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Michael Porter Jr. has impressive friends

By Oscar Gamble
Michael Porter Jr. at adidas Nation
Jonathan Givony/@DraftExpress

Michael Porter Jr. took part in adidas Nation this weekend and NBA draft expert Jonathan Givony, now with ESPN, was on hand to interview Missouri’s star freshman.

Hey look who got to hang out with Michael Porter Jr.!

In other Missouri basketball recruiting news, the Tigers made Jericole Hellems’ top 7 schools, if you recognize that name it’s probably because he blew up recently and Rock M Nation’s Matt Harris was able to talk to him.

The Tigers have made 2019 Top 100 point guard Jeremiah Francis’s top 10.

Also, 2019 point guard D.J. Carton is visiting Iowa, Wisconsin and Missouri in August.

Be sure to check out Blake Toppmeyer's interview with Mizzou Athletic Director Jim Sterk.

One of the primary position battles we discussed after the first day of fall camp was interior offensive line, specifically center and right guard, where Jonah Dubinski and Adam Ploudre are listed at the top of the depth charts.

Battles brewing along Mizzou O-line | Dave Matter | stltoday.com

Now the Tigers are deep enough that veteran starter Alec Abeln, a fifth-year graduate student, is working on the second unit at left guard. Tre’Vour Simms and Castillo, both from Odom’s first signing class in 2016, are pushing the starters at right guard and center. Yasir Durant, a mountainous 6-7 junior college transfer with three years of eligibility, is making a strong impression at tackle and could be the 2018 starter on the left edge.

"Honestly," Abeln said, "the competition in the room is as good as it’s been since I’ve been here."

Competition is rampant along MU's offensive line | Blake Toppmeyer

The Tigers surrendered 2.92 tackles for loss per game, the best mark in the nation since that stat started being tracked in 2005. The next-best rate came in 2005, when Minnesota allowed 3.08 TFLs per game.

Missouri surrendered 14 sacks, a rate of 1.2 per game that ranked 16th nationally and topped the SEC. The Tigers’ 4.92 yards per carry ranked eighth in the SEC, five spots higher than the year before.

A year to be proud of, right?

"Last year was nothing. We’ve got to get better," left tackle Tyler Howell said. "Just keep building on it. ... Personally, I think I played like trash. We’ve just got to get better — probably run blocking the most."

Tigers WR Collins ramps up commitment ahead of senior season - Columbia Daily Tribune

Dominic Collins likes to begin his day with a little reading time. John Steinbeck is his favorite author, but Mark Twain isn’t far behind.

So how is it that Missouri's senior wide receiver who adores two of the most renowned authors in American history had to serve a one-game suspension for academic reasons last season?

"Crazy, right?" Collins acknowledged.The problem, Collins said, wasn’t grades. It was class attendance — or rather, lack thereof.

According to Dave Matter's practice report, Walter Palmore is practicing but we're still waiting on the other two JUCO DTs

• Walter Palmore was cleared late last week and has been practicing with the Tigers the last few days. The junior college defensive tackle weighed in at 335 pounds Monday—and that was before breakfast, Barry Odom noted.

• Junior college defensive tackle Rashad Brandon is still in street clothes and not practicing while MU waits for clearance from the NCAA. MU is also waiting on junior college defensive lineman Malik Young to be cleared by the NCAA.

Also, the SEC Network was somehow able to gain access to Mizzou’s fall camp and record some video (that I can’t embed because their website is awful).

In football recruiting news, apparently top Missouri prospect Kamry Babb tore his ACL and could be out for his senior season.

Saturday night was the NFL Hall of Fame induction ceremony, but the game on Thursday night featured at least one face Missouri fans remember:

Watching the game to keep tabs on Gabbert I realized that the Arizona Cardinals have four former Missouri Tigers currently on roster: QB Blaine Gabbert, center Evan Boehm, OLB Markus Golden and LB Zaviar Gooden who recorded 4 solo tackles as he seeks to earn a spot on a 53 man roster.

Also, check out #DLineZou representing on the New England Patriots: Kony Ealy a starter and Josh Augusta working his way up the string.

Another former Mizzou quarterback, James Franklin got a shout out on ESPN during the Edmonton Eskimos’ 33-28 victory over the Hamilton Ticats.

According to the same site, Franklin is one of the top QBs in the CFL and may be on the move soon, perhaps following former coach Chris Jones to the Saskatchewan Roughriders.

It’s been widely reported that Franklin’s contract ends following the 2017 season, when he could potentially become one of the most coveted free agents on the market. The 25-year-old is considered the number one quarterback prospect in the game right now, throwing for 1,307 yards, 10 touchdowns and one interception in nine career games.

Apparently Mizzou has some new threads:

And here’s what looks like new uniforms on freshman corner Terry Petry:

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