Davis kicks off 2017 class

Kansas City Hogan Prep athlete DaRon Davis is the first member of Missouri's 2017 recruiting class. Davis visited Columbia for the 31-13 loss to Mississippi State on Thursday night and confirmed to PowerMizzou.com that he committed after the game.

"Yes sir, I have committed," Davis wrote in a text message.

Davis has early offers from Missouri and Kansas, but is attracting attention from programs across the Midwest. He is ranked as the No. 3 player in the state in Rivals.com's initial early look at the 2017 Missouri rankings. While he has nearly 15 months before he will sign a National Letter of Intent, Davis isn't waiting around on the recruiting process.

"My conversation with DaRon was when you know and you have your mind made up, make your commitment no matter who it's with. Don't draw out the process. If you know you're going to be a Tiger, commit," Hogan Prep coach Phil Lascuola said. "Once you make that commitment, his dad and me are on the same page, live up to your commitment. If you can't live up to your commitment, don't make the commitment."

Davis made that pledge on Thursday night. Lascuola said he played "everywhere but offensive line" for the Rams, but he expects the Tigers will start Davis out at wide receiver.

"I'm pretty confident just knowing about their prototype I'm going to guess receiver. That's kind of what they've hinted to," Lascuola said. "Their running backs are usually a little shorter and stockier. They usually don't have 6-2 RB, but that could change. I don't want to put words in their mouths, but I'm guessing receiver."

That's something Davis can do. Lascuola estimated he had more than 500 yards receiving as a junior at Hogan Prep, to go with more than 1,500 rushing yards. The coach didn't have stats in front of him, but said he thought Davis scored 22 or 23 touchdowns.

"Shoot I mean there's so many of them," Lascuola said of Davis' strengths. "I'd say he's durable, huge vertical jump, his hands, he does a really good job catching the ball, knows what to do after he catches the ball. He has everything you can't coach."

That includes a good foundation off the field.

"Good kid, good set of parents behind him helping him make right decisions, no off the field issues. He's a kid you could always count on to be there when you need him."

PowerMizzou.com will continue to try to reach Davis for his thoughts on making his college choice.

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