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While our beloved former Tigers were waiting by their phones for a call from an NFL team Coach Drinkwitz was busy ‘crootin’ and adding more names to the current Tiger crop.
The bat signal went up and who answered? Why, it was our dear friend, Taj Butts, the running back from St. Louis’ Jesuit powerhouse, DeSmet.
Hometown is the best town #newzou#Lou21ZouCrew#Sec #COMMITTED @CoachDrinkwitz @CoachLoop @SteepDiesel pic.twitter.com/Dk016IkL4f
— Taj Butts (@TajButts) April 25, 2020
Mr. Butts boasts offers from 9 P5 programs, including West Virginia, Purdue, Indiana, Kentucky, and of course the usual midwestern foes, kansas and Illinois.
Get to know: Taj Butts
Hometown: St. Louis, MO
High School: DeSmet Jesuit
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 190
Rivals Ranking: 3-star, 5.7 rating
247 composite ranking: 3-star, 0.8638
Total announced offers: 9
I’m curious as to what Taj can do at the next level. Watching his HUDL film of his junior year doesn’t really give me any inclination of what he can do since it’s a lot....a lot.....of him running through gaping holes, untouched, for 50-60 yards. Which is great! Awesome job by the line to create the hole and him to hit it. But I’d like to see more of what he can do in the passing game. He does have a few punishing blocks and some features of him in the screen game but wide open holes are hard to find in the SEC, and while you do see him throw some stiff arms or shimmy out of a tackle, I’d like to see more before I get a final read of what he can do.
The timing of this commitment is great, reinforcing that Drink can still recruit even during quarantine. On a Rock M level, however, Josh, BK, and I were just talking about the running back situation! With the current loss of Anthony Watkins, the for-sure loss of Larry Roundtree after this year and the possible loss of Tyler Badie as well, the running back corps could be dangerously thin headed in 2021 (or whatever the season after this upcoming one will be). Adding a few more names to the running back room is a necessity and it looks like Drink has his first one.
Mizzou 2024 Commitment List
| Pos | Recruit Name | Hometown | Commitment Date | Rivals Rate | Rivals Rank | 247 Rate | 247 Rank | Ht | Wt |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pos | Recruit Name | Hometown | Commitment Date | Rivals Rate | Rivals Rank | 247 Rate | 247 Rank | Ht | Wt |
| TE | Whit Hafer | Joplin, MO | 2/25/2023 | 3-star | 5.5 | N/A | 0.8614 | 6'7 | 230 |
| TE-OL | Ryan Jostes | Washington, MO | 3/11/2023 | 3-star | 5.6 | 3-star | 0.8619 | 6'6 | 280 |
| QB | Aidan Glover | Colliervillle, TN | 6/15/2023 | 3-star | 5.7 | 3-star | 0.8753 | 6'3 | 190 |
| WR-S | Jude James | St. Charles, MO | 6/30/2023 | 3-star | N/A | 3-star | 0.8500 | 6'4 | 200 |
| ATH | Jackson Hancock | Canton, GA | 6/30/2023 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | 6'0 | 175 |
| ATH | Cam Dooley | Valley, AL | 7/1/2023 | 3-star | 5.5 | N/A | 0.8567 | 6'4 | 195 |
| DT | Justin Bodford | Ft. Lauderdale, FL | 7/2/2023 | 3-star | 5.6 | N/A | 0.8385 | 6'1 | 290 |
| LB | Nicholas Rodriguez | Ft. Lauderdale, FL | 7/3/2023 | 4-star | 5.8 | 3-star | 0.8850 | 6'1 | 190 |
| WR | James Madison II | Ft. Lauderdale, FL | 7/4/2023 | 4-star | 5.8 | 4-star | 0.8971 | 6'3 | 190 |
| CB | Cameron Keys | Lynn Haven, FL | 7/4/2023 | 3-star | 5.6 | 4-star | 0.9034 | 6'0 | 160 |
| LB | Brian Huff | Jonesboro, AR | 7/12/2023 | 4-star | 5.8 | 4-star | 0.8955 | 6'3 | 224 |
| DE | Williams Nwaneri | Lee's Summit, MO | 8/14/2023 | 5-star | 6.1 | 5-star | 0.9987 | 6'5 | 250 |
| DE | Jaylen Brown | Madison, AL | 8/22/2023 | 3-star | 5.5 | 3-star | 0.8600 | 6'6 | 230 |
| ATH | Austyn Dendy | Pine Bluff, AR | 9/30/2023 | 3-star | 5.6 | N/A | N/A | 6'1 | 200 |
| 5.7 | 0.8820 |
Welcome to the Zou, Taj! We look forward to all the Butt-related content over the next four years.