Jaylen Barford, Michael Porter, Jeremiah Tilmon top list of visitors for Mizzou Hoops this weekend

This weekend is obviously a big weekend, it's the kickoff of the Mizzou football season and college football overall. Under the radar Missouri Basketball is having a bit of a big weekend themselves. They're hosting several visitors for official visits and unofficial visits alike. Let's do a quick breakdown of who's in town.

Player			From					Ht/Wt
Jaylen Barford			Jackson, TN (Motlow State)					6'3 / 200
			Rating	Offer	Rivals	247sports	Status
				✘	-	1	warm

Barford is the top ranked JUCO player in the country and is on an official visit, which in of itself is important because each player only gets five. So by default, Mizzou is certainly in the top five. Barford listed Ole Miss, Arkansas, Mizzou, Xavier and Memphis. He has already visited Xavier, and recently picked up Louisville interest which will likely expand his top five to include Louisville. Who won't get a visit if Louisville does get one? Doesn't matter, because Missouri isn't the one on the outside looking in.

Recruiting wise Barford is a combo guard who would be an immediate impact guy no matter at which school he ends up. I would still think it's doubtful that Barford ends up at Mizzou, but getting an official visit is an important step. The Tiger staff seems inclined to take one guard this cycle and Willie Jackson is still the top high school target, but landing Barford would be a big step towards improving the 2016-17 roster.

Player			From					Ht/Wt
Adrian Moore			Conway, AR (North Little Rock)					6'4 / 180
			Rating	Offer	Rivals	247sports	Status
				-	-	-	cool

Not a lot is known about Moore and the Tigers mutual interest. He is a 3-star combo guard from Little Rock, and 247sports has him pegged as an Arkansas lean, despite not fielding an offer from them, but he is listed as having an offer from Verbal Commits. I doubt he picks up a Mizzou offer, but they are keeping him on their radar as a backup plan to Jackson and Barford. Moore is an intriguing player, as he's got nice athleticism and is developing his all around game. Where ever he ends up he should provide a nice 4-year player. He currently lists offers from Baylor, Vandy, Wake Forest, Tulsa, Evansville and LaSalle.

Player			From					Ht/Wt
Bryan Trimble			Raytown, MO (Sunrise Christian)					6'3 / 190
			Rating	Offer	Rivals	247sports	Status
				-	-	-	cool

I'm not sure what to think about this, other than Missouri might be looking at Trimble as a potential preferred walk-on candidate. He's a Missouri kid (who's enrolled at Sunrise Christian in Wichita) and the only offer he shows at this point is to UMKC. From watching his highlights, he appears to be a tough hard-nosed player, who has some rough edges and isn't likely to field an offer from a power 5 school, but would make a solid addition at a lower Div 1 school or as a walk-on. His toughness would go a long ways to helping the competition levels at practice.

Player			From (Last School)					Ht/Wt
Arlando Cook			St. Louis, MO (Connors State)					6'8 / 205
			Rating	Offer	Rivals	247sports	Status
				✘	-	-	warm

I'm still attempting to confirm if Cook made it to campus this weekend, but that was the plan as of last weekend. With the news trending away from Mizzou landing Tyler Cook (although, let's emphasize they are not out of the running -- rumors are that Mizzou has fallen out of the lead for now), Arlando is of serious importance to the Tigers recruiting efforts in 2016. The Tigers need inside post players, and Cook is one of the best in the Junior College ranks. He's already been on campus before, and at this stage I believe he has a committable offer. Cook has stated that he plans to wait until Spring to make a decision.

Player			From					Ht/Wt
Michael Porter, Jr			Colmbia, MO (Father Tilton)					6'9 / 190
			Rating	Offer	Rivals	247sports	Status
				✘	2	4	warm

The Big Fish v2.0.

After missing out on Jayson Tatum, Mizzou has made Porter a big priority for the 2017 class. Porter has talked about the possibility of being a package deal with his friend, and 4-star guard Trae young. He's also talked about the possibility of becoming a 3-way package deal with 5-star Center DeAndre Ayton. Whether or not he's by himself or part of a package, Mizzou is doing what they have to do to keep him interested and have been listed as one of the five schools recruiting him the "hardest" with Washington, Kansas, Duke and Virginia. At this stage making it to the top five would be important for the Tigers.

There isn't much more to say about Porter at this stage. He's good, the Tigers want him, but so does Duke, and Kansas, and Kentucky, and Virginia. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Player			From					Ht/Wt
Jeremiah Tilmon			East St. Louis, IL (East St. Louis)					6'10 / 220
			Rating	Offer	Rivals	247sports	Status
				✘	13	18	warm

A big key to luring guys like Porter, is showing them they'll get to play with other great players and Tilmon is in that group. Tilmon is one of the top post players in the 2017 class, and Missouri has him as a very high priority. There are some concerns about him staying eligible but most of those only come because of his attendance at East St. Louis, and that schools consistent problems over the years of getting guys eligible, and the eligibility marks going up next year. Tilmon has a long ways to go before being too concerned about becoming eligible.

Tilmon and Porter both played for the MoKAN Elite AAU team in the summer of 2014, before Tilmon switched to the St. Louis Eagles this past summer.