We'll start this series in the offensive backfield, where Mizzou is not spending a ton of time in this class.
Quarterback
- 2014 Signees: Marvin Zanders (RSFr.)
- 2015 Signees: Drew Lock (Fr.)
- Known 2016 Offers: 2
At least until someone transfers, Mizzou has its quarterback classes almost perfectly aligned: Corbin Berkstresser is a senior, Maty Mauk is a junior, Eddie Printz is a sophomore, Marvin Zanders is a redshirt freshman, and Drew Lock is a likely redshirt as a true freshman. If Printz elects to leave*, then perhaps we'll see Mizzou cast a wider net at this position. For now, though, there has been no recent movement. Mizzou long ago offered Georgia quarterback Jawon Pass (a 5.9 four-star via Rivals with a high-four-star rating via 247) and Florida quarterback Jack Allison, who has since committed to Miami.
If Missouri does end up tossing out some more offers, it will be interesting to see where Fort Osage's Skylar Thompson ranks on the list. He was given a mid-three-star rating by Rivals and currently ranks fifth in the state of Missouri. Among power-conference teams, he lists offers from Iowa State, Kansas, and Wake Forest, and he appears to be a nice dual-threat option.
Mizzou seems to be taking its time offering in-state prospects this year -- we've heard for a while that the staff doesn't think incredibly highly of this crop -- and if they do end up offering Thompson, we'll see if they face a bit of a penalty for hopping on late.
If there's ever a year where Missouri probably doesn't need to ink a quarterback, it's this one. But they usually end up snaring one.
* This isn't rumored at all, mind you, nor is it intended to start a rumor. Just playing the what-if game.
Running Back
- 2014 Signees: Ish Witter (So.), Trevon Walters (RSFr.)
- 2015 Signees: Chase Abbington (So.), Marquise Doherty (Fr.), Ryan Williams (Fr.)
- Known 2016 Offers: 9
- Commits: 1 (Nate Strong)
I'm choosing to list Nate Strong as a commit even though that hasn't been made officially official yet. He was one of Missouri's first 2015 commits, and Mizzou helped to get him placed at Hinds CC early so that he might be eligible for the 2016 class.
When you only play one running back at a time, and you've signed five in two years (six if one includes Strong in a roundabout way), then you probably aren't going to make the position a high priority in the following cycle, and Missouri certainly isn't in 2016.
The Tigers seem like leaders for the services of Tre Bryant, a CBC product with with power offers from Indiana, Kansas, Kansas State, Northwestern, and Syracuse. In fact, if there were betting odds on the next Mizzou commit (and thank goodness there's no such thing), Bryant might be the Vegas leader. Things change, of course, but he looks like a likely Tiger at this point in time.
Otherwise, most of the offers have gone to big fish they are unlikely to reel in: New Orleans' Tre Turner, Houston's Rakeem Boyd, Beaumont (TX)'s Devwah Whaley. All three of those names are four-star prospects via both Rivals and 247. There are still some other, more attainable names on the list, but it wouldn't completely surprise me if Mizzou landed Strong and Bryant and called it a day.
UPDATE: Strong is official.
No surprise at all, but 2016 Hinds CC RB Natereace Strong and S Greg Taylor publicly reaffirmed their #Mizzou commitments today to @btaustin
— Pete Scantlebury (@PeteScantlebury) April 23, 2015