Ennis Rakestraw is headed to the NFL Draft
The offseason carousel started spinning well before Mizzou's 14-3 win over Ohio State in the Cotton Bowl on Friday night. But with the last game of the season now over, the consequential roster movement will really begin.
On Saturday morning, cornerback Ennis Rakestraw started that movement when he declared for the NFL Draft. Rakestraw, a redshirt sophomore, has two years of eligibility remaining if he'd have chosen to use them. Instead, the Dallas native will take his shot at the next level.
Rakestraw became a Mizzou fan favorite before he even hit campus. His commitment to Eli Drinkwitz in February of 2020 was one of the new Missouri coach's first big recruiting victories and also his first viral social media moment.
Rakestraw played all ten games as a true freshman in the COVID-shortened 2020 season. Injuries forced him to redshirt in 2021, but he started all 13 games for the Tigers in 2022. Playing opposite all-American Kris Abrams-Draine in 2023, Rakestraw had 35 tackles, four passes defended and a forced fumble in nine games. He missed Mizzou's last four games with a groin injury.
The next few months will now be about getting healthy and getting in shape for the NFL Draft Combine. Rakestraw has made some waves in draft circles this season, with Matt Miller from ESPN even calling him a first-round darkhorse. At 6-foot, 188 pounds, he has the size and physicality NFL teams look for at cornerback.
Rakestraw is the first Tiger to officially declare he won't be back next season. Chuck Hicks, Joseph Charleston and Mookie Cooper have all said they're returning for 2024. Other players with eligibility left who have decisions to make are Theo Wease, Kristian Williams, Jaylon Carlies, Abrams-Draine and Ty'Ron Hopper. Mizzou is also losing Javon Foster, Xavier Delgado, Cody Schrader, Darius Robinson and Jayden Jernigan, among others, who are out of eligibility.
The reshaping of the roster for 2024 is already well underway. Mizzou has added seven players in the transfer portal and seen 11 transfer out. The portal remains open through January 2. You can follow all of Mizzou's transfer activity here.
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