When Eli Drinkwitz was first hired as Mizzou’s head coach, one of the first things this writer did was scan the recruiting services for players out of North Carolina. With his history in Raleigh and Boone, Drink had been all over the Tar Heel State, and a new recruiting pipeline seemed to be in the offing.

That hasn’t been the case so far, but perhaps there’s room for hope, especially after the latest Missouri commitment.

Wilson hails from Kings Mountain — less than a 3 hour trip from both Raleigh and Boone — and held offers from both App State and NCSU. But in the end, he chose to head west to join the Tigers, who appear to be stocking up for the eventual departure of All-American Nick Bolton.

Get to know: Dameon Wilson

Hometown: Kings Mountain, NC

High School: Kings Mountain

Position: Inside Linebacker

Ht/Wt: 6’1”, 215 pounds

Rivals Ranking: 5.5, 3-star

247Composite Ranking: 0.8782, 3-star

Total announced offers: 19

Offers to note: Kentucky, Michigan, North Carolina, North Carolina State

Like Tiger brethren before him (namely Kentrell Brothers and Cale Garrett), Wilson appears to be a tackling machine. He’s got decent size and a long stride, but it’s his reads that make him a threat to anything coming out of the backfield. If you watch closely, you’ll notice how efficient his movement is and how quickly he’s able to get to the ball. Sure, you could always use hybrid linebackers to rush the QB more often, but there’s nothing wrong with having a straight-line tackler, and Wilson would appear to fit the bill. Not for nothing, he also has the size to slide to the edge if needed. That versatility should make him a useful rotation piece for years to come.