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Meet Trey Baldwin, my favorite new Tiger

I'm most excited about Trey Baldwin, and that's probably not a surprise.

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While everyone else was opening presents this past Christmas Eve, Trey Baldwin was in the gym. That's the first that stands out to me about Baldwin - commitment.

When he initially committed to Missouri back in June of 2015, Baldwin was playing both sides of the ball for Houston's Cypress Falls high school in the most competitive district in Texas.

Since then, he dropped from three stars to two per Rivals and watched as the school he was committed to threaten to boycott a football game, turmoil shook the university, his future head coach announced he was retiring due to cancer at the end of a losing season, and the coach who initially scouted him, left for another school.

It would have been so very easy to go somewhere else. He had other offers, ones closer to home, and maybe it wasn't the same level of competition, but he'd be able to focus on football.

But Baldwin was committed. The week after Gary Pinkel announced he was retiring, Baldwin was showing his support for the coach who wouldn't even be there when he arrived.

Because he was going to arrive. Long ago, he'd pledged to graduate high school and enroll in college early. His commitment to making it meant putting in more work than his peers. That means showing up early for practice and school.

When you watch his highlights, he reminds you of someone, and beyond the fact that he's a two-star from Texas. It's the way he strikes ball-carriers and knocks them back, often forcing a fumble. It's the way his stocky frame and intense, yet somehow friendly stare. It's his penchant for always being seen in Mizzou gear. And with an awesome name like Quintraven Baldwin, he already promises to be an excellent quote.

You're already comparing him to another former Tiger linebacker. So am I. Maybe that seems like too much to expect. It's early, he's young, and not just anyone can be the next Sean Weatherspoon. But that's who you're hoping he becomes. You'll be the one who shook the present under the Christmas tree and already knew what was inside.