Missouri leads the battle for Alabama quarterback James Foster II

Mizzou’s top quarterback target for 2018 appears to be James Foster II of Montgomery (Ala.) Sidney Lanier High. Foster is a mid-three-star prospect per 247 and a high-three per Rivals. The 6’3, 210-pounder and one-time North Carolina commit certainly fits the dual-threat role well, but his pocket presence and passing form stand out.

With Foster’s expanding offer list, he might not be long for the three-star world. His most recent (and 14th overall):

Though the one-time North Carolina commit has been flirting with an unofficial Missouri visit for a while, it has yet to come to fruition. And with the competition picking up, it was a good time for him to not only announce his leaders on Sunday, but also list them in order:

Boom. Despite the increase in attention, Foster remains quite high on Mizzou. And he told Rivals.com why.

"The reason Missouri is No. 1 is coach [Josh] Heupel (offensive coordinator)," said Foster. "We have a great bond and I love everything about him. He tells me all of the time that I am the guy he wants."

Foster appears to fit the Heupel offense to a T, and Heupel knows it. It’s about 11 months until National Signing Day, and there could be plenty of plot twists along the way, but for now, things are looking good.