2014 Missouri spring football: Tigers release pre-spring depth chart

Offense

• QB: Maty Mauk (So.), Corbin Berkstresser (Jr.), Eddie Printz (RSFr.), Trent Hosick (RSFr.), Marvin Zanders (Fr.)
• RB: Russell Hansbrough (Jr.), Marcus Murphy (Sr.), Morgan Steward (So.)
• WR-X: Dorial Green-Beckham (Jr.), Wesley Leftwich (Jr.)
• WR-Y: Bud Sasser (Sr.), Levi Copelin (So.)
• WR-H: Jimmie Hunt (Sr.), Gavin Otte (Sr.)
• WR-Z: Darius White (Sr.), J'Mon Moore (RSFr.)
• TE: Sean Culkin (So.), Clayton Echard (Jr.), Jason Reese (RSFr.)
• LT: Mitch Morse (Sr.), Clay Rhodes (RSFr.)
• LG: Anthony Gatti (Sr.), Jordan Williams (So.)
• C: Evan Boehm (Jr.), Brad McNulty (Jr.), Alec Abeln (RSFr.)
• RG: Mitch L. Hall (Jr.), Stephen Carberry (Sr.), Mike Fairchild (Fr.)
• RT: Connor McGovern (Jr.), Taylor Chappell (Jr.)

Right tackle Connor McGovern. So we certainly have one pretty big surprise on the list so far. Instead of pitting Rhodes, Chappell, and Jordan Williams against each other for the starting job at RT, Mizzou appears to be giving McGovern, last year's starting RG, the first shot. As we know, Mizzou basically wants to start the five best players, then find positions for them later on, so what this tells us is that Mitch Hall was the next in line for a starting job, ahead of Chappell, Williams, or Rhodes. We'll see if this sticks. If it does, Mizzou will be starting a pretty damn hefty front five, averaging 6'5, 313.

Sasser moves. I was wondering which position Jimmie Hunt would move to within the receiving corps; he didn't move anywhere. Instead, Bud Sasser tentatively moved over to replace Marcus Lucas in the Y position. And as expected, Darius White gets the first shot at replacing L'Damian Washington in the Z.

Berk's still around. Corbin Berkstresser's presence at No. 2 QB is a solid reminder that we probably shouldn't write him off just yet. The only reason Eddie Printz finished the season as the No. 3 was because Berk was hurt. He'll get every chance to fend Printz off for the backup role (and technically, he'll have a shot at the starting job) this spring.

Defense

• DE: Markus Golden (Sr.), Marcus Loud (RSFr.)
• DT: Matt Hoch (Sr.), Josh Augusta (So.), Nate Crawford (RSFr.), DeQuinton Osborne (RSFr.)
• NG: Lucas Vincent (Sr.), Harold Brantley (So.), Rickey Hatley (So.), Evan Winston (So.), A.J. Logan (RSFr.)
• DE: Shane Ray (Jr.), Charles Harris (RSFr.)
• WLB: Darvin Ruise (Sr.), Donavin Newsom (So.), Joey Burkett (RSFr.)
• MLB: Kentrell Brothers (Jr.), Eric Beisel (RSFr.)
• SLB: Michael Scherer (So.), Clarence Green (Jr.), Brandon Lee (Fr.)
• CB: John Gibson (So.), David Johnson (Jr.), Logan Cheadle (Fr.)
• CB: Aarion Penton (So.), Anthony Sherrils (RSFr.), Kenya Dennis (Jr.), Ernest Payton (Jr.)
• SS: Braylon Webb (Sr.), Duron Singleton (Sr.), Chaston Ward (So.)
• FS: Ian Simon (Jr.), Cortland Browning (Jr.), Shaun Rupert (RSFr.)

Kentrell in the middle. As we were guessing, Kentrell Brothers will start the spring in Andrew Wilson's spot in at MLB. That bumps Darvin Ruise up to the starter at WLB, though I'm pretty excited to see what Donavin Newsom might be able to do with an extended look. Brothers' special teams dominance excited me in 2012, and it translated pretty well to a starting role in 2013; Newsom was the 2013 version of brothers.

Defensive tackle Rickey Hatley. We've seen the staff refer to Hatley as a bit of an either-or guy, someone who can competently line up at end or tackle. Still, with the lack of depth at end, I figured that would be his primary position. Guess not. Instead, he shows up on the third string at DT. And if you wonder why Mizzou didn't go after DTs harder in the 2014 class, the outright glut on the depth chart -- nine scholarship guys occupying two positions -- kind of gives you the answer.

Second-stringer Anthony Sherrils. With Ernest Payton still a bit limited by injury in spring ball, Sherrils will get quite a few reps against the first-team offense. I'm really, really curious to see how his athletic ability -- he's got one of the fastest 40 times on the team -- translates to cover ability at this stage.