Fresh off an official visit weekend and another camp, we thought it would be a good time to update you guys after the first full week of recruiting. If you haven't read the previous updates this week, you can do so here:
Tuesday night update
Friday Chamber
Kaian Roberts Day update
DJ Wesolak update
Micah Riley Ducker update
*So now that you're caught up, here we go. Mizzou had three official visitors on campus this weekend:
From what we are hearing after the trip, things went well with Himon, but he will take other visits, including Vandy next weekend. Missouri would have taken a commitment from him, but is also fine with letting the process play out. The Tigers will take one or two running backs in this class. Himon could be one of them, but CJ Stokes will be in on an official visit next weekend and Missouri is in on a transfer back as well (RB Emeka Megwa was in town on Wednesday but our feeling is that Missouri isn't heavily involved there going forward).
The transfer is TCU back Darwin Barlow, who we mentioned in the Chamber on Friday. He was in town on an official visit. The feeling is that the trip went very well and Missouri is in excellent shape with Barlow. Other programs are trying to get him to visit, including USC pushing to get him on campus next weekend. We'll do our best to get in touch with Barlow, but he doesn't seem to be talking or even tweeting about the recruiting process so far, so not sure. It will be interesting to see if Barlow continues to take visits. Missouri, obviously, would love it if he ended the process without taking another trip.
The third visitor was Tulsa DB transfer Akayleb Evans.
Evans came to Columbia after trips to Texas and Notre Dame. The feeling is that he'll make a decision between those three. Georgia recently offered, but it seems at this point Evans is choosing between the Tigers, Longhorns and Irish. Of the three prospects who were in town, from what we've heard, there's probably the most optimism about Evans. A decision could come at any time. We think Missouri is in good position.
*The Tigers held another camp today and there was a good amount of talent in town.
Burden wasn't working out (no need for him to), but his presence is notable. You don't come to campus twice in a week if you aren't paying attention to the sales pitch. There's a lot of competition. It's unlikely we know where he's going until December. But it's nothing but a positive he was in town.
-- The player Burden came to town with, East St. Louis DB Ahmad Robinson, impressed the Mizzou staff enough to earn an offer. We caught up with the class of 2022 DB before he learned about the offer — he planned to tour the South Endzone facility and talk with Drinkwitz after the camp — but he did say that, were a Mizzou offer to materialize, the Tigers would be at the top of his list. The only other high-major school he said he’s hearing from at this point is Indiana. Robinson also said he’s hoping to commit on June 17. Assuming the staff would take him (and we think they would given how they’ve handled most in-state recruitments), we’re putting Robinson on commitment watch.
-- A class of 2022 target who already had an offer entering this weekend, Deone Walker, also participated in the camp. Walker went through drills with both the offensive and defensive lines but spent the majority of his time on the offensive side, which is where the Mizzou staff fancies him. He said he has no preference about which side of the ball he plays at the college level. Walker said he plans to trim his list in July, take official visits in the fall and then commit afterward. He said Kentucky’s interest has fallen off, but listed Michigan, Michigan State, Georgia, LSU and Arkansas as schools other than Mizzou that have been in the most contact.
-- Walker was part of a large contingent from Cass Tech, the football factory in Detroit. Other notable prospects from the group included 2023 defensive end Jalen Thompson, who also picked up an offer after the camp. Thompson said he was impressed by Missouri’s campus and facilities and he’s close with Mizzou linebacker and Cass Tech alum Devin Nicholson. The four-star prospect has a very impressive offer list and said Michigan State, Michigan, Notre Dame, Penn State and Pittsburgh are standing out right now. Other Cass Tech prospects in attendance who appear to be worth keeping an eye on are 2022 offensive linemen Jackson Pruitt and Masai Reddick as well as 2023 athlete RaSean Randall, who has drawn interest as both a tight end and linebacker.
-- Mizzou tight end commit Max Whisner was back for another camp today. He plans to be back for another camp next weekend, too. Whisner was chatting up Walker about Mizzou as they left the field. Any remaining worry about him being interested in Nebraska seems unnecessary at this point.
-- Class of 2023 offensive lineman Logan Reichert earned a Mizzou offer a few weeks ago, but today represented his first chance to interact with the Missouri coaching staff in person. He said he liked the coaches and planned to check out the facilities after the camp. The massive prospect will be back on Missouri’s campus in a few weeks for a Night at the Zou style event geared toward the ‘23 class on June 23.
-- Another young Kansas City area prospect, linebacker Melvin Laster Jr., earned the distinction of becoming Mizzou’s fifth offer to a player in the class of 2024 after impressing at today’s camp. Laster started for Liberty North’s varsity team as a freshman last season. We don’t have measurements on him yet, but he certainly looks the part physically.
-- Speaking of KC prospects, I was told that Shawnee Mission East QB Parker Leise is going to be back at Mizzou for another camp next week. Leise participated in Thursday’s camp as well and has been busy in the past week, camping at Iowa State and Georgia as well. We’re not exactly sure how interested Mizzou is at this point, but we believe Leise is definitely interested in the Tigers.
That should catch you up. Unless something else happens. You never know.
Tuesday night update
Friday Chamber
Kaian Roberts Day update
DJ Wesolak update
Micah Riley Ducker update
*So now that you're caught up, here we go. Mizzou had three official visitors on campus this weekend:
From what we are hearing after the trip, things went well with Himon, but he will take other visits, including Vandy next weekend. Missouri would have taken a commitment from him, but is also fine with letting the process play out. The Tigers will take one or two running backs in this class. Himon could be one of them, but CJ Stokes will be in on an official visit next weekend and Missouri is in on a transfer back as well (RB Emeka Megwa was in town on Wednesday but our feeling is that Missouri isn't heavily involved there going forward).
The transfer is TCU back Darwin Barlow, who we mentioned in the Chamber on Friday. He was in town on an official visit. The feeling is that the trip went very well and Missouri is in excellent shape with Barlow. Other programs are trying to get him to visit, including USC pushing to get him on campus next weekend. We'll do our best to get in touch with Barlow, but he doesn't seem to be talking or even tweeting about the recruiting process so far, so not sure. It will be interesting to see if Barlow continues to take visits. Missouri, obviously, would love it if he ended the process without taking another trip.
The third visitor was Tulsa DB transfer Akayleb Evans.
Evans came to Columbia after trips to Texas and Notre Dame. The feeling is that he'll make a decision between those three. Georgia recently offered, but it seems at this point Evans is choosing between the Tigers, Longhorns and Irish. Of the three prospects who were in town, from what we've heard, there's probably the most optimism about Evans. A decision could come at any time. We think Missouri is in good position.
*The Tigers held another camp today and there was a good amount of talent in town.
Burden wasn't working out (no need for him to), but his presence is notable. You don't come to campus twice in a week if you aren't paying attention to the sales pitch. There's a lot of competition. It's unlikely we know where he's going until December. But it's nothing but a positive he was in town.
-- The player Burden came to town with, East St. Louis DB Ahmad Robinson, impressed the Mizzou staff enough to earn an offer. We caught up with the class of 2022 DB before he learned about the offer — he planned to tour the South Endzone facility and talk with Drinkwitz after the camp — but he did say that, were a Mizzou offer to materialize, the Tigers would be at the top of his list. The only other high-major school he said he’s hearing from at this point is Indiana. Robinson also said he’s hoping to commit on June 17. Assuming the staff would take him (and we think they would given how they’ve handled most in-state recruitments), we’re putting Robinson on commitment watch.
-- A class of 2022 target who already had an offer entering this weekend, Deone Walker, also participated in the camp. Walker went through drills with both the offensive and defensive lines but spent the majority of his time on the offensive side, which is where the Mizzou staff fancies him. He said he has no preference about which side of the ball he plays at the college level. Walker said he plans to trim his list in July, take official visits in the fall and then commit afterward. He said Kentucky’s interest has fallen off, but listed Michigan, Michigan State, Georgia, LSU and Arkansas as schools other than Mizzou that have been in the most contact.
-- Walker was part of a large contingent from Cass Tech, the football factory in Detroit. Other notable prospects from the group included 2023 defensive end Jalen Thompson, who also picked up an offer after the camp. Thompson said he was impressed by Missouri’s campus and facilities and he’s close with Mizzou linebacker and Cass Tech alum Devin Nicholson. The four-star prospect has a very impressive offer list and said Michigan State, Michigan, Notre Dame, Penn State and Pittsburgh are standing out right now. Other Cass Tech prospects in attendance who appear to be worth keeping an eye on are 2022 offensive linemen Jackson Pruitt and Masai Reddick as well as 2023 athlete RaSean Randall, who has drawn interest as both a tight end and linebacker.
-- Mizzou tight end commit Max Whisner was back for another camp today. He plans to be back for another camp next weekend, too. Whisner was chatting up Walker about Mizzou as they left the field. Any remaining worry about him being interested in Nebraska seems unnecessary at this point.
-- Class of 2023 offensive lineman Logan Reichert earned a Mizzou offer a few weeks ago, but today represented his first chance to interact with the Missouri coaching staff in person. He said he liked the coaches and planned to check out the facilities after the camp. The massive prospect will be back on Missouri’s campus in a few weeks for a Night at the Zou style event geared toward the ‘23 class on June 23.
-- Another young Kansas City area prospect, linebacker Melvin Laster Jr., earned the distinction of becoming Mizzou’s fifth offer to a player in the class of 2024 after impressing at today’s camp. Laster started for Liberty North’s varsity team as a freshman last season. We don’t have measurements on him yet, but he certainly looks the part physically.
-- Speaking of KC prospects, I was told that Shawnee Mission East QB Parker Leise is going to be back at Mizzou for another camp next week. Leise participated in Thursday’s camp as well and has been busy in the past week, camping at Iowa State and Georgia as well. We’re not exactly sure how interested Mizzou is at this point, but we believe Leise is definitely interested in the Tigers.
That should catch you up. Unless something else happens. You never know.
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