Beckner explains decision
EAST ST. LOUIS, IL--The crown jewel is in place. East Saint Louis defensive lineman Terry Beckner Jr. committed to the Missouri Tigers this morning in a ceremony at his high school.
The nation's No. 36 player, Beckner took an official visit to Mizzou last weekend, following trips to Florida State, Auburn and Ohio State. He chose Missouri over the other three in a ceremony carried live on national television.
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"I just felt comfortable there," he said, wearing a #DLineZOU t-shirt with the No. 79 that many Mizzou students displayed during his official visit there last weekend.
"I really think Mizzou's been here since his sophomore year. They've developed a great relationship with him," East St. Louis head coach Darren Sunkett said. "I just think coach Ford and coach Pinkel have done a great job over this three-year span. Terry felt comfortable there. It's not an in-state school, but it is an in-state school."
Beckner is the nation's No. 36 overall prospect and the fifth-ranked defensive tackle. He is the sixth four-star prospect in the Tigers' class and their most highly-rated recruit for the year.
Beckner, an Under Armour all-American, has been virtually silent throughout the recruiting process. He said he chose Missouri over Florida State in the end, but had not informed any of the coaching staffs of his decision before the live announcement on ESPN.
"I'll talk to them after this," Beckner said. "I figured they were watching."
Beckner is a quiet superstar and a recruiting process that went all the way to Signing Day wore not only on him, but those around him.
"The past 48 hours, it wore on me," East St. Louis head coach Sunkett said. "You got the final four schools calling you every two to five minutes, wanting to know has he committed, where do we stand? If they're calling me like that, I just know the attention he's receiving.
"I'm sure it's a big weight off his back."
No question Beckner received plenty of attention. The next step will be proving that he was worthy of it. He plans to arrive on campus this summer.
"He can be as good as he wants to be. It's tough when you play week in and week out and the competition's not up to him. One thing I found out when we were down in Orlando is the better the competition, the better Terry is gonna be," Sunkett said. "I think the biggest thing for Terry is just playing play after play. I mean his motor. On that level, you've got to have that motor that never stops. You've got to want to make every play."
Beckner is expected to be a defensive tackle, but is willing to play anywhere the Tigers ask him to.
"Outside, inside, wherever they want me," he said.
Beckner will give a boost to a 2015 recruiting class that was ranked 30th in the Rivals.com team rankings entering National Signing Day. He is Mizzou's highest-rated commitment since the Tigers landed Dorial Green-Beckham, the nation's number one prospect, in 2012.
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