Let's dive right in. As usual, this is premium information for subscribers, so keep all discussion of the Chamber to this message board.
- One of the best, and worst, parts about covering recruiting is that it is ever evolving. Just on Tuesday Brian Austin told you all in the Recruiting Q&A that Albert Okwuegbunam was a guy to watch as the possible next commitment. After talking with different people over the last few days, that does not seem to be the case anymore. Okwuegbunam is still a prospect that the Tigers like a lot and are in good shape with, but there are a few factors that make it so he is not the most likely to commit next.
First is he will not be able to visit until after the season. Okwuegbunam told PowerMizzou the same thing Josh Helmholdt had in his story when we talked to him earlier in the week. His schedule isn’t going to allow for any game visits until his team wins the state championship (likely) or is eliminated from he playoffs (not likely). Josh Henson as well as coaches from Michigan State, West Virginia, Indiana and Nebraska have been in regular contact with Okwuegbunam since the evaluation period started September 1.
Second is the fact that Cody Mitchell appears to be moving up the priority chart at tight end. The 6-foot-7, 230 pound prospect has a couple inches and a few pounds on fellow tight end targets Okwuegbunam and Brett Shepherd. We have also been told that Mitchell is the most complete out of the group and with Missouri using their tight ends on the line more then ever, blocking is a big factor.
The final reason is that Ikenna Okeke will be visiting soon and after talking with him there is a feeling that he could be the next prospect to commit. The way the 5.7 three-star talked about his upcoming visit to Mizzou and wanting to possibly have a decision shortly after was very encouraging for the Tigers. Notre Dame and Tennessee are legitimate contenders, but it sounds like the Irish have focused in on Donte’ Vaughn and Tennessee is chasing Joejuan Williams. Those factors combined with how many safeties play at Mizzou give the Tigers the slight edge in Okeke’s recruitment at the moment.
- More on Mitchell. We told you last week that the Jasper (Texas) prospect was working on setting his official to Missouri. Well it is still in the works as of now, but should be scheduled shortly. In mid-August Mitchell told Rivals he had a top five of Missouri, Illinois, SMU, Texas State and Louisiana-Lafayette. Obviously Missouri stands out in that group. When the visit happens Mitchell sounds like another that could be a commitment shortly after.
- The last few months Mizzou has been recruiting Brownsville (Tenn.) Haywood defensive end Emmit Gooden as aggressively as possible. Defensive line coach Craig Kuligowski is the lead recruiter and he's made sure to get the point across to Gooden that he develops defensive lineman better then any coach in the country. From talking with Gooden it sounds like the tactic is working and it has allowed Missouri to get on level footing with LSU, Mississippi State and Tennessee.
An official visit has not been scheduled yet, but the Rivals250 prospect said one will happen. Other schools could emerge, but Gooden said the four SEC schools are at the top of his list.
- With the early kickoff and less then marquee opponent it does not sound like this will be a big weekend for visitors. Isaiah Simmons sounds like the biggest name 2016 visitor and we're still hearing Mizzou would not take a commitment from him at this point. It sounds like that is because Okeke is the priority.
Other visitors that we know about are 2017 prospects. Jaevon McQuitty, Djimon Colbert and Anthony Payne are the big names we know are planning to make it. There will be more and we will share them when we hear them.
- 2016 Denton (Texas) Ryan defensive lineman Ken McLaurin is a new name to watch. We are hearing Mizzou is taking a deeper look at the two-star prospect.
- For a while we've been working under the impression that Mizzou would be taking around six more commitments. That hasn't changed much, but we are hearing that the max is now five. One of those five is most likely going to be a quarterback too. Just talking to people around Mizzou and who cover recruiting a closing run of Mitchell, Okeke, Amani Bledsoe, Jovan Swann and a yet to be determined quarterback could definitely happen. Obviously Gooden is in the mix too and a combination of him and Bledsoe might work, but there might be a need for a more traditional defensive tackle.
- Visitors for the South Carolina game on October 3 are starting to get lined up. 2018 prospects Will Lawrence and Zac Montgomery will be up from Memphis. Okeke and Ca'Ron Baham are expected in that weekend. Chester Graves is also talking about coming back to Mizzou for the second time this season to see the Tigers play the Gamecocks. If Mizzou can head into the game 4-0 the weekend could be real big.
- Another story line to watch as this 2016 class fills up are possible sign-and-place recruits. We're hearing that could be in play with Terrance Sanders and Harry Ballard...
Onto some hoops recruiting...
- In case you missed it, Eric Bossi came by the board this week and posted a lot of information about Missouri's recent focus in basketball recruiting. You can read his post here:
http://missouri.forums.rivals.com/threads/this-weekends-visitors-some-other-notes.21929/
We expect Jackson and Smith to commit either before, during or shortly after their official visits. We expect both to sign in the fall. I'm hearing Missouri is still hopeful it can get an official visit from Bam Adebayo after an in-home earlier this week, but like Bossi said, this one's an uphill battle and probably a long shot. If they can get him, obviously they'd take him and oversign in the fall. I wouldn't rule out three fall signings, but it could be Jackson and Smith and see what develops in the spring.
Mitchell Smith should be on campus around 5 p.m. today. He'll leave mid-morning on Sunday. He said he'll give us a heads up if he commits, so hopefully he follows through on that if it happens and we'll deliver the news. Weren't able to reach Willie Jackson to find out exactly what his itinerary is.
Even though it may be here a long shot with Adebayo, here's what we're hearing about Missouri's efforts: Word is that Rob Fulford’s visit with Bam Adebayo went well. North Carolina State is considered the leader right now (with Kentucky and other blue bloods lurking), but what we heard is Adebayo is somewhat intrigued by the idea of being the guy as opposed to one of the six guys. That is the pitch Mizzou is using. Draft value rises because Adebayo would really shine. It sounds like Kim Anderson will be heading to North Carolina next week to meet with the five-star prospect.
- We were told that there will only be the two official basketball visitors this weekend because the Mizzou staff wants to focus all their attention on them.
- One of the best, and worst, parts about covering recruiting is that it is ever evolving. Just on Tuesday Brian Austin told you all in the Recruiting Q&A that Albert Okwuegbunam was a guy to watch as the possible next commitment. After talking with different people over the last few days, that does not seem to be the case anymore. Okwuegbunam is still a prospect that the Tigers like a lot and are in good shape with, but there are a few factors that make it so he is not the most likely to commit next.
First is he will not be able to visit until after the season. Okwuegbunam told PowerMizzou the same thing Josh Helmholdt had in his story when we talked to him earlier in the week. His schedule isn’t going to allow for any game visits until his team wins the state championship (likely) or is eliminated from he playoffs (not likely). Josh Henson as well as coaches from Michigan State, West Virginia, Indiana and Nebraska have been in regular contact with Okwuegbunam since the evaluation period started September 1.
Second is the fact that Cody Mitchell appears to be moving up the priority chart at tight end. The 6-foot-7, 230 pound prospect has a couple inches and a few pounds on fellow tight end targets Okwuegbunam and Brett Shepherd. We have also been told that Mitchell is the most complete out of the group and with Missouri using their tight ends on the line more then ever, blocking is a big factor.
The final reason is that Ikenna Okeke will be visiting soon and after talking with him there is a feeling that he could be the next prospect to commit. The way the 5.7 three-star talked about his upcoming visit to Mizzou and wanting to possibly have a decision shortly after was very encouraging for the Tigers. Notre Dame and Tennessee are legitimate contenders, but it sounds like the Irish have focused in on Donte’ Vaughn and Tennessee is chasing Joejuan Williams. Those factors combined with how many safeties play at Mizzou give the Tigers the slight edge in Okeke’s recruitment at the moment.
- More on Mitchell. We told you last week that the Jasper (Texas) prospect was working on setting his official to Missouri. Well it is still in the works as of now, but should be scheduled shortly. In mid-August Mitchell told Rivals he had a top five of Missouri, Illinois, SMU, Texas State and Louisiana-Lafayette. Obviously Missouri stands out in that group. When the visit happens Mitchell sounds like another that could be a commitment shortly after.
- The last few months Mizzou has been recruiting Brownsville (Tenn.) Haywood defensive end Emmit Gooden as aggressively as possible. Defensive line coach Craig Kuligowski is the lead recruiter and he's made sure to get the point across to Gooden that he develops defensive lineman better then any coach in the country. From talking with Gooden it sounds like the tactic is working and it has allowed Missouri to get on level footing with LSU, Mississippi State and Tennessee.
An official visit has not been scheduled yet, but the Rivals250 prospect said one will happen. Other schools could emerge, but Gooden said the four SEC schools are at the top of his list.
- With the early kickoff and less then marquee opponent it does not sound like this will be a big weekend for visitors. Isaiah Simmons sounds like the biggest name 2016 visitor and we're still hearing Mizzou would not take a commitment from him at this point. It sounds like that is because Okeke is the priority.
Other visitors that we know about are 2017 prospects. Jaevon McQuitty, Djimon Colbert and Anthony Payne are the big names we know are planning to make it. There will be more and we will share them when we hear them.
- 2016 Denton (Texas) Ryan defensive lineman Ken McLaurin is a new name to watch. We are hearing Mizzou is taking a deeper look at the two-star prospect.
- For a while we've been working under the impression that Mizzou would be taking around six more commitments. That hasn't changed much, but we are hearing that the max is now five. One of those five is most likely going to be a quarterback too. Just talking to people around Mizzou and who cover recruiting a closing run of Mitchell, Okeke, Amani Bledsoe, Jovan Swann and a yet to be determined quarterback could definitely happen. Obviously Gooden is in the mix too and a combination of him and Bledsoe might work, but there might be a need for a more traditional defensive tackle.
- Visitors for the South Carolina game on October 3 are starting to get lined up. 2018 prospects Will Lawrence and Zac Montgomery will be up from Memphis. Okeke and Ca'Ron Baham are expected in that weekend. Chester Graves is also talking about coming back to Mizzou for the second time this season to see the Tigers play the Gamecocks. If Mizzou can head into the game 4-0 the weekend could be real big.
- Another story line to watch as this 2016 class fills up are possible sign-and-place recruits. We're hearing that could be in play with Terrance Sanders and Harry Ballard...
Onto some hoops recruiting...
- In case you missed it, Eric Bossi came by the board this week and posted a lot of information about Missouri's recent focus in basketball recruiting. You can read his post here:
http://missouri.forums.rivals.com/threads/this-weekends-visitors-some-other-notes.21929/
We expect Jackson and Smith to commit either before, during or shortly after their official visits. We expect both to sign in the fall. I'm hearing Missouri is still hopeful it can get an official visit from Bam Adebayo after an in-home earlier this week, but like Bossi said, this one's an uphill battle and probably a long shot. If they can get him, obviously they'd take him and oversign in the fall. I wouldn't rule out three fall signings, but it could be Jackson and Smith and see what develops in the spring.
Mitchell Smith should be on campus around 5 p.m. today. He'll leave mid-morning on Sunday. He said he'll give us a heads up if he commits, so hopefully he follows through on that if it happens and we'll deliver the news. Weren't able to reach Willie Jackson to find out exactly what his itinerary is.
Even though it may be here a long shot with Adebayo, here's what we're hearing about Missouri's efforts: Word is that Rob Fulford’s visit with Bam Adebayo went well. North Carolina State is considered the leader right now (with Kentucky and other blue bloods lurking), but what we heard is Adebayo is somewhat intrigued by the idea of being the guy as opposed to one of the six guys. That is the pitch Mizzou is using. Draft value rises because Adebayo would really shine. It sounds like Kim Anderson will be heading to North Carolina next week to meet with the five-star prospect.
- We were told that there will only be the two official basketball visitors this weekend because the Mizzou staff wants to focus all their attention on them.
Last edited by a moderator:
