SB Nation Reacts: Theo Wease Jr. is key to Mizzou’s offense

Earlier this week, we asked you the question: Who is Mizzou’s most important wide receiver... after Luther Burden of course?

The options were hard to narrow down on our end. Theo Wease and Dannis Jackson come to Columbia from high-profile Power Five — is that still a designation we can use anymore? — programs and promise the Tigers some extra size and speed on the outside. Mookie Cooper has been overshadowed by Burden in the slot, but he’s got the talent to light up defenses. Chance Luper missed all of last season but proved to be an invaluable possession receiver during his freshman campaign. Mekhi Miller and Ja’Marion Wayne are promising youngsters, and Joshua Manning is the new blue-chipper on the block... we could go on.

However, maybe the most obvious answer has come out on top. And I think there’s good reason for that.

Wease is undoubtedly going to play a crucial role in Mizzou’s offense this season. If he produces, he gives Mizzou’s offense an extra dimension and opens up the intermediate space for Luther Burden to cook. As BK pointed out in his analysis earlier this week:

Incoming transfers Dannis Jackson and Theo Wease, Jr. are both comfortable winning against man coverage from an outside alignment. They both serve as “burners” who can open up space for the slot receivers, tight ends and running backs to win on shallow routes, especially across the middle.

While I personally voted for Wease given his importance on the outside, I think you can make a strong argument for both Miller and Cooper... I actually chose the latter before switching my vote at the last minute. Miller is a versatile threat who surprised a lot of defenses as a freshman last year, and he might benefit from going under-the-radar in a similar manner this season.

Cooper has the same five-star pedigree that Wease boasts and looked to be finding his groove in the latter stages of the 2022 season. Burden will attract a lot of attention in the slot, and Cooper could utilize the extra space with his incredible shiftiness. Eli Drinkwitz has sung his praises this camp as one of the team’s most improved players. Who knows, a big year could be in the cards for the former Missouri prep star.