Over 40 local recruits were in Columbia last Saturday as Missouri had its annual Junior Day. For those who aren't familiar, junior days aren't like camps -- there aren't workouts or evaluations. It's primarily a guided tour and chance for recruits to meet players and coaches. Bud Elliot has a quick explainer here about what happens at most junior days.
Here's a list of Mizzou's known Junior Day attendees.
Below are some written responses from the St. Louis-area recruits who attended, starting with two sophomores who have already earned Mizzou offers.
Dallas Craddieth
Class of 2018
Defensive back
Hazelwood Central (Florissant)
James Whitfield Jr (left) and Dallas Craddieth (right)
Craddieth told us he had a good visit, spending most of his time talking to Cornell Ford.
"On defense, I think I play the ball in the air pretty well. I'd consider myself a ball hawk, but I think I could work on my man coverage a little more, my footwork as a defensive back, and my route recognition. On offense, I think I run good routes and I catch the ball pretty well with my hands. I need to work on attacking the ball a little more. Overall, I think I need to do better at watching film and preparing for my opponent."
Craddieth, along with several other Missouri recruits, will be attending Iowa's Junior Day this weekend. Craddieth told us that Iowa and Mizzou are the only schools he's heard from since last year.
"I am going to visit Iowa and probably Ohio State when I go to Columbus for the Nike+ Opening Camp there and I'm also going to Rivals in Kansas City. I plan to come to Mizzou's spring game and possibly a scrimmage before the spring game."
"I grew up watching Mizzou and I think when I got really into football was when Chase Daniel and Jeremy Maclin were there."
Trevor Trout
Class of 2018
Defensive tackle
Chaminade (St. Louis)
Trevor Trout told us he had a great visit getting to meet head coach Odom, defensive line coach Jackie Shipp and defensive co-coordinator DeMontie Cross. Trout holds offers from Iowa, Indiana, Missouri and picked up an offer from Nebraska this week. He told us he's also been hearing from Louisville recently.
Asked to evaluate his game, Trout told us this:
"I think I'm a great run stopper and I stay in my gap. As a three technique I chase the QB and push the pocket very well I need to work on getting to the QB more and making backside plays."
Did you grow up watching Mizzou? Were you a fan?
"Didn't watch football until I was in middle school but my dad was always a huge fan."
Trout plans to visit Iowa's Junior Day this weekend, along with Kamryn Babb, Craddieth and Jaevon McQuitty, but he told us he'll be visiting Mizzou again.
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There were no new offers and surprisingly no commits came out of Mizzou's Junior Day. They did seem to enjoy themselves.
After Junior day #Mizzou is in my top 5....no matter what
— Cameron Brown (@luh_cam_) February 28, 2016
Several 2016 commits, including Brendan Scales and Tre'Vour Simms made their recruiting pitches to 2018 defensive tackle Trevor Trout.
@totaltroutmove let's get it
— Brendan Scales (@bscales25) February 28, 2016
@totaltroutmove you look good in black and gold‼️ might as well come there so i can beat up on ya
— SEC_Simms7️⃣6️⃣️ (@sWaGdADdAy1) February 29, 2016
One thing that stood out is a strong connection to Missouri either through having grown up watching Missouri during its best years, through family connections or from local heroes, specifically Jeremy Maclin.
Here are some players looking to score a Mizzou offer in the coming months.
Darion Bolden
Class of 2017
Wide receiver/defensive back
Trinity Catholic (St. Louis)
George Bond (left, in white), Darion Bolden (center, in black) and Larry Boyd (right, in gold)
Bolden told us he talked to running back coach Cornell Ford, defensive co-coordinator Ryan Walters, defensive analyst Sam Carter, and offensive coordinator Josh Heupel.
"Not much talk about an offer, but they said I can play. But they want to see some more aggressiveness at each position I play. Honestly, most colleges are trying to figure out what position they could use me at best, but I'm pretty sure WR or DB."
"My Coach tells me I have the height of a running back, but ripped lean body of a receiver with long arms. I'd say I'm best at route running, getting off the jam, and ball skills at WR. At running back, vision. At safety or corner, hands and jamming on the line. On the defense I need to work on my hips and on offense I could make my routes a little smoother and coming out of my breaks quicker. At running back making cuts and getting quicker."
Bolden told us he has fond memories of watching Mizzou.
"I was about 10 or 11 and it was very cold. Mizzou played Kansas at Arrowhead stadium. Jeremy Maclin and Chase Daniel were still at Mizzou then. I will always will remember that game!"
Who are you hearing from and are you doing any camps this summer?
"Heard from Iowa, Virginia, Harvard, UPenn, but Illinois State, Missouri State, and North West Missouri State are the heavy ones. As of now I don't know of any visits, maybe Illinois State and no camps yet. Right now I am on St. Louis Football U 7on7 team. I know for sure we will be in Chicago and Michigan in April and May."
George Bond
Class of 2017
Defensive lineman
Trinity Catholic (St. Louis)
How'd the visit to Mizzou go? Who'd you spend the most time talking to?
"I really liked all the coaches and the facilities. I talked to coaches Ford, Heupel, Cross, Franklin, and Carter. They want me to work on conditioning, they told me that on some of my plays I looked tired. They told me to work on that so I can play both sides of ball the best I can."
How would you break down your game? What do you do well? What do you need to work on?
"I would break down my game on defense as a pass rusher. I use my hands, footwork, and power to get pass o-linemen. On offensive I am a good pass blocker. I really need to work on my stamina, play making ability, consistency, run stopping, and playing to whistle."
Bond told us he's currently hearing from Northern Illinois, Akron and Indiana State.
Cameron Brown
Class of 2018
Wide receiver
CBC (St. Louis)
Cameron Brown pictured with former CBC corner Aarion Penton
I loved it because I was treated like family as soon as I walked in the building. I spent most of my time with Will Franklin, Coach Ford, and Coach Hill because they were with the group of wide receivers showing us around school.
Regarding a potential offer, the coaches want Brown to attend camp at Mizzou and will continue to evaluate him this fall.
"I'm going to the Mizzou camp, Illinois camp, Sound Mind Sound Body, Rivals, and Nike camps. I'm planning on visiting Louisville, Illinois, Northern Illinois, and Northwestern."
"I am a threat deep because of my speed and jumping ability. I am also a threat with the ball in my hands off jet sweeps or a short passes. I need to work on my body control when I jump for the ball and I also need to be quicker off the ball and in open space. I am primarily being recruited as a wide receiver but am a great returner."
Brown grew up watching Mizzou and was a big fan of Jeremy Maclin in particular. He studied his game to become a better player.
"I told myself that was going to be me one day."
Andrew Clair
Class of 2017
Running back
St. Louis University High (St. Louis)
Andrew Clair
Clair told us he spent most of Mizzou's Junior Day talking with Cornell Ford.
"The coaches told me to be patient in the process of potentially receiving an offer."
Clair grew up watching Mizzou football and basketball and models his game after Tavon Austin
"I would say that I'm an elusive and exciting back to watch because you never know what I'm going to do. If I'm going to outrun someone or just run through them or if I'm going to give the crowd an "oooo and aww." However, I need to work more on my cuts and ball security."
Clair has been hearing from other programs, including Syracuse, Iowa, NIU, and Navy. He's primarily being recruited as a running back. He told us he plans on visiting NIU this Friday, Iowa on Sunday, Illinois some time during spring break, and possibly Syracuse. He also told us he'll be attending Rivals, The Opening, Adidas Sound Mind Sound Body, and as many local camps as he can make, including Mizzou's.
Dyllan Conway
Class of 2017
Wide receiver/defensive back
Westminster (St. Louis)
Dyllan Conway
"The visit went very well! I was mainly talking to Coach Ford and Coach Will Franklin. I plan on going back up to Mizzou for their spring game! But I will be visiting University of South Dakota April 2nd, I will Also go to New Mexico, Eastern Michigan,Northern Arizona, Holy Cross, Illinois camp, Iowa Camp, and Northern Illinois camp. I'll be visiting Iowa this weekend!"
Most programs are recruiting Conway as a slot receiver, but he's listed as an athlete because he can play also cornerback. We asked Conway to describe his game.
"I think my route running ability is what sets me apart from other receivers. Many teams like to stack LB's over me but I always find a way to get open. I'm very good with the ball in my hands in space, I can make people miss with my quickness and speed. What I need to work on as a player is not doing too much with the ball in my hands. It's always fun as a player to juke people but sometimes you don't have too. Also, I feel like I still have a ton of room to make my routes better."
Conway is originally from New Orleans.
"I moved to St. Louis in 2005 after Hurricane Katrina, so I'm a huge LSU fan, but I really do like Mizzou!"
Tyler Walton
Class of 2017
Cornerback
CBC (St. Louis)
Tyler Walton with Cornell Ford
Walton told us he had a great visit.
"I spent most time talking to Will Franklin, Coach Ford and the receivers coach. Coach Ford just really wants to see my tape, I got hurt this season which kept me out but I think he knows what kind of potential I have so its all a matter of time and him waiting for the game film."
Walton told us Nebraska has also been in contact with him. He's primarily being recruited as a slot receiver
"I believe I am a very dual threat receiver I can beat you vertically and horizontally. I am very quick in my routes and great at catching the ball. I need to work on my separation out of my breaks when I am running the route I would say."
Walton's brother Trei was a senior defensive back for Mizzou last year, which is how Tyler became a fan of the Tigers.
"Definitely plan on attending the Mizzou camp again this summer. I am hitting up a lot of college camps this summer I'm not sure all of them yet but definitely a lot."
James Whitfield Jr.
Class of 2018
Wide receiver/defensive back
Hazelwood Central (Florissant)
"My visit to Mizzou went really well. I spoke with Coach Ford during the majority of my visit."
Whitfield is hearing from Truman State and is primarily being recruited as a cornerback.
Whitfield told us he's a "ball-hawk, a real physical DB" who plays the ball well in the air. He also told us he thinks he could work on his footwork and "transition on certain routes, but I will always give 100% effort - no matter what."
"I grew up watching Mizzou and have always loved the Tigers. As far as visiting somewhere else, I'm doing a lot of traveling with my 7on7 team and I'm going to come back up to Mizzou with Dallas [Craddieth]."