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Columbia Daily Tribune
Here’s what Eli Drinkwitz said about Missouri football 2025 recruiting class
- Story byColumbia Daily Tribune
- Here’s what Eli Drinkwitz said about Missouri football 2025 recruiting class
All 16 verbal commits signed, and the Tigers added one more for good measure.
Every player who was committed to Missouri football entering the early signing period, which opened Wednesday and runs through Friday, officially signed for the Tigers before the clock struck noon on Wednesday. Then, later in the afternoon, Mizzou got a commitment from top 50 national prospect and four-star defensive end Javion Hilson.
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That brings the Tigers' Class of 2025 to a total of 17 players as the first day of the early signing period winds down.
Mizzou currently has the 19th-ranked class in the country, according to the recruiting service 247Sports' composite rankings. That mark is checking in at 11th in the SEC as of Wednesday evening.
MU coach Eli Drinkwitz, who has now signed four top-25 classes in the past five years, was able to talk about his next class for the first time after the 17 players had signed.
Here's what the head coach said:
What Eli Drinkwitz said about new QB Matt Zollers
Missouri 's longest-standing verbal commitment in the Class of 2025 also will be its quarterback in this cycle.
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Matt Zollers, who plays for Spring-Ford High in Pennsylvania , is the No. 74-ranked player in his class and the No. 7-ranked quarterback in this cycle. He suffered a season-ending ankle injury early in his senior campaign.
He's likely to be part of a quarterback battle with Sam Horn and Drew Pyne when camp rolls around, although Mizzou is likely to target a transfer quarterback when the portal opens Monday.
"You look at Matt's ability — toughness, both physical and mental," Drinkwitz said. "Obviously, dealing with (an ankle) injury right now, and has dealt with injuries before and been able to come back. Preparation, the amount of time he puts into knowing offense, learning offense and studying offense. Decision making with the ball in his hands, constantly makes good decisions; he's got the ability to extend plays with his feet and with his arm, and that was a really good asset that we felt like he had. He is an accurate thrower of the football. He's a leader."
Spring-Ford High School quarterback Matt Zollers at a game in the 2023 season
Running back room flips at 11th hour
Missouri's running back room looks a lot different than it did a week ago.
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Missouri flipped Kentucky commit Marquise Davis and Boise State commit Brendon Haygood on Sunday and Tuesday, respectively. Also on Tuesday, ex-Missouri commit Jamarion Morrow, a three-star prospect, flipped his pledge to Texas A&M.
"We were willing to take all three if we needed to," Drinkwitz said. "But, you know, sometimes things just work out."
But the Tigers will add two players to the room, which is set to lose its leading members in Nate Noel and Marcus Carroll at the end of the season.
"The thing I think I like the most is their complementary nature. Both of them are dynamic runners," Drinkwitz said about Davis and Haygood. "Obviously, Brendan has a tremendous amount of statistics and put up a lot of numbers. He's got dynamic speed. Marquise has got really good speed, downhill runner being able to run behind his pads. They'll be a good 'Batman and Robin' or 'thunder and lightning' from a tag-team standpoint. Both of them have an elite skillset."
Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz watches during a game against South Carolina on Nov. 13 at Faurot Field.
Javion Hilson, defensive end
Speaking of races to the finish line …
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Drinkwitz joked the recruitment of Cocoa, Florida , product Javion Hilson was "like speed dating."
Hilson, the No. 42-overall prospect in the Class of 2025 and Missouri's top-ranked signing, announced he was committing to Mizzou on Wednesday afternoon, becoming the 17th player to sign for the Tigers.
The edge rusher penned a letter to Florida Today detailing his recruitment on Tuesday. There was no mention of Missouri.
But when Wednesday rolled around … Mizzou won the marathon for his signature.
"We had a relationship there, too, just because of some previous players, and (we) had been there to watch him and evaluate him," Drinkwitz said, likely referencing Hilson's teammate Jayvan Boggs, a Cocoa wide receiver who decommitted from Mizzou in the summer. "But it really became real because of some connections that (defensive ends coach Brian Early) had to some of the mentors. And when (Hilson) got on campus, I think Coach Early did an excellent job of showing him the depth chart, the opportunity to play the combination of him, Williams (Nwaneri), Jaylen (Brown), Zion (Young), Jakhai (Lang), (which) I think got everybody really excited about what we can do.
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"That's a position that has proven in the SEC that you come in and play early, and especially with what some other people have done as freshmen in this conference, I think he saw an opportunity to leave his mark on one of the best conferences in college football."
Javion Hilson of Cocoa chases down Newberry ballcarrier Jamarcus Wimberly during the FHSAA Class 2A Region 2 finals, Friday, November 29, 2024. Craig Bailey/FLORIDA TODAY via USA TODAY NETWORK
Jack Lange, offensive lineman
Jack Lange was the top-ranked prospect in Missouri this season, and for the second straight year the top-ranked Show-Me State native is staying home.
"I was able to go watch Eureka play this year and just watch him as he comes off the ball," Drinkwitz said. "Very good pad level, knee bent, hands inside. You know, he's going to have to learn the other side of pass protection. But with (offensive line coach Brandon Jones') ability to teach, I feel very confident that'll be good. And I think Jack's very excited about going against the best."
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Trio of wide receivers
Mizzou will have three wide receivers joining the team as freshmen next season, with four-star prospect Donovan Olugbode, three-star signee Shaun Terry and late-cycle Pittsburgh flip DaMarion Fowlkes coming to CoMo.
Terry and Olugbode will be early enrollees, Drinkwitz said.
"'Scary' Terry, Shaun Terry, is dynamic with the ball in his hands. An elite punt returner," Drinkwitz said. "You know, we're very fortunate to get him. I think he comes in and helps us with a need that we automatically had. Donovan is a strong, physical wide receiver who's in and out of breaks. He's got long speed but also short area quickness. Contested catches are what he does really well.
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"I think (Fowlkes) is a good route runner. Ball in his hands, creates explosives. Obviously, we'll have to figure out where each one of them plays, and what (wide receivers coach Jacob Peeler) does with them when they get here."
This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: What Eli Drinkwitz said about Missouri football 2025 recruiting class
