@MizzouFootball Unveils 2019 Recruiting Class
12/19/2018 4:28:00 PM | Football
Tigers Sign 22 Standouts as Part of a Highly-Regarded Group
COLUMBIA, Mo. – University of Missouri Head Football Coach Barry Odom and his coaching staff officially announced today the program's 2019 recruiting class, as 22 standouts have signed to attend the University and play football at Mizzou. Wednesday marked the first day of the early signing period, which continues through Friday.
In the midst of preparations for the 2018 AutoZone Liberty Bowl, set for Dec. 31 in Memphis, Tenn. against Oklahoma State, Odom's staff has continued its late-season momentum by assembling a highly-regarded group that meets a lot of needs, according to Mizzou's third-year head coach.
"It's an exciting day, we're really pleased about this group," Odom said. "Going into every recruiting class, you want to identify the immediate needs you have, but also build the depth of each position on your roster, and I think our staff found guys that number one, really wanted to be at Mizzou, and number two, who fit what we're doing culturally to make sure they fit in the locker room. These are very competitive guys that have the skill set to win in this league, and we're very excited about them all – every one of the 22 guys we wanted from the jump when we started the evaluation process. Now the process turns to getting them on campus and putting them in the position of being their best. Each of them has different skill sets, but collectively, they have all shown to a person that they are very competitive, they love to play ball, and they're excited to be Missouri Tigers," he said.
As of late afternoon Wednesday, the class ranked 31st nationally, according to Rivals.com, a standing that's been surpassed at Mizzou only twice in the last 10 years (21st in 2010 and 27th in 2015).
Sixteen of the 22 names announced today hail from Southeastern Conference states, with the home state of Missouri leading the way with a class-high six signees (including five from St. Louis). Mizzou once again dipped into Texas to nab five highly-rated athletes, while getting two from Georgia, and one each from the states of Louisiana, Mississippi and South Carolina. Mizzou also continued its solid ties in the state of Michigan, as three athletes hailing from there are part of the 2019 class.
Coaches anticipate eight members of the class will enroll at Mizzou this January, allowing them to take part in 2019 spring camp, which begins in March and concludes with the annual Black & Gold Spring Game, set for Saturday, April 13 at Memorial Stadium.
In three seasons on the Mizzou sideline, Odom has improved the Tigers' win total each year, while earning bowl bids in each of the past two. Odom's 2018 team will carry an 8-4 record and a No. 23 (CFP)/No. 24 (Associated Pres) national ranking into the bowl game. A win in the Liberty Bowl would make this just the ninth team in program history to win nine games in a season.
Tickets for the 2018 AutoZone Liberty Bowl may be purchased at www.mutigers.com/tickets. Tickets may also be purchased by calling the MU Athletic Ticket Office (1-800-CAT-PAWS) or in person at the Mizzou Arena box office from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.
A full roster of signees follows, as does extensive biographical sketches of the newest Mizzou Tigers.
For updated Mizzou Football ticket information, continue to visit mutigers.com, or follow Mizzou Athletics on Twitter at @mutigersdotcom.
. . . M I Z Z O U . . .
SIGNEE ROSTER
| TIME | NAME | HT. | WT. | POS. | HOMETOWN / HIGH SCHOOL | PREVIOUS SCHOOL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 9:30 a.m. | Connor Bazelak | 6-3 | 205 | QB | Dayton, Ohio / Archbishop Alter | |
| 8:30 a.m. | ** C.J. Boone | 6-3 | 170 | WR | St. Louis, Mo. / Parkway North | |
| 10:08 a.m. | Stacy Brown | 6-2 | 190 | DB | Duncanville, Texas / Duncanville | |
| 12/6 | 10:17 a.m. | ** Kelly Bryant | 6-3 | 225 | QB | Calhoun Falls, S.C. / Wren HS | Clemson |
| 8:55 a.m. | Jack Buford | 6-4 | 307 | OL | St. Louis, Mo. / Lutheran North | |
| 8:14 a.m. | ** Ishmael Burdine | 6-1 | 181 | CB | Slidell, La. / Slidell | |
| 10:13 a.m. | ** Chris Daniels | 6-4 | 315 | DL | Euless, Texas / Trinity HS | Copiah-Lincoln CC / Texas |
| 6:13 a.m. | Luke Griffin | 6-5 | 310 | OL | Chatsworth, Ga. / North Murray | |
| 6:31 a.m. | Aidan Harrison | 6-3 | 180 | NB | New Lothrop, Mich. / New Lothrop | |
| 7:13 a.m. | Niko Hea | 6-5 | 220 | TE | St. Louis, Mo. / Christian Brothers | |
| 8:03 a.m. | Martez Manuel | 6-1 | 185 | S | Columbia, Mo. / Rock Bridge | |
| 8:28 a.m. | Maurice Massey | 6-3 | 180 | WR | St. Louis, Mo. / Kirkwood | |
| 3:04 p.m. | ** Johnathan Nance | 6-0 | 190 | WR | Perkinston, Miss. / Gulfport | Gulf Coast CC / Arkansas |
| 8:44 a.m. | Isaiah McGuire | 6-5 | 260 | DL | Tulsa, Okla. / Union HS | |
| 6:43 a.m. | Devin Nicholson | 6-3 | 216 | LB | Detroit, Mich. / Cass Tech HS | |
| 3:57 p.m. | Jamie Pettway | 6-2 | 234 | LB | Albany, Ga. / Westover | |
| 1:59 p.m. | Darius Robinson | 6-6 | 250 | DL | Canton, Mich. / Canton | |
| 12/18 | 6:33 p.m. | ** Shawn Robinson | 6-2 | 225 | QB | DeSoto, Texas / DeSoto | TCU |
| 8:06 a.m. | Thalen Robinson | 6-7 | 315 | OL | Arlington, Texas / Bowie | |
| 9:00 a.m. | ** Chris Shearin | 5-11 | 187 | CB | Suffolk, Va. / IMG Academy / Kings Fork | |
| 8:49 a.m. | Anthony Watkins | 6-0 | 200 | RB | Fort Worth, Texas / South Hills | |
| 8:09 a.m. | ** Jalani Williams | 6-2 | 175 | S | St. Louis, Mo. / Parkway North |
** Denotes early enrollee at Mizzou
BREAKDOWN BY STATE
Georgia (2) – Griffin (Chatsworth), Pettway (Albany)
Louisiana (1) – Burdine (Slidell)
Michigan (3) – Harrison (New Lothrop), Nicholson (Detroit), Robinson (Canton)
Mississippi (1) – Nance (Perkinston)
Missouri (6) – Boone (St. Louis), Buford (St. Louis), Hea (St. Louis), Manuel (Columbia), Massey (St. Louis), Williams (St. Louis)
Ohio (1) – Bazelak (Dayton)
Oklahoma (1) – McGuire (Tulsa)
South Carolina (1) – Bryant (Calhoun Falls)
Texas (5) – Brown (Duncanville), Daniels (Euless), S. Robinson (DeSoto), T. Robinson (Arlington), Watkins (Fort Worth)
Virginia (1) – Shearin (Suffolk)
#ShowMe19 Bios
Connor Bazelak – QB – 6-4 – 205 – Dayton, Ohio (Archbishop Alter)
(Last name pronounced BAY-zuh-lack) A four-star recruit and ranked No. 210 (nation's No. 10 QB) in the 2019 signing class by ESPN … Is the No. 5 recruit at any position coming out of the state of Ohio, which is a high school football powerhouse … A three-star recruit by Rivals.com and 247Sports.com … Rivals rated him as the nation's No. 21 quarterback … Guided Archbishop Alter High School to the 2018 Ohio Division III State Championship game and a 13-2 record during his senior season, including 13 wins straight before falling in the state finals … The Alter offense scored 42 or more points six times during the regular season under his direction under center … Had 13 touchdowns against only two interceptions during his senior season, passing for more than 1,500 total yards in a wishbone style offense … Threw for 145 yards and a score while rushing for another in a 21-7 state semifinal win over Wapakoneta … Had a 73-yard TD run in a 13-0 win over Badin to advance to the regional round … Named 2018 GCL North Offensive Player of the Year … Third-Team All-State by the Ohio media panel …Division III All-Southwest Ohio District pick in 2018 … Alter went 9-2 with him under center as a junior in 2017 as he racked up 1,097 yards on just 134 attempts (8.2 per attempt) with 11 touchdowns … Primary recruiter: Derek Dooley … Chose Mizzou over offers from Georgia, Kentucky, NC State, Pitt, Purdue, Vanderbilt, West Virginia, Boston College, Duke, Iowa, North Carolina and Indiana, among others … Comes from an athletic family as both of his sisters, Maddie and Libby, play varsity sports at Duquesne, playing volleyball and basketball, respectively … Cited Mizzou's pro-style offense under offensive coordinator Derek Dooley and Mizzou's tradition of producing NFL-caliber quarterbacks as key reasons for his commitment.
C.J. Boone – WR – 6-3 – 170 – St. Louis, Mo. (Parkway North)
A four-star recruit and the nation's No. 52-ranked wideout and the state's No. 8 prospect at any position according to ESPN … A three-star recruit by Rivals.com, 247Sports.com …247Sports.com has him rated as the nation's No. 74 wideout in the class of 2019 and the No. 13 recruit in the state … No. 15 prospect in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch Super 30 … Caught 34 passes for 677 yards and eight touchdowns while averaging 19.9 yards per catch as a senior in 2018 … Added 138 kickoff return yards as he finished with 815 all-purpose yards, second-most on the team … Against Clayton on Oct. 13, he caught five passes for an incredible 231 yards (46.2 per catch) with three touchdowns … Season-high seven catches for 122 yards and two scores vs. Lafayette the week prior on Oct. 5 … Over the span of five games from Sept. 27-Oct. 26, he caught 18 passes with eight of those 18 going for scores … Caught 34 passes for 502 yards and five touchdowns as a junior in 2017 … Attended the Under Armour All-America Camp in Chicago … Also competed in track & field during high school … Primary recruiter: A.J. Ofodile … Chose Mizzou over offers from Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Minnesota and Purdue, among others … Cited his relationships with both A.J. Ofodile and Derek Dooley throughout the recruitment process as key reasons for his commitment.
Stacy Brown – Nickel – 6-2 – 187 – Duncanville, Texas (Duncanville)
A three-star recruit according to 247Sports.com, Rivals.com and ESPN.com … Rated as the No. 46 player at any position in the Dallas-Fort Worth Area by the Star-Telegram … Helped Duncanville earn a No. 14 national rank in the USA Today High School Top 25 … Leader of the Duncanville defense that allowed just 60 total points in 13 games (4.6 per contest) … Team advanced to the Texas Class 6A Division I State Semifinals after defeating Southlake Carroll, 51-7 … Academic All-State Second-Team honoree … Also competed in track & field during high school … Primary recruiter: Brian Odom … Chose Mizzou over offers from Houston, Ole Miss, Louisiana, Purdue, San Diego State, Syracuse, Utah, Utah State and Washington State, among others.
Kelly Bryant – QB – 6-3 – 225 – Calhoun Falls, S.C. (Wren HS/Clemson)
Former four-star recruit who was the nation's No. 11 quarterback in the class of 2015 according to Rivals.com … Comes to Mizzou as a graduate transfer from Clemson, where he led the Tigers to a 2017 College Football Playoff berth, starting all 14 games for the ACC Champions … One of 11 finalists for the Manning Award … One of 16 semifinalists for the Davey O'Brien Award … Was 262-of-398 passing for 2,802 yards and 13 touchdowns against eight interceptions in 886 snaps over 14 games (14 starts) … Completed 65.8 percent of his passes and had a 131.7 pass efficiency rating … Had 665 rushing yards and 11 touchdowns on 192 carries … His 12 wins were the most ever by a first-year starting QB in Clemson history … Holds the Clemson record for top-25 wins as a starting quarterback (six), is seventh in completion percentage, eighth in passing yards, completions, passing attempts, total offense (3,467) and in total offense per game (247.6), and 10th in passing yards per game (200.1) … 10th nationally in completion percentage in 2017… Sixth in the ACC in passing efficiency, seventh in total offense per game and ninth in passing yards per game in 2017 … Played in four games in 2018 before deciding to switch schools as a graduate transfer, going 36-for-54 (66.7 percent) for 461 yards and two touchdowns while adding 30 rushes for 130 yards and a pair of scores … In 2016, he played in four games while going 6-for-9 passing for 48 yards and a score while adding 12 rushes with a ground score … In 2015, he was Clemson's fifth-leading rusher, despite playing as a backup quarterback in only eight games … Had 156 rushing yards, with two touchdowns … His 6.8 yards per carry average was best on the team … In high school, was a finalist for Mr. Football in South Carolina as a senior … Greenville County Player-of-the-Year as a senior … Shrine Bowl selection … South Carolina Football Coaches Association Player-of-the-Year as a senior … All-state, all-region selection as a senior … Led Wren High School to 11 wins and the region title as a senior … Was 231-for-368 passing for 3,579 yards and 41 touchdowns along with 720 yards and 14 TDs on 128 carries as a senior … Had 2,800 passing yards and 28 touchdowns along with 1,200 rushing yards and 19 touchdowns as a junior … No. 8 dual-threat quarterback nationally by Rivals.com … No. 11 dual-threat quarterback in the nation by ESPN … No. 4 player in South Carolina by Rivals.com entering his senior year … No. 3 player in South Carolina by 247Sports.com … Primary recruiter: Derek Dooley … Chose Mizzou over offers from Arkansas, Auburn, North Carolina and Mississippi State, among others … Cited Mizzou's pedigree for grooming NFL-caliber quarterbacks and Mizzou's loaded returning offense for key reasons for his commitment … Also credited Coach Odom's down-to-earth and genuine demeanor and Coach Dooley's NFL experience as key reasons for his commitment.
Jack Buford – OL – 6-4 – 307 – St. Louis, Mo. (Lutheran North)
A force along the offensive line, who plays very physical and fits the culture that Mizzou is creating along the offensive front … Four star OL prospect who is the nation's No. 17 offensive guard according to ESPN.com … 247Sports.com rates him as a four-star prospect as well and the nation's No. 17 offensive guard … A three-star recruit by Rivals.com … First-Team All-State pick … Helped Lutheran North average more than 40 points per game offensively as a key cog along the offensive line … Guided Lutheran North to a 10-4 record and an appearance in the Class 2 State Semifinals before falling to the top-ranked team in the class, Blair Oaks … Team averaged 276 yards per game on the ground and nearly 8.0 yards per carry behind Buford and the offensive line … Played defensive line during his high school career as well and posted two tackles with a fumble recovery as a senior … Also a standout basketball player for Lutheran North … Primary recruiters: Cornell Ford, Brad Davis … Had more than 30 offers from FBS schools … Chose Mizzou over offers from Arkansas, Florida, Illinois, Iowa State, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisville, Minnesota and Oklahoma … Cited a chance to stay close to home while representing his state's flagship university as key reasons for his commitment … Also said his relationship with OL Coach Brad Davis and Mizzou's family-like atmosphere within the program were huge contributors to his commitment .
Ishmael Burdine – CB – 6-1 – 181 – Slidell, La. (Slidell)
(Last name pronounced BURR-dine) A four-star recruit by both ESPN and 247Sports.com, he is the nation's No. 32 safety prospect according to ESPN and is ranked No. 35 nationally at safety by 247Sports.com … Rivals.com lists him as a three-star prospect … Top-ranked safety prospect in the state of Louisiana … Made 48 tackles (35 solo) from his safety spot as a senior, adding a pair of interceptions as well … Posted 36 tackles (26 solo) with four interceptions as a junior in 2017 … Also returned kicks and punts as one of the team's most dynamic players with the ball in his hands, tallying a kick return touchdown in both his senior and junior seasons … First-Team All-District DB as a junior … Tremendous student who held a 4.00 grade-point average … Held 20 FBS offers … Primary recruiter: Ryan Walters … Chose Mizzou over Arkansas, Baylor, FIU, Houston, Indiana, , Kansas State, Kentucky, Mississippi State, Nebraska, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Utah and Wisconsin, among others … Cited an opportunity to play in the SEC and his great relationships with the entire Mizzou coaching staff as key reasons for his commitment.
Chris Daniels – DL – 6-4 – 315 - Euless, Texas (Trinity HS/Copiah-Lincoln CC/Texas)
Comes to Mizzou as a junior and has two years of eligibility remaining … A three-star junior college prospect by all the major recruiting services … Rated as the nation's No. 45 junior college prospect according to Rivals.com … ESPN.com rates him as the nation's No. 31 junior college prospect and the No. 4 DT at the junior college level … Redshirted in his lone year at Texas before transferring to Copiah-Lincoln CC … Unanimous Defensive Player of the Year in District 7-6A as a senior at Trinity High School ... Two-time all-district honoree ... Named second-team 6A All-State by the Texas Sports Writers Association … Selected to the "2016 Texas' Best" by Dave Campbell's Texas Football … Chosen second-team All-Area and the No. 12 recruit in North Texas by the Dallas Morning News … Placed No. 19 in the Austin American-Statesman's Fab 55 … Tabbed a Top 50 prospect in Texas by the Waco Tribune … Rated No. 121 nationally (No. 14 DT) and No. 17 overall in Texas by ESPN … Ranked No. 146 nationally (No. 17 DT) and No. 4 DT in Texas by Scout … Rated No. 212 nationally (No. 18 DT) and No. 29 overall in Texas by Rivals … Ranked No. 421 nationally (No. 33 DT) and No. 59 overall in Texas by 247Sports … Recorded 61 tackles, nine tackles for loss and four sacks as a senior … Part of a defense that allowed just 18.7 points per game, including two shutouts against Haltom and Richland … The defense allowed only 297.0 yards per game, including 124.5 rushing yards and 172.5 passing yards … Helped Trinity to a 10-1 overall record, including a 6-0 district mark and championship, and an appearance in the 6A Division I district playoffs where they fell by three points after an undefeated regular season in 2015 … Named a 2015 area Player to Watch by the Dallas Morning News … Chosen preseason district defensive MVP by Dave Campbell's Texas Football … Selected first-team All-District 7-6A in 2014 … Recorded 45 tackles and seven sacks as a junior … Part of a defense that limited opponents 15.6 points per game, including back-to-back shutouts against Heritage and Haltom and six games of 10 points or fewer … Primary recruiter: Brick Haley … Chose Mizzou over offers from Georgia and Minnesota.
Luke Griffin – OL – 6-5 – 310 – Chatsworth, Ga. – (North Murray)
Has all of the intangibles from a size and strength standpoint that make him an intriguing offensive line prospect … A three-star prospect by all the major recruiting services and 247Sports.com has him rated as the nation's No. 41 offensive tackle … Overcame a pair of knee injuries to put together an outstanding senior season during which he graded out at better than 90 percent … All-Area selection as a freshman in 2015, grading out at 88 percent of the year while also adding 18 tackles, two sacks and two tackles for loss on defense … Played both sides of the ball at North Murray, seeing time along the interior of the defensive line … Also a standout basketball player at North Murray … Primary recruiter: Brad Davis … Chose Mizzou over offers from Georgia, Alabama, Indiana, Kentucky, Nebraska, Vanderbilt, Mississippi State, Minnesota and Appalachian State, among others … Cited an opportunity to play in the SEC and his overall positive impressions of Mizzou's campus, Columbia and the Tiger coaching staff during his official visit, as key reasons for his commitment.
Aidan Harrison – Nickel – 6-3 – 180 – New Lothrop, Mich. (New Lothrop)
A three-star recruit by all the major recruiting services … Division 7-8 Player of the Year after a standout season playing on both sides of the ball as a senior … Division 7-8 Michigan All-State First-Team selection as well … All-Area and Dream Team defense member according to MLive.com … Posted 1,144 all-purpose yards offensively, lining up at wideout and running back, and led the team with 25 touchdowns as a senior … Rushed for 766 yards and 17 of his 25 scores … Had 479 yards and eight TDs through the air as he possesses elite ball skills … In the Division 7 State Championship game he posted a pair of touchdowns, coming on a 34-yard run and a 96-yard kick return … Had four touchdowns in a 51-22 win in the state semifinals … Did not allow a reception during his entire senior season on the defensive side of the ball … Guided New Lothrop to a Division 7 State Championship as a senior, doing so showing great toughness while playing through a broken hand … New Lothrop finished the season 13-1 en route to the state championship … Competed in track & field at New Lothrop … Played at nearby Flushing High School as a junior and posted 235 rushing yards on 16 carries while racking up 26 tackles (20 solo) with a pair of interceptions … Primary recruiter: Brian Odom … Chose Mizzou over offers from Ball State, Buffalo, Iowa State and Western Michigan.
Niko Hea – TE – 6-5 – 220 – St. Louis, Mo. (Christian Brothers College HS)
(Name pronounced NEE-coe HAY) A three-star recruit by 247Sports.com … Named First-Team All-MCC … Helped CBC to a Class 6 State Championship in 2018, its second consecutive state title … The team defeated Rockhurst, 45-21, in the final, wrapping up a 12-1 season … He caught five passes for 117 yards and a score in the game … In the state semifinal against Joplin, He caught four passes for 117 yards and two scores … Finished his senior season with 43 catches for 814 yards (18.9 avg.) with 12 touchdowns … Broke the 100-yard mark three times, including twice in the state playoffs … Helped CBC to a 13-1 record during his junior season with the only loss coming to out-of-state Christian Brothers (Memphis), as the team went 13-0 against in-state teams …Team was a combined 25-2 over his junior and season seasons … As a junior, he hauled in 12 catches for 138 yards and two scores … Holds offers from 16 different schools … Primary recruiter: Garrick McGee … Chose Mizzou over offers from Air Force, Bowling Green, Dartmouth, Illinois State, Missouri State, Northern Iowa, South Dakota, Western Illinois, Yale and Illinois State, among others.
Martez Manuel – DB – 6-1 – 185 – Columbia, Mo. (Rock Bridge)
A three-star recruit by all the major services and is a hometown product from Columbia's Rock Bridge High School … First-Team All-State defensive back as a senior and earned All-District honors as well … Guided Rock Bridge to a 9-3 record and an appearance in the District Championship game as a senior … Led the team with 112 total tackles, six tackles for loss, three interceptions and five forced fumbles a senior … Also tallied four receiving touchdowns and two kick return scores during his senior season … Posted 83 tackles, eight pass breakups and a team-high five interceptions as a junior, earning All-Area honors from the Columbia Daily Tribune … Part of the state champion 800m relay and 1600m relay team … Showed off his athleticism in track & field by earning state runner up honors in the 300m hurdles and a third-place finish in the 110m hurdles … Primary recruiters: Ryan Walters, A.J. Ofodile … Chose Mizzou over offers from Iowa State, Michigan State, Missouri State, Bowling Green, Indiana State, Southern Illinois and Wyoming, among others … Praised Mizzou's coaching staff and their approach to molding young men as a key reason for his commitment, along with opportunity to represent his hometown at the state's flagship institution … Also mentioned his relationship with defensive coordinator Ryan Walters along the recruiting trail as key reason for signing with Mizzou.
Maurice Massey – WR – 6-3 – 180 – St. Louis, Mo. (Kirkwood)
Athletic playmaker who is a threat in the open field due to a long, athletic frame … Made an impact all over the field in high school, playing receiver and defensive back while returning kicks and punts … A three-star recruit by the major recruiting services and ranked as the No. 5 player in the state of Missouri by Rivals.com … Posted 57 catches for 961 yards and 14 touchdowns as a senior while also returning 19 kicks for 435 yards (22.9 average) with one TD … Was the team's punt returner as well and posted 16 tackles and three interceptions on the defensive side of the ball … As a junior, he was named All-Conference, All-District and All-Metro at wide receiver … Tallied 964 receiving yards on 54 catches with a team-high 10 touchdowns as a junior … He also tallied four interceptions while playing on the defensive side of the ball and posted a pair of kick return touchdowns … Primary recruiter: A.J. Ofodile … Chose Mizzou over offers from 21 different programs, including Arizona, Boston College, Illinois, Iowa, Iowa State, Kansas, Kentucky, North Carolina, Oregon and Nebraska, among others … Said he had a tremendous amount of trust with the Mizzou coaching staff and credited the staff with taking time to get to know him personally during his recruitment as the key reasons for his commitment.
Isaiah McGuire – DL – 6-5 – 260 – Tulsa, Okla. (Union HS)
A three-star recruit by Rivals.com and 247Sports.com … ESPN.com does not yet have a rating for him … Rated as the No. 12 defensive end prospect in the state of Oklahoma by Rivals.com … Guided Union to a Oklahoma Class 6A-I State Semifinal game … All-District selection in 2018 by the Tulsa World … Late bloomer who grew tremendously in his last two years … Ranked No. 13 in the Daily Oklahoman's Super 30 Rankings after a breakout senior season … Also participated in track & field at Union … Turned the heads of Mizzou's coaching staff with an impressive performance at the Night at the Zou camp … Primary recruiter: Brian Odom … Chose Mizzou over offers from Tulsa, Abilene Christian, Missouri State, Northeastern State and Pittsburg State and had interest from Oklahoma State, Georgia Tech and Utah.
Jonathan Nance – WR – 6-0 – 190 – Gulfport, Miss. (Gulf Coast CC/Arkansas)
Comes to Mizzou as a graduate transfer from Arkansas and will have one year of eligibility remaining … Did not play in 2018 … In 2017, played 11 games with six starts during his junior season at Arkansas … Led the team in receptions (37), receiving yards (539) and receiving touchdowns (five) … Rushed five times for 62 yards, including a season-long 40-yard run … Longest reception was 54 yards … Had touchdown receptions of 49, 44, 34 and 31 yards … Average length of his five touchdowns was a stunning 32.2 yards … Had a catch in all 11 games and at least five receptions twice … Led the team in 20-plus yard catches (nine) … Tied for 10th in the SEC in receptions of 40 or more yards (4) … Converted 19 receptions into first downs … Led the team in receiving yards in four games … Posted two 100-yard receiving games … Five receiving touchdowns came in a four-game span from No. 23 TCU (Sept. 9) through South Carolina … Had one multi-touchdown reception game … Became the first Razorback with five TD receptions after the first five games of a season since Jarius Wright in 2011 (five) … Played football at Gulfport (Miss.) High School where he was teammates with current Mizzou WR Richaud Floyd … In high school, he was a Sun Herald All-South Mississippi Football Team honoree and also played in the Bernard Blackwell All-Star Classic … Named first-team All-Area and first-team All-Region as a junior and senior, while earning second-team All-State accolades as a senior … Two-time All-Region 4-6A selection … Totaled 63 receptions for 743 yards and six touchdowns as a senior … Over 30 games at Gulfport High School, he scored 16 touchdowns, including 14 through the air, while totaling over 1,500 yards receiving … Recorded 60 tackles, including six tackles for loss and a pair of interceptions … Boomed a 55-yard punt with under two minutes to play after starting punter got hurt … Signed with Southern Mississippi out of high school and enrolled early in January of 2015 before transferring to Mississippi Gulf Coast … Primary recruiter: A.J. Ofodile … Chose Mizzou over offers from Auburn, Mississippi State and North Carolina.
Devin Nicholson – LB – 6-3 – 205 – Detroit, Mich. (Cass Tech High School)
A three-star prospect by both Rivals.com and 247Sports.com and rated as the No. 29 prospect at any position in the state of Michigan … Named PSL All-City as a senior … Earned Cass Tech's Most Valuable Player Award following his senior season … Helped Cass Tech to a 2018 Detroit Public School League Championship with a perfect 9-0 record … Team finished 10-1 on the year, advancing to the second round of the state playoffs … Led by Nicholson, Cass Tech's defense allowed just 8.2 points per game in 2018, posting five shutouts … During the regular season, Cass Tech allowed just 4.7 points per game and allowed double-digit points just once … Primary recruiter: A.J. Ofodile … Chose Mizzou over offers from Ball State, Akron, Eastern Michigan, Indiana State, Iowa State, Toledo and Youngstown State, among others.
Jamie Pettway – LB – 6-2 – 234 – Albany, Ga. (Westover)
A four-star prospect at linebacker according to 247Sports.com … 247Sports.com had him listed as the nation's No. 26 inside linebacker … Rivals.com rates him as a three-star prospect and the nation's No. 21 inside linebacker … ESPN.com rated him as a three-star prospect … Has the great blend of size, strength and speed that coaches covet at linebacker … Named All-Region 1-AAAA and was the region's Defensive Player of the Year as a senior according to the league's coaches … Finished his high school career as a four-year contributor, totaling 182 total tackles, including 5.5 sacks, three interceptions and two forced fumbles … As a senior, he posted 76 total tackles (8.4 per game) with 2.0 sacks and two interceptions, including a 25-yard pick-six … Also played basketball and competed in track & field at Westover … Primary recruiters: Brick Haley, Vernon Hargreaves … Chose Mizzou over offers from Georgia Tech, Louisville, Tennessee, Vanderbilt, Old Miss, Pitt, South Carolina, Wake Forest, Colorado State, ECU, Maryland, Memphis, Troy and Tulane, among others.
Darius Robinson – DL – 6-6 -250 – Canton, Mich. (Canton)
A three-star recruit by all the major recruiting services who ranks as highly as the nation's No. 39 strongside defensive end by Rivals.com … 247Sports.com rates him as the nation's No. 50 strongside defensive end and the No. 17 prospect in talent-rich Michigan … Guided Canton to a state playoff appearance as a senior … Captain of his team as a senior and saw time at defensive tackle, outside linebacker and tight end … Was primarily a basketball player while enrolled at Canton Prep before transferring to Canton HS to focus on football as a junior, his first year of organized football … Primary recruiter: A.J. Ofodile … Chose Mizzou over offers from 24 schools, including Colorado, Michigan, Minnesota, Ball State, Boston College, Central Michigan, Cincinnati, Iowa state, Maryland, Michigan State, Purdue, Rutgers, Syracuse, Virginia, Indiana and Wisconsin, among others.
Shawn Robinson – QB – 6-2 -225 – DeSoto, Texas (DeSoto HS / TCU)
Former four-star recruit at quarterback who spent his last two seasons at TCU … In 2018, played in seven games as TCU's starting quarterback before missing the final five with a shoulder injury to his non-throwing … Completed 124-of-204 passes (60.8 percent) for 1,334 yards and nine touchdowns … Prior to the injury, led TCU to a 17-14 win over Iowa State as he completed 21-of-29 passes for 182 yards and a touchdown … In 2017, played in six games, including starting in a win over Texas Tech ... Completed 13-for-27 passes for 184 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions on the season ... Added 159 rushing yards on 23 carries ... In his start at Texas Tech, a 27-3 TCU win, he completed 6-of-17 passes for 85 yards and a touchdown ... Also rushed for 84 yards on 10 carries against the Red Raiders ... Threw two touchdowns in his first career game, against Jackson State … Four-star recruit by 247Sports.com ... Named the 2016-17 Gatorade Texas Player of the Year ... Selected to play in the U.S. Army All-American Bowl ... Ranked as the No. 2 dual-threat quarterback recruit in Texas and No. 7 in the nation ... Listed by Scout.com as the No. 19 overall player in Texas and No. 116 nationally ... Threw for 3,416 yards and 28 touchdowns and ran for 1,439 yards and 19 touchdowns in leading DeSoto to its first state championship in 2016 ... Selected as the Offensive Most Valuable Player in the title game ... Named the District 5-6A Co-Offensive MVP as a junior at Denton Guyer High School ... Recorded 79 total touchdowns during his two years there ... Named District 5-6A Overall MVP in 2014 ... Garnered AP and Texas Sportswriters Association (TSWA) Class 6A hon. men. all-state honors as a sophomore … Primary recruiter: Derek Dooley.
Thalen Robinson – OL – 6-7 – 315 – Arlington, Texas (Bowie)
Aggressive offensive line prospect who has the size and frame needed to develop into an elite player in the trenches … Three-star recruit by all the major services … First-Team All-District as a senior … Rated as the No. 1 offensive lineman in the Dallas-Fort Worth area by the Star-Telegram … Honorable mention All-District selection as a junior, helping pave the way for Bowie to rush for 185 yards per game … Primary recruiter: Brad Davis … Selected Mizzou over offers from Colorado State, SMU, Texas State, Tulane, Virginia and Washington State, among others … Cited Mizzou's great atmosphere surrounding the football program and the campus as key reasons for his commitment … Also said he wanted a chance to play in the nation's premier college football conference in the SEC … Developed a great relationship with OL coach Brad Davis during his recruitment as well.
Chris Shearin – CB – 5-11 – 187 – Suffolk, Va. (King's Fork HS / IMG Academy [Bradenton, Fla.])
A three-star recruit by all the major recruiting services … Played in five games for IMG, posting 12 tackles, one interception and five passes defended, helping one of the nation's premier training academies to a 7-1 record and a No. 3 national rank … Played at King's Fork HS (Va.) before moving to IMG Academy … Was a First-Team All-Tidewater selection as a junior at King's Fork, tallying four interceptions while leading the team to an 11-2 record, the best mark in school history … Team earned a share of the Southeastern District Championship and played in the Class 4 Region A Championship game … Primary recruiter: Ryan Walters … Chose Mizzou over offers from Colorado State, East Carolina, NC State, Rutgers, Syracuse, Temple, Virginia and Western Kentucky, among others.
Anthony Watkins – ATH – 6-0 – 200 – Fort Worth, Texas (South Hills)
Athletic, versatile prospect who played all over the field during his time at South Hills High School, garnering All-State honors at multiple positions … Tabbed as a four-star recruit and the nation's No. 34 prospect at running back according to ESPN … A three-star prospect according to Rivals.com and 247Sports.com … As a senior, he rushed for 2,601 yards on just 295 carries over 10 games (8.8 yards per carry and 260.1 per game) … Scored 34 rushing touchdowns and had nine games with more than 100 yards … Added five catches for 140 yards and a score … All-State pick on both offense and defense and was the Class 7-5A Offensive Player of the Year as a junior … Rushed for 1,600 yards and 28 touchdowns while playing quarterback, corner and safety while also returning kicks for South Hills … Honorable mention All-State pick as a junior … Third-Team Utility Defense by the Texas Sports Writers Association … Star-Telegram First-Team All-Star … South Hills went 10-1 during his junior season and he helped the team to back-to-back district titles … Finished his high school career with more than 4,000 career rushing yards and averaged 9.2 yards per carry with 61 career touchdowns … Also competed in track & field and basketball … Rated as the No. 5 running back prospect in the Dallas-Fort Worth area by the Star-Telegram … Primary recruiter: Cornell Ford … Chose Mizzou over offers from Baylor, UMass, New Mexico, New Mexico State, North Texas, Texas Tech and Tulane, among others … Cited a chance to play in the nation's premier college football conference, the SEC, as a key reason for signing with Mizzou.
Jalani Williams – DB – 6-2 – 170 – St. Louis, Mo. (Parkway North)
An ESPN Top 300 prospect, checking in at No. 288 nationally and as the nation's No. 21 prospect at safety … A four-star recruit according to ESPN, Rivals.com and 247Sports.com … Rivals rates him as the nation's No. 19 prospect at safety and the No. 4 prospect from the state of Missouri … First-Team All-State pick at safety following his senior season … MCC Defensive Player of the Year as a senior … First-Team All-Conference and Elite Team DB as a senior … Posted 102 total tackles, 2.0 tackles for loss and recovered a fumble as a senior … As a junior, he posted 61 tackles, 3.0 tackles for loss and two interceptions … Primary recruiters: Ryan Walters, Cornell Ford … Had more than 20 FBS offers and chose Mizzou over offers from Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Clemson, Florida State, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Iowa State, Louisville, Memphis, Minnesota, Nebraska, Norte Dame, Ohio State, Oklahoma, Oregon, Penn State, Syracuse, UCLA and Wisconsin, among others … Signs to play at Mizzou alongside Parkway North teammate WR C.J. Boone … Mizzou was his first official offer and he cited his tremendous relationship with defensive coordinator Ryan Walters and head coach Barry Odom as a key reason for his commitment.
Players Mentioned
