So it's the biggest recruiting weekend of the summer for Missouri. This is gonna be exclusively a football recruiting Chamber. Let's get right to it. First we'll just list guys we know are expected at Night at the Zou on Saturday night. We'll break them into categories. Following all of the lists, we'll do some breaking down of where things stand. There are likely to be some guys who aren't on this list who will be there, but we feel like this is pretty comprehensive as of now.
IN-STATE PROSPECTS WITH OFFERS
OUT OF STATE PROSPECTS WITH OFFERS
IN-STATE PROSPECTS WHO COULD EARN OFFERS
OUT OF STATE PROSPECTS WHO COULD EARN OFFERS
https://n.rivals.com/content/prospects/2019/justin-clark-208990
https://n.rivals.com/content/prospects/2019/isaiah-mcguire-229927
https://n.rivals.com/content/prospects/2019/darrias-murdock-206248
https://n.rivals.com/content/prospects/2019/jack-barkley-211367
https://n.rivals.com/content/prospects/2019/aaron-davis-223265
https://n.rivals.com/content/prospects/2019/dylan-downing-204398
https://n.rivals.com/content/prospects/2019/jalen-mcgaughy-182259
https://n.rivals.com/content/prospects/2019/gerard-mcknight-224063
https://n.rivals.com/content/prospects/2019/earenest-grayson-198922
https://n.rivals.com/content/prospects/2019/darrell-simmons-231128
https://n.rivals.com/content/prospects/2019/noah-jones-183536
2020 PLAYERS TO WATCH
https://n.rivals.com/content/prospects/2020/kevon-billingsley-210008
https://n.rivals.com/content/prospects/2020/javion-gathrite-200830
https://n.rivals.com/content/prospects/2020/johnny-wilson-204678
https://n.rivals.com/content/prospects/2020/will-norris-232076
https://n.rivals.com/content/prospects/2020/drake-heismeyer-204452
https://n.rivals.com/content/prospects/2020/jake-seidel-217389
https://n.rivals.com/content/prospects/2020/roman-purcell-183928
https://n.rivals.com/content/prospects/2020/freddy-edwards-216395
https://n.rivals.com/content/prospects/2020/brison-cobbins-203904
https://n.rivals.com/content/prospects/2020/itayvion-brown-230647
https://n.rivals.com/content/prospects/2020/jay-maclin-208742
https://n.rivals.com/content/prospects/2020/lawaun-powell-206048
2021 PLAYERS
https://n.rivals.com/content/prospects/2021/hutson-lillibridge-230160
There are eight in-state 2019 players with offers. Jack Buford is already committed. Martez Manuel will make his decision on Monday and our sources indicate Missouri is in very good shape and is the likely destination.
Maurice Massey is announcing a top two today. It will be a shock if it isn't Missouri and Illinois. He was in CoMo on Wednesday, is going to be in Champaign tonight and will be back on campus at Mizzou tomorrow. We don't expect a decision to take very long. Let's go with a month at the most.
Marcus Washington has an August 7th commitment date set between Missouri and Ohio State. Again, all of our information is that the Tigers are in excellent shape here. Even the people that cover Ohio State seem to be saying he'll be a Tiger at this point. If/when that happens, our sources indicate Ira Henry could very likely follow (some even believe it could happen the very same day).
It will be very surprising if Arvell Ferguson isn't a Tiger. In fact, if there's one guy most likely to commit on Saturday night, we believe it's Ferguson.
That leaves Jalani Williams and CJ Boone. The Tigers are in the mix with Williams, whose recruitment has been one of the quieter ones. If Mizzou goes on the in-state run we're anticipating, we could see Williams joining that group. Boone is the most interesting one. At first it seemed like he was looking elsewhere. Then we got some indication the Tigers were right in the mix. If Mizzou gets Massey and Washington, would it fill out a three-man receiver class entirely with in-state prospects? That's possible. If we had to put money on it right now, we see Boone going out of state (Minnesota seems quite possible), but he's one we'll catch up with on Saturday.
The only real in-state omission is Shammond Cooper. If the Tigers get Washington and Henry, they'll still have a good shot with Cooper, but he's scheduled to go to Oklahoma this weekend. If he has a committable offer from the Sooners (and our sources indicate he does), it's possible he comes back from Norman committed.
Isaiah Azubuike is a kid we thought might get an offer at 7 on 7 earlier this summer. Ontario Russell had the staff's attention at camp at William Jewell. Corey Suttle is committed to Iowa State, so it will be interesting to see what he does on Saturday.
Of the 2020 kids, Kevon Billingsley, Drake Heismeyer, Johnny Wilson, Jay Maclin and Itayvion Brown already have offers. So that makes 13 total in-state guys with offers in town this weekend. It would be a surprise to see any of the 2020 kids end the process this early, honestly.
The list of out of state guys really reads like a group that Missouri is wanting to get another look at and make a final evaluation. Most of them don't have offers yet. So this is a chance for the staff to see them up close and decide if perhaps they're missing something. We could see a handful of new offers come out of this and Missouri jump in the mix with some of them.
Sean talked to 2020 Chaminade QB Brady Cook after his visit and offer this week. It would be stunning to see this kid end up anywhere else. He said he wants to focus on his season and then make a commitment prior to his senior year. I would be surprised if we get to signing day this year without Cook committed for 2020. He's one of the most vocal kids we've covered as far as how much he likes Mizzou.
The upshot of all this is that in four months, I think there's a pretty good chance all this hand-wringing and freaking out about St. Louis the last couple of years is going to look kind of silly (not that it was off base when it was occurring, just that things can change). Because the Tigers look to go on a nice little run there. Pair that with a good season and the future looks nice...but the good season has to happen obviously.
We will have three staff members at Night at the Zou on Saturday. Things get going around 7 p.m. We'll post updates on the board and are going to talk to as many kids as we can throughout the evening. We'll have a ton of coverage for you Sunday along with any breaking news that might occur. Probably gonna be a busy night/weekend/week/month/year.
IN-STATE PROSPECTS WITH OFFERS
OUT OF STATE PROSPECTS WITH OFFERS
IN-STATE PROSPECTS WHO COULD EARN OFFERS
OUT OF STATE PROSPECTS WHO COULD EARN OFFERS
https://n.rivals.com/content/prospects/2019/justin-clark-208990
https://n.rivals.com/content/prospects/2019/isaiah-mcguire-229927
https://n.rivals.com/content/prospects/2019/darrias-murdock-206248
https://n.rivals.com/content/prospects/2019/jack-barkley-211367
https://n.rivals.com/content/prospects/2019/aaron-davis-223265
https://n.rivals.com/content/prospects/2019/dylan-downing-204398
https://n.rivals.com/content/prospects/2019/jalen-mcgaughy-182259
https://n.rivals.com/content/prospects/2019/gerard-mcknight-224063
https://n.rivals.com/content/prospects/2019/earenest-grayson-198922
https://n.rivals.com/content/prospects/2019/darrell-simmons-231128
https://n.rivals.com/content/prospects/2019/noah-jones-183536
2020 PLAYERS TO WATCH
https://n.rivals.com/content/prospects/2020/kevon-billingsley-210008
https://n.rivals.com/content/prospects/2020/javion-gathrite-200830
https://n.rivals.com/content/prospects/2020/johnny-wilson-204678
https://n.rivals.com/content/prospects/2020/will-norris-232076
https://n.rivals.com/content/prospects/2020/drake-heismeyer-204452
https://n.rivals.com/content/prospects/2020/jake-seidel-217389
https://n.rivals.com/content/prospects/2020/roman-purcell-183928
https://n.rivals.com/content/prospects/2020/freddy-edwards-216395
https://n.rivals.com/content/prospects/2020/brison-cobbins-203904
https://n.rivals.com/content/prospects/2020/itayvion-brown-230647
https://n.rivals.com/content/prospects/2020/jay-maclin-208742
https://n.rivals.com/content/prospects/2020/lawaun-powell-206048
2021 PLAYERS
https://n.rivals.com/content/prospects/2021/hutson-lillibridge-230160
There are eight in-state 2019 players with offers. Jack Buford is already committed. Martez Manuel will make his decision on Monday and our sources indicate Missouri is in very good shape and is the likely destination.
Maurice Massey is announcing a top two today. It will be a shock if it isn't Missouri and Illinois. He was in CoMo on Wednesday, is going to be in Champaign tonight and will be back on campus at Mizzou tomorrow. We don't expect a decision to take very long. Let's go with a month at the most.
Marcus Washington has an August 7th commitment date set between Missouri and Ohio State. Again, all of our information is that the Tigers are in excellent shape here. Even the people that cover Ohio State seem to be saying he'll be a Tiger at this point. If/when that happens, our sources indicate Ira Henry could very likely follow (some even believe it could happen the very same day).
It will be very surprising if Arvell Ferguson isn't a Tiger. In fact, if there's one guy most likely to commit on Saturday night, we believe it's Ferguson.
That leaves Jalani Williams and CJ Boone. The Tigers are in the mix with Williams, whose recruitment has been one of the quieter ones. If Mizzou goes on the in-state run we're anticipating, we could see Williams joining that group. Boone is the most interesting one. At first it seemed like he was looking elsewhere. Then we got some indication the Tigers were right in the mix. If Mizzou gets Massey and Washington, would it fill out a three-man receiver class entirely with in-state prospects? That's possible. If we had to put money on it right now, we see Boone going out of state (Minnesota seems quite possible), but he's one we'll catch up with on Saturday.
The only real in-state omission is Shammond Cooper. If the Tigers get Washington and Henry, they'll still have a good shot with Cooper, but he's scheduled to go to Oklahoma this weekend. If he has a committable offer from the Sooners (and our sources indicate he does), it's possible he comes back from Norman committed.
Isaiah Azubuike is a kid we thought might get an offer at 7 on 7 earlier this summer. Ontario Russell had the staff's attention at camp at William Jewell. Corey Suttle is committed to Iowa State, so it will be interesting to see what he does on Saturday.
Of the 2020 kids, Kevon Billingsley, Drake Heismeyer, Johnny Wilson, Jay Maclin and Itayvion Brown already have offers. So that makes 13 total in-state guys with offers in town this weekend. It would be a surprise to see any of the 2020 kids end the process this early, honestly.
The list of out of state guys really reads like a group that Missouri is wanting to get another look at and make a final evaluation. Most of them don't have offers yet. So this is a chance for the staff to see them up close and decide if perhaps they're missing something. We could see a handful of new offers come out of this and Missouri jump in the mix with some of them.
Sean talked to 2020 Chaminade QB Brady Cook after his visit and offer this week. It would be stunning to see this kid end up anywhere else. He said he wants to focus on his season and then make a commitment prior to his senior year. I would be surprised if we get to signing day this year without Cook committed for 2020. He's one of the most vocal kids we've covered as far as how much he likes Mizzou.
The upshot of all this is that in four months, I think there's a pretty good chance all this hand-wringing and freaking out about St. Louis the last couple of years is going to look kind of silly (not that it was off base when it was occurring, just that things can change). Because the Tigers look to go on a nice little run there. Pair that with a good season and the future looks nice...but the good season has to happen obviously.
We will have three staff members at Night at the Zou on Saturday. Things get going around 7 p.m. We'll post updates on the board and are going to talk to as many kids as we can throughout the evening. We'll have a ton of coverage for you Sunday along with any breaking news that might occur. Probably gonna be a busy night/weekend/week/month/year.
