Mizzou Announces 2004 Recruiting Class
2/4/2004 12:00:00 AM | Football
Feb. 4, 2004
Columbia, Mo. - Twenty-four standout student-athletes have signed a National Letter of Intent (NLI) to attend the University of Missouri and play football for Head Coach Gary Pinkel, as announced today by Mizzou's head coach. The recruiting class - Pinkel's fourth at MU - was ranked as the nation's 25th-best by Rivals.com this morning.
Fourteen of Mizzou's 2004 class hail from the state of Missouri, including seven of the state's top eight players, according to Rivals. Mizzou had great success in-state, as 14 of the 16 in-state student-athletes that the Tiger coaching staff targeted ended up signing to play for MU.
Mizzou made a nice pickup of talent from the state of Texas, signing nine players from the Lone Star State. Mizzou also signed one student-athlete from the state of Oklahoma.
Mizzou's quarterback class rated 9th-best in the country, according to Rivals.com, and MU also fared well in the categories of wide receiver (11th-best class in the nation), running back (17th-best) and linebacker (19th-best).
Missouri's 2004 class holds up quite well when compared to other nationally-recognized programs. According to the Rivals.com rankings, Mizzou's 2004 recruiting class rates ahead of 35 other schools that participated in bowl games during the 2003 season. Just a handful of the other bowl teams from last year that Missouri bettered include: Auburn (26th), Mississippi (27th), Texas Tech (29th), UCLA (30th), Washington State (32nd), Virginia Tech (34th), Oklahoma State (35th), Wisconsin (37th), Iowa (38th), Virginia (39th), Kansas (45th), Pittsburgh (46th), North Carolina State (51st), Clemson (55th), Minnesota (56th), Georgia Tech (59th), and Colorado State (73rd), among others. Mizzou also turned in a better class according to the experts than big-name programs such as Arizona State (28th), South Carolina (31st), North Carolina (33rd), Notre Dame (36th), Arizona (42nd), Illinois (47th), Colorado (50th), Syracuse (54th), Stanford (60th), among many others.
Following is a roster and biographical sketches for each of MU's 24 signees...
BREAKDOWN BY STATE
Missouri (13) - Alexander (Columbia), Barmann (Weston), Denzmore (East St. Louis), Franklin (St. Louis), Humphrey (LaGrange), D. Jackson (St. Louis), J. Jackson (Caruthersville), Madison (Bethany), Moore (Hayti), O'Neal (Creve Coeur), Patton (Columbia), Redmond (Kansas City), Riggs (Festus), Temple (Kansas City).
Texas (9) - Breed (San Antonio), Dirk (Stephenville), Goldsmith (Denton), Johnson (Texas City), Lane (Arlington), Newhouse (Dallas), Saunders (San Antonio), Sulak (Rockdale), Williams (Denton).
Oklahoma (1) - Wade (Broken Arrow).
| Name | Pos. | Ht. | Wt. | Hometown (Last School) |
| Van Alexander | RB/LB | 6-1 | 210 | Columbia, Mo. (Rock Bridge HS) |
| Brian Barmann | TE/DB | 6-3 | 215 | Weston, Mo. (West Platte R-II HS) |
| Mack Breed | QB/DB | 6-2 | 195 | San Antonio, Texas (John Jay HS) |
| Julius Denzmore | QB/DB | 6-2 | 190 | East St. Louis, Ill. (East St. Louis HS) |
| John Dirk | OL/DL | 6-3 | 280 | Stephenville, Texas (Stephenville HS) |
| William Franklin | WR/DB | 6-2 | 185 | St. Louis, Mo. (Vashon HS) |
| Earl Goldsmith | RB/DB | 5-9 | 190 | Denton, Texas (Ryan HS) |
| Jerrill Humphrey | WR/DB | 6-4 | 210 | LaGrange, Mo. (Highland HS) |
| Darrell Jackson | QB/DB | 6-3 | 220 | St. Louis, Mo. (Webster Groves HS) |
| Jimmy Jackson | RB/DB | 5-9 | 190 | Caruthersville, Mo. (Caruthersville HS) |
| Domonique Johnson | WR/DB | 6-2 | 180 | Texas City, Texas (LaMarque HS) |
| George Lane | DL | 6-3 | 275 | Arlington, Texas (Sam Houston HS/ College of the Siskiyous JC) |
| Ryan Madison | OL/DL | 6-5 | 270 | Bethany, Mo. (South Harrison HS) |
| William Moore | WR/DB | 6-2 | 200 | Hayti, Mo. (Hayti HS) |
| Alvin Newhouse | RB/LB | 6-2 | 225 | Dallas, Texas (South Oak Cliff HS) |
| Aaron O'Neal | RB/LB | 6-3 | 215 | Creve Coeur, Mo. (Parkway North HS) |
| Chase Patton | QB/DB | 6-4 | 210 | Columbia, Mo. (Rock Bridge HS) |
| Steve Redmond | WR/DB | 6-1 | 210 | Kansas City, Mo. (Rockhurst HS) |
| Kyle Riggs | OL/DL | 6-6 | 305 | Festus, Mo. (Festus HS) |
| Aaron Saunders | OL/DL | 6-7 | 290 | San Antonio, Texas (John Jay HS) |
| Stryker Sulak | TE/DL | 6-5 | 220 | Rockdale, Texas (Rockdale HS) |
| Tony Temple | RB/DB | 5-10 | 190 | Kansas City, Mo. (Rockhurst HS) |
| Chris Wade | TE/DL | 6-5 | 230 | Broken Arrow, Okla. (Broken Arrow HS) |
| Calcius Williams | TE/DL | 6-4 | 210 | Denton, Texas (Ryan HS) |
VAN ALEXANDER
Fr., RB/LB, 6-1, 210, Columbia, Mo. (Rock Bridge HS)
Highly-coveted linebacker prospect who made his decision early in the recruiting process to play for his hometown school ... Rated as the No. 8 outside linebacker prospect in the country, according to Rivals.com, and the 6th-best overall talent in the state of Missouri at any position ... Recorded 132 tackles as a senior at Rock Bridge High School, as the Bruins won a conference championship ... Also rushed for 760 yards and 14 TDs out of the backfield and added 130 yards receiving on the year ... Earned all-state honors at linebacker, and was an all-conference and all-district pick at both linebacker and running back ... As a junior in 2002, was a central figure in the Bruins' 3rd-place finish in the state championships, as he led the way defensively with 146 tackles and 2 interceptions ... Also scored 7 TDs rushing that year ... Named all-state, all-conference and all-district as a junior ... Played defensive back as a sophomore and earned all-district honors and honorable mention all-area honors at that position ... Has 4.46 speed along with excellent lateral quickness and natural instincts ... Holds Rock Bridge tackling records for single game (28), single season (146) and career (400) ... High school coach - A.J. Ofodile ... Also played under current Tiger graduate assistant coach Barry Odom ... Son of Rick & Dana Alexander ... Full name - Van Exler Alexander ... Birthdate - Aug. 27, 1985 ... Chose Mizzou over Iowa, among other schools.
BRIAN BARMANN
Fr., TE/DB, 6-3, 215, Weston, Mo. (West Platte R-II HS)
Three-sport standout who is one of the top projected tight end prospects in the region ... Ranked as the No. 17 prospect at any position in the state of Missouri ... An outstanding all-around athlete who is a first-team all-state performer in football, basketball and baseball ... Star wide receiver, free safety and punter for West Platte who holds school career records in receptions (226), receiving yards (3,754), receiving touchdowns (42) and interceptions (25), with the reception and yardage totals ranking as Missouri state records ... Also returned 3 punts for scores as a senior, which tied a single-season state record ... As a senior, caught 60 passes for 987 yards and 14 touchdowns, and also added 6 interceptions and 50 tackles on defense ... Earned 1st-team all-state honors by the Associated Press as a senior ... Named 1st-team all-state as a junior defensive back, and was a 1st-team all-state receiver as a sophomore in 2001, when he had 1,481 yards receiving ... Was named a sophomore All-American by Student Sports Magazine in 2001 ... Four-year letterman in football, basketball and baseball ... Helped lead school to state final four finishes in 2003 in both basketball and baseball ... High school coach - Danny Brown ... Son of Mike & Angela Barmann ... Older brother Adam is a sophomore quarterback at Kansas ... Full name - Brian P. Barmann ... Birthdate - Nov. 25, 1985 ... Chose Mizzou over Nebraska, Kansas and Utah, among others.
MACK BREED
Fr., QB/DB, 6-2, 195, San Antonio, Texas (John Jay HS)
Dangerous dual-threat quarterback prospect who will join San Antonio John Jay High School teammate Aaron Saunders at Mizzou ... Has played with Saunders on the same team since they were six years old ... Listed among top-10 prospects in the San Antonio area ... Has 4.3 speed in the 40-yard dash ... An excellent athlete who was an all-state, all-district and all-area centerfielder in baseball ... High school coach - Larry Pullin ... Son of Steve & Felecia Breed ... Full name - Mack E. Breed ... Birthdate - Jan. 19, 1986 ... Plans to pursue degree in management at Mizzou ... Chose MU over Texas A&M, Colorado, Baylor and Utah, among others.
JULIUS DENZMORE
Fr., QB/DB, 6-2, 190, East St. Louis, Ill. (East St. Louis HS)
Talented prospect who could contribute on either side of the ball at the collegiate level ... Missed 4 games as a senior at East St. Louis High School due to a foot injury, but came back to still pass for 1,296 yards and 14 TDs in just 7 games ... Rushed for 129 yards and also added 4 interceptions as a defensive back ... Earned all-state, all-conference and all-metro honors as a senior, and also earned a merit award for good sportsmanship ... Earned 2nd-team all-conference honors as a junior in 2002 after throwing for 907 yards ... Had over 1,000 yards of total offense as a sophomore in 2001, throwing for 805 yards and rushing for 315 more ... Top-notch all-around athlete who participated in basketball, baseball and track and field in addition to football ... High school coach - Darren Sunkett ... Son of Ellen Lockett ... Full name - Julius Maurice Denzmore ... Birthdate - May 12, 1985 ... Plans to study criminal justice at Mizzou ... Chose MU over Virginia, Illinois, Indiana, Northwestern and Northern Illinois, among others.
JOHN DIRK
Fr., OL/DL, 6-3, 280, Stephenville, Texas (Stephenville HS)
Strong pass-blocker who could contribute in college on either side of the line at Mizzou ... Recruiting experts label him as a "hidden gem" that emerged late as a Division I prospect ... Caught the eye of Mizzou coaches at the Coca-Cola all-star game in January ... Moved to Stephenville for his senior year after playing two years for Santa Fe High School in Edmond, Okla. ... Was a 1st-team all-district lineman as a senior at Stephenville, after starting for the two previous years at Santa Fe, where he was a two-time all-city selection ... Helped lead Santa Fe to a city championship as a junior in 2002, and to two consecutive state playoff appearances ... High school coach - Chad Morris ... Son of Duane & Dee Dee Dirk ... Father is the defensive coordinator at Tarleton State University ... Full name - John Michael Dirk ... Birthdate - June 30, 1985 ... Plans to pursue degree in fisheries and wildlife at Mizzou ... Chose MU over Houston and SMU, and also had interest from LSU and Kansas State.
WILLIAM FRANKLIN
Fr., WR/DB, 6-2, 185, St. Louis, Mo. (Vashon HS)
The No. 40 national wide receiver prospect (Rivals.com) who has a rare blend of speed, strength and athleticism ... Ranked as the No. 8 overall prospect in Missouri by Rivals.com after a senior season that saw him grab 37 passes for 907 yards and 17 touchdowns as Vashon claimed the Class 4A district title ... Earned all-state, all-metro and all-league honors as a senior ... Transferred to Vashon prior to his junior year from Beaumont High School, but was forced to sit out a year due to transfer rules ... As a sophomore at Beaumont, had 367 yards receiving and 9 touchdowns and added 4 interceptions on defense as he was named all-league ... Has sub-4.5 speed and owns a vertical jump of around 40 inches ... A solid basketball player who lettered in that sport at both schools, and was given a nickname of "Helicopter" by his friends for his high-flying aerial antics on the court ... High school coach - Reginald Ferguson ... Son of William Franklin, Sr. & Tejauna Roach ... Is the nephew of former standout NFL wide receiver Darnay Scott, whom he credits with inspiring him to pursue football ... Full name - William Daniel Franklin, Jr. ... Birthdate - Oct. 13, 1985 ... Academic interest lies in sports management ... Chose MU over Michigan, Iowa, Illinois and Michigan State, among others.
EARL GOLDSMITH
Fr., RB/DB, 5-9, 190, Denton, Texas (Ryan HS)
Powerful back with good vision who helped lead school to four consecutive Class 4A title game appearances ... Named 1st-team all-state by the Texas Sports Writers Association and the district 6-4A most valuable player after a senior year that saw him amass 1,978 yards rushing and 18 touchdowns ... Also caught 24 passes out of the backfield for 333 yards and 8 TDs as Ryan finished as state runner up in 2003 ... Helped lead Ryan to state title as a junior, as he contributed with 1,179 yards rushing and 12 TDs, while adding 30 catches for 266 yards and 1 score ... Also a multiple-year letterwinner in the sport of basketball ... High school coach - Joey Florence ... Son of Herman & Sandra Goldsmith ... Full name - Earl Jermane Goldsmith ... Birthdate - Feb. 4, 1985 ... Chose MU over Texas Tech, Oklahoma State, Rice and Tulsa, among others.
JERRILL HUMPHREY
Fr., WR/DB, 6-4, 210, LaGrange, Mo. (Highland HS)
Yet another national recruit who has chosen to stay home and play for his in-state school ... An accomplished athlete who could arguably excel collegiately in the sports of football, track and basketball ... Ranked as the No. 16 wide receiver prospect nationally by Rivals.com, and check in at No. 22 nationally at the position according to SuperPrep Magazine ... Rushed for 1,200 yards and had 350 yards receiving and scored 9 touchdowns as a senior, and earned all-conference, all-area and all-district honors at both receiver and defensive back, in addition to being named his team's MVP ... Served as a team captain as a senior in football, and as both a junior and senior in basketball ... As a junior in 2002, notched 1,100 yards rushing with 700 receiving yards and 17 total TDs on the way to earning similar honors ... Had 400 yards each in rushing and receiving with 6 TDs as a sophomore ... An all-state basketball player (2nd-team) who also won a state triple jump championship in track as a sophomore ... Placed 4th at state in the same event as a junior ... Has been a state qualifier in the long jump, as well ... High school coach - Kevin Hillman ... Son of Paula Humphrey ... Full name - Jerrill Lamont Humphrey ... Birthdate - Jan. 31, 1986 ... Plans to pursue degree in education at Mizzou ... Chose MU over Iowa, Arkansas, Kansas State, Purdue and Colorado, among others.
DARRELL JACKSON
Fr., QB/DB, 6-3, 220, St. Louis, Mo. (Webster Groves HS)
Widely considered the top prospect coming out of the St. Louis area this year, who is one of the top dual-threat quarterback prospects in the nation ... Named the No. 17 quarterback prospect in the nation by SuperPrep ... Named the No. 20 prospect at any position in the midland region by SuperPrep Magazine who led his team to consecutive state title game appearances, winning the championship as a junior in 2002 ... Named an EA Sports and Parade All-American after setting a Missouri state total offense record in 2003, with 3,921 total yards ... Threw for 2,688 yards as a senior, while rushing for 1,212 more while leading Webster Groves to a state runner-up finish ... Was accountable for a whopping 52 touchdowns as a senior, throwing for 25 (with just 9 interceptions) and running for 27 more ... Named 1st-team all-state, all-metro, all-conference each of his last two years, and also earned the St. Louis Post-Dispatch Offensive Player of the Year twice ... Junior year stats included 2,027 yards passing with 13 TDs, and 1,258 rushing yards and 18 more scores as he led Webster Groves to the state championship ... A proven winner who had a career record of 20-4 as the Statesman's starting quarterback ... High school coach - Cliff Ice ... Son of Jarrett & Lurnell Cross ... Full name - Darrell Antonio Jackson ... Birthdate - Oct. 5, 1985 ... Chose MU over Illinois, Minnesota, Kentucky, Kansas and Iowa State, among others.
JIMMY JACKSON
Fr., RB/DB, 5-9, 190, Caruthersville, Mo. (Caruthersville HS)
Named the No. 53 overall prospect in the midland region by SuperPrep Magazine ... Emerged as a senior as one of the best backs in the region, as he rushed for 2,642 yards and 26 touchdowns ... Added 340 receiving yards and 9 TDs out of the backfield as he earned all-state, all-region, all-conference and team most valuable player honors in 2003 ... Earned all-state, all-region and all-conference honors as a senior, in addition to team most valuable player honors ... Holds school records for single-season rushing yards, touchdowns and points scored, and career rushing yards, touchdowns and points scored ... Named the recipient of the annual Carr Award, which is given annually to the most outstanding player in the southeast Missouri area ... Ran for 1,631 yards and 15 TDs during his junior season in 2002 ... A speedster who is also an all-state track performer for Caruthersville ... High school coach - David Gilmore ... Son of Jimmy Jackson and Brenda Lloyd ... Full name - Jimmy Marque Jackson ... Birthdate - Nov. 5, 1985 ... Chose MU over Arkansas, Illinois and Utah, among others.
DOMONIQUE JOHNSON
Fr., WR/DB, 6-2, 180, Texas City, Texas (LaMarque HS)
Impressive athlete who could contribute collegiately either at defensive back or wide receiver ... Flew under the radar, according to the recruiting experts, as he was unable to play his senior year at LaMarque High School after transferring prior to the year from Texas City High School ... LaMarque went a perfect 16-0 and won the state title while he was forced to watch from the sidelines ... As a junior at Texas City, was named all-state and district 23-4A all-state after making 89 tackles and 5 interceptions while adding 5 catches for 225 yards and 2 touchdowns ... High school coach - Brian Erwin ... Son of Kevin Johnson & Catherine Hadley ... Full name - Domonique DeShawn Johnson ... Birthdate - Nov. 7, 1985 ... Plans to pursue degree in industrial engineering at Mizzou ... Chose MU over Colorado State, Hawaii, Northwestern and Rice, among others.
GEORGE LANE
Jr., DL, 6-3, 275, Arlington, Texas (Sam Houston HS/College of the Siskiyous JC)
Considered a top-25 junior college defensive lineman who is rated as the No. 87 overall JUCO prospect at any position by SuperPrep Magazine ... Attended California's College of the Siskiyous Junior College, where he was a two-time all-conference performer on the defensive line ... Had 73 tackles as a sophomore, including 8 tackles for loss and 6 sacks ... Totaled 56 tackles as a freshman, including 7 tackles for loss and 4 ? sacks ... Was a high school teammate of current Tiger senior Shirdonya Mitchell at Sam Houston HS in Arlington, Texas ... Junior College coach - Dennis Roberts ... High School coach - Kenny Perry ... Son of Douglas & Glenda Lane ... Full name - George Douglas Lane ... Birthdate - April 27, 1983 ... Plans to pursue degree in criminal justice at Mizzou ... Chose MU over Oregon, California, San Jose State, Iowa State and Baylor, among others.
RYAN MADISON
Fr., OL/DL, 6-5, 270, Bethany, Mo. (South Harrison HS)
An excellent athlete who could make an impact on either side of the line at Mizzou ... Earned all-state honors as a senior on both sides of the ball, at guard on offense and at tackle on defense ... Four-year letterman who helped lead school to three consecutive conference championships (2000-02) and back-to-back district titles and final four state playoff appearances (2000-01) ... Was a prep teammate of current Tiger Tyler Luellen ... Also lettered in the sports of basketball and track and field at South Harrison, and earned all-conference honors in hoops ... High school coach - Wes Croy ... Son of Leo & Sharol ... Full name - Ryan Keith Madison ... Birthdate - Feb. 25, 1986 ... Chose MU over Illinois, Colorado State, Kansas, Wyoming and Army, among others.
WILLIAM MOORE
Fr., WR/DB, 6-2, 200, Hayti, Mo. (Hayti HS)
A wide-receiver/defensive back prospect who comes to Mizzou ranked as the nation's No. 64-ranked receiver, according to Rivals.com ... Also ranked as the No. 12 overall prospect at any position in the state of Missouri by Rivals.com ... Earned all-state honors on both sides of the ball during his prep career at Hayti, which won 3 consecutive conference championships from 2001-03 and finished as Class 2A runners up in 2002 ... Had school career-record numbers of 74 catches for 1,768 yards and 34 touchdowns receiving ... His 35 total career scores ranks him 5th on Hayti's career scoring chart ... Four-year letterwinner in football and basketball at Hayti, and was a team MVP and all-conference pick on the hardwood as a junior ... High school coach - Jerry Bethune ... Son of William Shaw & Marilyn Moore ... Full name - William Keyon Moore ... Birthdate - May 18, 1985 ... Plans to study adolescent psychology at Mizzou ... Chose MU over Oklahoma, Purdue, Mississippi, Arkansas and Illinois, among others.
ALVIN NEWHOUSE
Fr., RB/LB, 6-2, 225, Dallas, Texas (South Oak Cliff HS)
A talented two-way player with excellent blood lines ... Played at Dallas' South Oak Cliff High School, where he was a 3-time all-district defensive pick and considered by some outlets as one of the top 100 recruits in the Lone Star State ... Was named the defensive MVP at the prestigious Texas Coca-Cola All-Star Game in January ... As a senior, amassed 136 tackles, including 22 tackles for loss and 14 sacks on his way to receiving district defensive most valuable player honors ... Had 123 tackles, including 18 tackles for loss and 10 sacks as a junior, and forced 4 fumbles ... Had 118 tackles, including 16 sacks as a sophomore ... An outstanding athlete who is a 3-time all-district wrestler who also lettered in track at South Oak Cliff High School ... An excellent student who ranked in the top 10 percent of his class, and is a member of the National Honor Society ... High school coach - J.B. Wallace ... Son of Alvin Williams & Lisa Newhouse ... Is the nephew of former Dallas Cowboy fullback Robert Newhouse, and his cousin is Reggie Newhouse, a standout receiver at Baylor ... Full name - Alvin Dwayne Newhouse ... Birthdate - Sept. 10, 1985 ... Plans to pursue degree in accounting at Mizzou ... Chose MU over TCU, Arizona and SMU, among others.
AARON O'NEAL
Fr., RB/LB, 6-3, 215, Creve Coeur, Mo. (Parkway North HS)
Four-sport standout who projects as a running back or linebacker collegiately at Mizzou ... Had an outstanding senior season that saw him rush for 1,562 yards and 19 touchdowns ... Earned Class 5A all-state honors at running back as a senior ... Was an all-metro, all-conference and all-district running back and team offensive MVP as a junior when he rushed for 1,207 yards and 14 TDs ... Had 800 yards and 9 rushing TDs in just 4 games as a sophomore, including a school-record 254-yard outing against Webster Groves ... Owns virtually all of Parkway North's career rushing and scoring records ... His high school coach credits him with being an outstanding competitor and leader, and served as team captain ... Also excelled in basketball, track and baseball at Parkway North, and was part of the team which finished 4th in the 2003 baseball championships ... High school coach - Bob Bunton ... Son of Lonnie & Deborah O'Neal ... Older brother, Nick, attends Mizzou currently ... Has two sisters, Eursla and Shameka ... Full name - Aaron A. O'Neal ... Birthdate - April 1, 1986 ... Chose MU over Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa, Kansas State and Illinois, among others.
CHASE PATTON
Fr., QB/DB, 6-4, 210, Columbia, Mo. (Rock Bridge HS)
One of the most highly-coveted quarterback prospects in the nation who chose to play for his hometown school ... A record-setting passer who ranks as the No. 4 quarterback and the No. 69 overall prospect at any position nationally by Rivals.com ... Named an all-American by both EA Sports and PrepStar as a senior when he completed 176-of-276 passes for 2,630 yards and 30 touchdowns and an 8-2 record ... Named the Gatorade Missouri Player of the Year in 2003 ... Threw for a career-best 367 yards against Springfield Kickapoo in 2003, and set another school record with 6 TD passes against Hannibal ... Threw for a school-record 2,670 yards as a junior with 23 TDs, as he led Rock Bridge (8-4 overall) to the semi-finals of the state championships ... Named team's newcomer of the year as a sophomore when he led the Bruins to a 6-4 record and a conference championship ... Holds Rock Bridge career passing records for yards (6,251), completions (431) and touchdowns (58) ... Also holds school game and single-season records in all three categories ... Also lettered in baseball and basketball at Rock Bridge, and earned 1st-team all-district honors playing 1st base for the baseball team in 2003 ... High school coach - A.J. Ofodile ... Was also coached for two years by current Tiger graduate assistant coach Barry Odom ... Son of Robert & Joyce Patton ... Full name - Robert Charles Patton III ... Birthdate - Nov. 24, 1985 ... Plans to pursue degree in business or engineering at Mizzou ... Chose MU over Tennessee, UCLA, Kansas State, Iowa and Virginia, among others.
STEVE REDMOND
Fr., WR/DB, 6-1, 210, Kansas City, Mo. (Rockhurst HS)
A fast and physical defensive back who ranks as the No. 29 overall prospect at any position in the midland region, according to SuperPrep Magazine ... Same publication ranks him as the nation's No. 24 defensive back talent ... Three-sport letterwinner who also excelled in track and basketball at Rockhurst ... High school coach - Tony Severino ... Son of Steve & Linda Redmond ... Is cousin to fellow 2004 Mizzou signee and Rockhurst teammate Tony Temple ... Full name - Steven Lawrence Redmond, Jr. ... Birthdate - Dec. 16, 1985 ... Chose MU over Kansas State, Kansas, Michigan State, Nebraska and Iowa, among others.
KYLE RIGGS
Fr., OL/DL, 6-6, 305, Festus, Mo. (Festus HS)
A highly-coveted offensive lineman who is ranked as the No. 9 O-line prospect in the country, and the No. 91 overall talent at any position in the country, according to Rivals.com ... Earned 1st-team all-state and all-metro honors as a senior at Festus High School ... Named 2nd-team all-state and earned 1st-team all-conference mention as he established himself as one of the state's top emerging linemen as a junior in 2002 ... High school coach - Joel Critchlow ... Son of Kevin & Donna Riggs ... Full name - Kyle Joseph Riggs ... Birthdate - July 1, 1986 ... Plans to pursue degree in business management at Mizzou ... Chose MU over Oklahoma, Michigan, Iowa, Penn State and Wisconsin, among others.
AARON SAUNDERS
Fr., OL/DL, 6-7, 290, San Antonio, Texas (John Jay HS)
Ranked among the top-100 Texas prospects at any position, according to Rivals.com ... Two-time 1st-team all-district selection who missed most of his senior season due to a knee injury ... Is a prep teammate of fellow 2004 Mizzou signee Mack Breed, and has played on the same team as Breed since they were 6 years old ... High school coach - Larry Pullin ... Son of Patrick & Denise Saunders ... Full name - Aaron Patrick Saunders ... Birthdate - Aug. 9, 1986 ... Plans to pursue degree in education at Mizzou ... Chose MU over Kansas State, Oklahoma State, Colorado, Purdue, Kansas and Baylor, among others.
STRYKER SULAK
Fr., TE/DL, 6-5, 220, Rockdale, Texas (Rockdale HS)
Standout defensive end at Rockdale High School who was a 1st-team all-state selection in 2003 by the Texas Sports Writers Association after leading his team with 83 tackles ... Returned an interception 78 yards for a touchdown and also caught 1 touchdown and 1 2-point conversion playing the tight end spot ... Was his team's 5th-leading tackler as a junior in 2002, with 70 total tackles ... Earned 1st-team all-district mention as well as his team's defensive MVP award that year ... Solid all-around athlete who competed in baseball, basketball and track at Rockdale, and was a regional qualifier in the high jump in 2002 ... High school coach - Casey Creghan ... Son of Steven & Rachel Glaser ... Full name - Joseph Stryker Sulak ... Birthdate - June 17, 1986 ... Chose MU over Houston, Arkansas, Iowa, Texas A&M, and TCU, among others.
TONY TEMPLE
Fr., RB/DB, 5-10, 190, Kansas City, Mo. (Rockhurst HS)
One of the nation's top tailback prospects who is a major addition to Mizzou's 2004 class ... Ranked as the No. 8 running back prospect in the country, as well as the No. 79 overall talent at any position in the country, according to Rivals.com ... ESPN.com ranks him as the nation's No. 2 tailback and No. 18 overall prospect at any position ... Played in just 3 full games a senior due to nagging shoulder and hamstring injuries, but still was named to the U.S. Army All-American team after rushing for 950 yards and 9 touchdowns ... Added to his legend with a junior season that saw him rush for 2,035 yards and 35 touchdowns as Rockhurst won its 2nd state championship in three years ... Earned USA Today top Missouri player honors for his exploits as a junior ... Rushed for 1,205 yards and 19 TDs as a sophomore, and tallied 1,105 yards and 22 TDs as a freshman, as Rockhurst won the state title ... Was a three-time all-state winner at tailback and was named an all-American by Student Sports Magazine, Sports Illustrated, among other publications ... Finished his career with 5,295 rushing yards and 85 total touchdowns ... Was also an all-state performer in track, running a 10.4 100-meter dash ... High school coach - Tony Severino ... Son of Tony & Diana Temple ... Is cousin to fellow 2004 Mizzou signee and Rockhurst teammate Steve Redmond ... Full name - Tony Lewis Temple II ... Birthdate - Sept. 13, 1985 ... Plans to pursue degree in business at Mizzou ... Chose MU over Kansas State, Michigan, Notre Dame and Iowa, among others.
CHRIS WADE
Fr., TE/DL, 6-5, 230, Broken Arrow, Okla. (Broken Arrow HS)
Ranked as the No. 45 overall prospect at any position in the midland region by SuperPrep Magazine, and is ranked by Rivals.com as the No. 12 prospect coming out of the state of Oklahoma at any position in 2004 ... Has the frame to grow into either an interior or end position if he plays defensive end in college ... An all-state and all-district selection as a senior, who also earned Tulsa World Blue Chip list mention ... Was named district defensive player of the year after registering 71 tackles and 4 sacks as a senior at Broken Arrow High School ... Also a two-year letterwinner in basketball ... Is good friends with current Tiger wide receiver Jason Ray, who also hails from Broken Arrow ... High school coach - Rick Jones ... Son of Preston & Gloria Thomas ... Full name - Chris James Wade ... Birthdate - Aug. 30, 1985 ... Chose MU over Kansas State and Colorado, among others.
CALCIUS WILLIAMS
Fr., TE/DL, 6-4, 210, Denton, Texas (Ryan HS)
A first-team all-state defensive lineman who played in the Coca-Cola All-Star Game after registering 84 tackles and 18 sacks as a senior ... Helped lead his team to the state title game in 2003, after playing on a state championship team as a junior ... Notched 49 tackles, including 9 sacks, as a junior ... Also played on the 2001 state championship team ... Is a prep teammate of fellow 2004 Mizzou signee Earl Goldsmith ... Also lettered in basketball and track at Ryan High School ... High school coach - Joey Florence ... Son of John & Trina Simon ... Full name - Calcius Demier Williams ... Birthdate - March 10, 1986 ... Chose MU over TCU, Texas Tech and Louisiana Tech, among others.
