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Columbia Daily Tribune
Who will be Missouri football’s most improved player in 2024? Here are 5 candidates
- Story byColumbia Daily Tribune
- Who will be Missouri football’s most improved player in 2024? Here are 5 candidates
Step right up, the new season is almost here.
Missouri football has recruited well ahead of its 2024 season, which begins with a game against Murray State on Thursday in Columbia. The Tigers hit the portal hard to plug some gaps and another top-20 recruiting class is aboard.
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But who will be the next in-house talent to take the next step?
Based on observations from fall camp and interviews with Missouri players and coaches, here are five players who could end the season as Missouri's most improved player:
More: Vote: What do you think Missouri football's record will be in 2024 season?
Josh Manning, wide receiver
Can Manning break into loaded Missouri football wideout rotation? Manning was mostly a special teams player in his freshman season. He'll take that role on again if asked, by all accounts, but there seems to be an increasingly likely chance that he'll break into the Tigers' stout rotation this season.
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At 6 foot 2, the Lee's Summit product's long frame makes him a potential backup to standout X-receiver Theo Wease Jr. Manning was frequently a talking point between his peers and coaches during preseason camp, where he flashed with some truly highlight reel catches.
Don't just take our word for it, though …
"Josh has gone up and made a ton of plays," MU quarterback Brady Cook said. "You know, 50-50 balls with Josh right now feel more like 80-20."
From left, Missouri's Will Norris, Drey Norwood, Joshua Manning and Marquis Johnson celebrate after a play during a college football game at Faurot Field on Nov. 11, 2023, in Columbia, Mo.
Chuck Hicks, linebacker
Head coach Eli Drinkwitz is typically mic'd up and communicating with his players over a loudspeaker during the team's practices, several of which had periods open for the media to observe.
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At times, it seemed like middle linebacker Chuck Hicks earned a shoutout from his head coach. Take this one from the Tigers' Aug. 9 practice, for example, shortly after Hicks broke into the backfield during a simulated drive and blew up running back Nate Noel.
"Looking like Chuck Norris," Drinkwitz's voice rang out.
Hicks, a seventh-year senior and team captain, played significant reps in 2023 and was almost always solid. He finished last season with a gaudy 11 tackles for loss and forced and recovered a fumble.
But he's in a new, bigger role now. By all accounts, Hicks has to be excellent every week for Missouri. Last year, third-round NFL Draft pick Ty'Ron Hopper was there to help. Is Hicks ready for those cleats?
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Hicks appeared to have a really impressive camp, and if that translates to the new season he'll be a major presence on a Missouri defense that needs all the experience it can get.
Brett Norfleet, tight end
Most improved? The freshman All-American? All issues are duly noted.
Here's why this is possibly the right choice for that marker: There's a chance Norfleet becomes an indispensable part of the Mizzou offense.
If the likes of Luther Burden III and Wease are demanding the express attention of opposing defenses, Norfleet could become a go-to passing option. Already standing 6 foot 6, he's reportedly bulked up 20 pounds and is up to 255, which bodes well for his utility in pass- and run-blocking plays.
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Norfleet, a Francis Howell High product, caught 18 passes for 197 yards and three touchdowns last season. That was an impressive rookie year, and it earned him freshman All-American honors from multiple outlets. But his ceiling is much, much higher. That might become evident this year.
Missouri tight end Brett Norfleet runs after a catch during a college football game at Memorial Stadium on Nov. 18, 2023, in Columbia, Mo.
Dreyden Norwood, cornerback
Missouri's coaches have sung Norwood's praises over the offseason.
The Tigers would benefit tremendously if that's not just bluster.
Norwood is entering a new phase of his career. Now, for the first time, he's a starter. Not just that … At cornerback, he's the starter.
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If Norwood can be in the ballpark of replacing the production left at the door by NFL rookies Ennis Rakestraw Jr. and Kris Abrams-Draine , Missouri's defense is going to be in a much more secure spot.
Nicholas DeLoach, a redshirt freshman at corner who did not play last season, also was considered for this role as he chases a starting spot, but Norwood gets the nod for his opportunity at year-over-year, on-field improvement.
Marquis Gracial, defensive tackle
Gracial made three relief appearances over his first two seasons with Mizzou. The St. Charles High grad stands 6-4, 325 pounds and was a four-star recruit out of high school. Now, it seems like he's getting his shot.
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"He's definitely matured in a lot of ways. … He's more bought into the program," starting defensive tackle Kristian Williams said. "He's more bought into the standard, and he just cares about winning."
Mizzou needs to fill three spots at tackle for its typical four-man rotation. Williams will reprise his starting role. Florida transfer Chris McClellan and New Mexico State transfer Sterling Webb ought to take two. Gracial, at this stage, looks almost certain to be the other.
Gracial, by size and athleticism alone, is another player with tremendous potential, and all that promise will get the chance to materialize this year.
More: Brady Cook, Luther Burden, CFP race: Bold predictions for Missouri football in 2024 season
This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: 5 players who could be Missouri football's most improved player in 2024
