As in-state recruits traveled to campus the past few months, names started to look more familiar.
Brock Barrows, a Class of 2028 interior offensive lineman at Lee's Summit (Mo.) West, returned Thursday to Missouri for his second trip since November, when he unofficially visited for the Arkansas game.
Brock's father, Chris Barrows, played for the Tigers in the 1990s. Emerging as a football recruit this past season, the younger Barrows still hasn't added an offer from his father's alma mater, but he's remained on the radar of the coaches, including his former neighbor, Evan Boehm.
"I feel like an offer is very close," said Barrows, who's received three scholarships. "I just need to ball out early this season. They said they’d be watching. And it's great, because I have a great matchup Week 1 against a 2026 Mizzou offer. But when that offer comes, it's going to be surreal. That's one I've dreamed of since I knew what football was."
Barrows grew up a few doors down from Boehm, a former Missouri offensive lineman coached by Barrows' father at Lee's Summit West. Now serving as the Tigers' assistant director of player personnel and recruiting relations, Boehm has still worked with the trenches, assisting offensive line coach Brandon Jones and assistant offensive line coach Jack Abercrombie.
"During 1-on-1s, Coach Jones and Coach Abercrombie were great with giving instruction and were very complimentary after," Barrows said. "The areas I focused on most were really just fine tuning my technique in both run and pass pro."
Like Barrows, Ridge Janes, the son of Ron "Rhino" Janes, also grew up immersed in Missouri football. Yet the youngest Janes' recruitment has skyrocketed more since the end of his freshman season at St. Louis (Mo.) De Smet.
With 21 offers to his name, the Class of 2028 tight end has visited numerous schools across the country the past eight months, including his father's alma mater four times. Janes returned for a 7-on-7 competition Friday, receiving a return invite from tight ends coach Derham Cato.
"I also got to visit with several Mizzou's coaches," Janes said. "Coach Cato invited me back up to Mizzou on Wednesday to watch a walkthrough and then stay for a BBQ. I'm excited to get back on campus."
Mizzou legacies Brock Barrows, Ridge Janes recap return trips to campus
Class of 2028 Tigers legacies Brock Barrows and Ridge Janes returned to campus this past week.
