MV3: Sit back and watch Brady Cook sling it all over the field

Welcome to the MV3, a weekly piece where Rock M Nation’s staff votes on the three most impactful players in Mizzou’s previous game.

Is this what it feels like? To have multiple outstanding options for the MV3 week in and week out? My brain doesn’t know what to do with this much excellence. I think I need to lie down for a second...

1. Brady Cook

Seriously, who is this guy that Eli Drinkwitz is trotting out under center week after week? It can’t be the Brady Cook we saw early this season missing quick outs and checking down every other play? It definitely can’t be the guy we saw muscle his way through last season (albeit with an injury to his shoulder) only to have the fanbase turn on him immediately in the offseason.

This version of Brady Cook is special. He’s putting perfect touch on fades into the end zone. He’s throwing dimes to the sidelines. He’s hurling seeds downfield to streaking wideouts for long-range touchdowns! And he’s doing it all without putting the ball in even the slightest amount of danger.

I don’t know how long this Brady Cook is going to stick around. I’d like to think forever because it would mean Mizzou has one of the SEC’s best quarterbacks for the next two years. But it almost feels impossible to expect him to maintain this high level of play. Because if he does, he’d be the best Mizzou QB since... no, should I even say it? I’m not going to say it.

2. Luther Burden III

Photo by Johnnie Izquierdo/Getty Images

What else is there to say about Luther Burden III? I mean, other than the “H-word” that BK surreptitiously dropped in his takeaways post? He gets better and better every week. Didn’t think he could top 177 yards receiving? Well, how about 140 yards and two touchdowns on the road?

Burden is must-see TV and has turned the Tigers offense into a borderline elite unit. It’s been said over and over and over, but he’s the most exciting player to watch in black and gold since Jeremy Maclin. I don’t think there’s much of a question about that at this point.

3. Theo Wease Jr.

In his five takeaways, BK highlighted that Wease’s big day gave Mizzou its first pair of 100-yard receivers in a game since Albert Okwuegbunam (ok, yeah, makes sense) and Jalen Knox (holy crap, there’s a name!) back in 2018. It’s been five years since Mizzou had two formidable wideouts to stack up with each other, and it’s great to be reminded how fun that is to watch. With Burden commanding all sorts of attention, Wease found himself in isolation multiple times and punished the ‘Dores for it.

Best of all, he high-pointed a great ball from Brady Cook and muscled his way in for a key touchdown early in the game. When’s the last time Mizzou has had a guy who could do that as their second option? Probably not since 2013, right?

Others receiving votes: Kris Abrams-Draine, Austin Firestone

What do you think? Did we get it right? Who were your three most valuable players? Let us know in the comments!