Darius White
#8 | 6'3, 205, Jr. | Ft. Worth, TX
2010: 7 targets, 1 catch (14%), 5 yards (0.7/target)
2011: 8 targets, 5 catches (63%), 66 yards (8.3/target), 1 TD
Bill C.: He had offers from virtually everybody. His Rivals scouting report reads about as well as you could hope for one to read. ("Once he gets turned up field with the ball in his hands, he is nearly impossible to catch because of his superior speed." "Has the potential to become one of the top vertical threats in the country in a few years.") His high school highlight video looks like you would expect of a recruit that very nearly got a five-star rating. And in two years on an offense desperate for play-makers, he caught six passes. One went for a 31-yard touchdown against Texas Tech...
...and the other five went for 40 yards.
Potential is not production. Recruiting is inexact. Showing blazing talent once is not showing it 50 times. We know this. And for all we know, things may never click for Darius White at the college level. But you have to love taking a chance on guys like this. White has two years for everything to click. We'll see.
MizzouRugby: Can the Texas transfer crack the depth chart and get time? As a former four-star recruit, he should have the talent to, and I for sure wouldn’t mind one more threat in this already stacked lineup.
The Beef: I was a little surprised to see White behind Clark as third behind Washington this summer. I do expect that to change, and I do expect to see White get some time on the field. Can he earn more as the season goes on?
countrycal: He is going to have to work his way up the depth chart with a lot of hard work in practice if he wants playing time this year, but he might surprise if he does.
Jaleel Clark
#14 | 6'4, 220, Sr. | Allentown, PA
2012: 3 targets, 1 catch (33%), 6 yards (2.0/target)
The Beef: Jaleel has been a very good soldier for Mizzou, no doubt about it. I will cheer quite a bit for him this November and expect to hear his name called here and there for some work on special teams.
countrycal: He came in with a lot of great expectations, but just hasn’t been able to fulfill them. Sorry to see him lost in the pack his senior year.
Wesley Leftwich
#18 | 6'1, 200, So. | Columbia, MO
The Beef: Always have heard that Leftwich is a burner. But with Lucas and DGB ahead of him in that spot, I just dont see a lot of playing time to come.
countrycal: Blazing speed, good hands, great downfield blocker – but where in blazes do you put him? Thankfully he is just a sophomore and should have more room to shine next year.
Bill C.: I just loved that he was great at both kick returns and kickoffs in high school. Dual-threat!
Levi Copelin
#16 | 6'2, 190, RSFr. | Broken Arrow, OK
The Beef: Situated behind Sasser and Hunt, Copelin was another name that kept coming up last summer and again over the spring as one which impressed. As I have said a number of times, he is someone who I think sees some time earlier in the year. Can he earn more from there? Based on the media mentions of him (at times), it seems possible.
countrycal: Just may not be much room for someone with a lot of talent. He is in the process of working his way up, though, so let’s wait and see how the wide receivers shake out. If the others perform really well, or not well at all, he will probably get some time. If neither, then he may have to take a ticket until next year.
Sheldon Gereau
#17 | 6'0, 205, So. | Columbia, MO
Mizzou Rugby: Can your spine twist and contort and absorb as much punishment as your brother’s? Does the ability to withstand forced flexibility run in your family? Do you secretly like when it happens, because it makes you look like a bad ass? -Rugby
The Beef: I have nothing more to add beyond what Rugby said. I remain in awe of the Gereau family spine. - The Beef
countrycal: If it gets down in the charts enough to give Sheldon some time, I have no doubt but what he will come through. It is nice to have such quality this far down the line.
J’Mon Moore
#4 | 6'3, 190, Fr. | Missouri City, TX
The Beef: Moore was a little up and down in his recruitment to Mizzou, but I am glad he is here, and I probably will have the same thing to say this time next year after he sits a year and maybe gets up to 185-190.
Bill C.: We have heard pretty good things about Moore so far in fall camp, but with the top five receivers pretty much locked in place (and a sixth with lots of potential), I would almost see it as discouraging if he doesn't redshirt this year, at least unless he's amazing. If the top guys are living up to their billing, there won't be a place for another.