a different team.
Thirty-three offensive snaps were his total as a freshman. At the least, he doubles that. Every day it seemed like a new player or coach was talking about how well Manning was doing. During the team's second scrimmage, he had six receptions for 100 yards and two touchdowns.
He's a solid route runner, has good hands and has been working on contested catches and jump balls. Know what that sounds like? Sounds like another Theo Wease type of player.
Wease came in and balled out as the No. 2 wide receiver last year so if Manning is in that mold, the Tigers have a good thing going with Manning.
2. I believe safety Marvin Burks will most likely be the Breakout Player of the Year while left tackle Marcus Bryant and Cayden Green will most likely be Newcomers of the Year.
Let's start with the latter. I'm very much the person who believes that one person should get an award. I hate participation trophies, but that's a topic for another day. However, I'm not completely against two people winning awards if it's truly close and they both deserve it.
Several newcomers will be integral players for the team but I don't think none of them will be as important as Bryant and Green.
They're replacing an All-American left tackle in Javon Foster and a three-year starter at left guard in Xavier Delgado.
According to PFF College, Foster and Delgado gave up just one sack, four quarterback hits and 30 pressures combined. Coincidentally, quarterback Brady Cook looked the best he's ever looked and had a career year.
If Mizzou wants Cook to -- cook, then he needs time in the pocket. Missouri brought in a couple of four-star transfers in on the left side and I think Cook can have a season that goes just as well, if not better than last year, if Bryant and Green are as advertised.
As for Burks, he is projected to be the team's starting free safety. The team's highest-rated prospect from the class of 2023 played in every game last year and recorded 16 tackles, one tackle for loss and a forced fumble. He was a core four special teamer and now with the chance to start, I expect him to be more impactful.
He's athletic, he can hit, the coaches trust him in coverage and more importantly (from what I've seen) he seems to be in the right position. That doesn't mean he will do everything right on every single play. He's human but he has immense potential.
Wide receiver Speedy Johnson almost got the nod here but he's in such a deep wide receiver room and he probably won't start like Burks almost certainly will.
3. Wide receiver Luther Burden and defensive end Johnny Walker are most likely to be the team’s Offensive and Defensive Most Valuable Players, respectively.
Luther Burden being the Offensive MVP is probably the least shocking of the superlatives and it should be. Let's not overthink it. Cook would probably be the next best option, and for some, he may be their pick. However, Burden is one of the best players in the nation regardless of position.
He's likely going in the upper half of the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft (I fully expect him to forego his senior year) and what he provides to the offense is almost invaluable. Obviously, Cook being unavailable would limit the team more because his presence affects the entire offense and can affect the defense if the offense becomes a shell of itself. However, Burden being unavailable is a close second.
No one should see a double team this year, outside of Burden himself, because of what he can do and the attention he attracts. He's a game-changer. Even in games where he's quiet, a defensive coordinator is always going to have the "anyone but him" game plan.
Johnny Walker played substantial snaps and started for the Tigers for the first time in his career last season and he didn't disappoint. He had 43 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss (third on the team), five sacks (second-most) and a team-high three forced fumbles.
He was probably the team's most improved player on defense so the next step up is being the best player. He showed a glimpse of taking the next step by being the Defensive MVP of the Cotton Bowl after recording two tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, a sack and a forced fumble.
On top of that, the Tigers just lost Darris Smith who appeared to be the DE3. That could mean Walker slightly plays a little more than intended, which means more chances to put up bigger numbers.
Safety Daylan Carnell is a very close second. He's a game changer and has been since 2022. He led the team in takeaways with five and he was coming off the bench then. Playing that STAR role allows him to be one of the more versatile players on the field at all times and he usually capitalizes on it by being around the ball. He had an interception returned for a touchdown and two forced fumbles last year.
The nod goes to Walker because he plays a premier position that requires affecting the quarterback. On top of that, the safety group is deeper than the EDGE group so Carnell may not have to play as much as Walker.
1. To start the preseason superlatives, the most improved players of the 2024 season will be cornerback Nic Deloach and wide receiver Joshua Manning.
This feels like completing the third level of a video game. The offseason, particularly from the end of spring ball to right before SEC Media Days, is the first level. The second level is SEC Media Days and now we're finally entering the fourth level, which is the start of the regular season. We won't get to the fifth level until Week 6 when Mizzou goes to Texas A&M.
The home game versus Vanderbilt is the start of league play, but honestly, most people have grouped Mizzou's first four games in the season into the same bucket.
So, back to fall camp. There have been some high risers, steady climbers and stuff in between. Let's see who fits in what category beginning with the high risers and my picks for the most improved players.
For defense, it has to be cornerback Nic DeLoach. In a year, he went from a freshman who was learning a new position and redshirting to possibly a starting cornerback on a top-11 team. The team brought in Toriano Pride to seemingly feel that CB2 role and he still might start the season, but the fact that he split first-team reps with DeLoach throughout camp says DeLoach at the very least, will have a heavy role in the defense.
On top of that, during his presser a week or so ago, DeLoach said that he enjoys guarding Daniel Blood because it's hard to do. Blood is a slot receiver. So, if DeLoach, at 6-foot and 175 pounds can play the slot and the boundary corner his role got that much bigger.
Pride played almost exclusively the boundary last year for Clemson. DeLoach has to be the highest riser because coming into camp it seemed like the CB3 job was Marcus Clarke's job and now DeLoach's floor is CB3.
Offensively, as the days went on in camp, it became evident that Joshua Manning had ascended the depth chart. How much he ascended is anyone's guess when he's in a receiver room that has its top seven players (including Manning) returning to the position. He likely won't be WR6 or lower and if he is, he will get more offensive snaps then what a WR6 may get on a different team.
Thirty-three offensive snaps were his total as a freshman. At the least, he doubles that. Every day it seemed like a new player or coach was talking about how well Manning was doing. During the team's second scrimmage, he had six receptions for 100 yards and two touchdowns.
He's a solid route runner, has good hands and has been working on contested catches and jump balls. Know what that sounds like? Sounds like another Theo Wease type of player.
Wease came in and balled out as the No. 2 wide receiver last year so if Manning is in that mold, the Tigers have a good thing going with Manning.
2. I believe safety Marvin Burks will most likely be the Breakout Player of the Year while left tackle Marcus Bryant and Cayden Green will most likely be Newcomers of the Year.
Let's start with the latter. I'm very much the person who believes that one person should get an award. I hate participation trophies, but that's a topic for another day. However, I'm not completely against two people winning awards if it's truly close and they both deserve it.
Several newcomers will be integral players for the team but I don't think none of them will be as important as Bryant and Green.
They're replacing an All-American left tackle in Javon Foster and a three-year starter at left guard in Xavier Delgado.
According to PFF College, Foster and Delgado gave up just one sack, four quarterback hits and 30 pressures combined. Coincidentally, quarterback Brady Cook looked the best he's ever looked and had a career year.
If Mizzou wants Cook to -- cook, then he needs time in the pocket. Missouri brought in a couple of four-star transfers in on the left side and I think Cook can have a season that goes just as well, if not better than last year, if Bryant and Green are as advertised.
As for Burks, he is projected to be the team's starting free safety. The team's highest-rated prospect from the class of 2023 played in every game last year and recorded 16 tackles, one tackle for loss and a forced fumble. He was a core four special teamer and now with the chance to start, I expect him to be more impactful.
He's athletic, he can hit, the coaches trust him in coverage and more importantly (from what I've seen) he seems to be in the right position. That doesn't mean he will do everything right on every single play. He's human but he has immense potential.
Wide receiver Speedy Johnson almost got the nod here but he's in such a deep wide receiver room and he probably won't start like Burks almost certainly will.
3. Wide receiver Luther Burden and defensive end Johnny Walker are most likely to be the team’s Offensive and Defensive Most Valuable Players, respectively.
Luther Burden being the Offensive MVP is probably the least shocking of the superlatives and it should be. Let's not overthink it. Cook would probably be the next best option, and for some, he may be their pick. However, Burden is one of the best players in the nation regardless of position.
He's likely going in the upper half of the first round of the 2025 NFL Draft (I fully expect him to forego his senior year) and what he provides to the offense is almost invaluable. Obviously, Cook being unavailable would limit the team more because his presence affects the entire offense and can affect the defense if the offense becomes a shell of itself. However, Burden being unavailable is a close second.
No one should see a double team this year, outside of Burden himself, because of what he can do and the attention he attracts. He's a game-changer. Even in games where he's quiet, a defensive coordinator is always going to have the "anyone but him" game plan.
Johnny Walker played substantial snaps and started for the Tigers for the first time in his career last season and he didn't disappoint. He had 43 tackles, 9.5 tackles for loss (third on the team), five sacks (second-most) and a team-high three forced fumbles.
He was probably the team's most improved player on defense so the next step up is being the best player. He showed a glimpse of taking the next step by being the Defensive MVP of the Cotton Bowl after recording two tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, a sack and a forced fumble.
On top of that, the Tigers just lost Darris Smith who appeared to be the DE3. That could mean Walker slightly plays a little more than intended, which means more chances to put up bigger numbers.
Safety Daylan Carnell is a very close second. He's a game changer and has been since 2022. He led the team in takeaways with five and he was coming off the bench then. Playing that STAR role allows him to be one of the more versatile players on the field at all times and he usually capitalizes on it by being around the ball. He had an interception returned for a touchdown and two forced fumbles last year.
The nod goes to Walker because he plays a premier position that requires affecting the quarterback. On top of that, the safety group is deeper than the EDGE group so Carnell may not have to play as much as Walker.
