Per the 247Sports Composite, here are the last five four- or five-star prospects from the Missouri side of St. Louis to sign with Missouri:
- OT Andy Bauer (DeSmet), 2014
- ATH Chase Abbington (Ft. Zumwalt South), 2013
- LB Donavin Newsom (Parkway North), 2012
- OT Nick Demien (Timberland), 2010
- DT Sheldon Richardson (Gateway Tech), 2009
Five in the last 10 recruiting classes. First, the STL area itself went through a bit of a talent drought, failing to produce as many star recruits, and then Missouri fell into a winning drought.
There were six such prospects in the 2018 class, and Mizzou struck out on all six. This year, there are seven, and the Tigers just got on the board, scoring a commitment from Lutheran North’s Jack Buford.
:format(webp):no_upscale()/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_asset/file/11490365/buford.png)
The Chosen ..... pic.twitter.com/KMLsa5j87H
— Jack Buford (@jackjack2k19) June 6, 2018
An M-I-Z erupts as Buford puts on the hat. pic.twitter.com/wzcNNm6UBg
— Alex Schiffer (@TheSchiffMan) June 6, 2018
— Mizzou Football (@MizzouFootball) June 6, 2018
Buford is the No. 359 prospect in the country, No. 8 in the state of Missouri. He’s a 6’5, 320-pounder who boasts offers from virtually every power conference program but pretty quickly seemed to home in on Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Mizzou.
Buford’s highlight film is exactly what you hope to see from a four-star 320-pounder. He’s a mauler with quick feet (and a pretty good defensive tackle, too). He’s tall (and potentially quick) enough to end up at offensive tackle, but he seems like a natural-made guard.
Landing Buford is good from both the standpoints of talent and symbolism. He has a lot of the former, and Mizzou now hopes that he’s got enough of the latter to make a difference with other area blue-chippers. WELCOME, JACK.