Entering 2024, Mizzou has over 70% of its production coming back including eight starters on offense and five on defense.
The Tigers also made some moves in the transfer portal and have some quality players on their depth chart.
It's time to see what five players can be the X-factor players for the Tigers and really elevate a position or role on the team.
Speedy Johnson
It didn't take long for Marquis "Speedy" Johnson to show how valuable he is to the team. The speedster played in only 102 snaps in 13 games but recorded 13 receptions for 383 yards and three touchdowns.
The legacy Tiger would finish as Mizzou's highest-graded offensive player on PFF with a grade of 89.7.
Those are excellent numbers for a freshman, but what Johnson did opening up spacing on the field and having defenses gravitate toward him was almost as important as what he did with the ball in his hands.
Luther Burden III, Theo Wease and Mookie Cooper will be the starters at receiver. However, Johnson will certainly push for more snaps as he develops his route tree and gets another year of experience.
Brett Norfleet
Is it possible to have back-to-back breakout seasons? If so, tight end Brett Norfleet may fit the mold. The 6-foot-7, 235-pounder played in 12 games last season and by the midway point in the season he was the starter.
He provided decent blocking in the run game but also helped open up the offense as a receiving threat recording 18 receptions for 197 yards and three touchdowns. Those numbers eclipse what the tight end room did in 2022 with 10 receptions for 102 yards and two touchdowns.
Since defenses knew the tight end was almost a non-factor in 2022, many assumed it might be in 2023 and Norfleet changed that narrative. Now, defenses have to use a linebacker or safety on Norfleet which means that is one less player who can be used to stop someone else.
Norfleet's frame and hands may allow him to become a bigger red zone threat and could lead to Mizzou improving on its third-ranked red zone offense that finished with more field goals than it would've liked.
Marvin Burks
Like Johnson and Norfleet, Marvin Burks was another freshman who made an immediate impact. The team's highest-rated recruit in the class of 2023 recorded 16 tackles, one tackle for loss, a sack and a fumble recovery in 13 games last year.
The starting free safety spot was left vacant after Jaylon Carlies left for the NFL Draft and Tre'Vez Johnson may get the start at free safety over Burks. The former Florida Gator played well last season and played 315 snaps more than Burks, but the team is really high on Burks.
He has the tools to play deep or in the box and whether he starts or not he will be playing starter-like snaps like Johnson did in 2023.
Ja'Marion Wayne
This may be a bit of a wild card but if it works out, then Ja'Marion Wayne fits the definition of an X-Factor.
The 6-foot-2, 195-pounder began his career in 2022 as a safety, playing seven snaps that year before moving over to wide receiver last year and playing one snap at the position. For the third time in three seasons, Wayne is on the move again but this time at cornerback.
It appeared during spring ball Wayne flashed the most at this position with cornerbacks coach Al Pogue mentioning how close Wayne is to being a contributor for the team.
"He's ideal, prototypical from a size-wise," Pogue said. "(He's) big, he's strong, he's physical. He's athletic, and more importantly, his competitive character is really high. He's such a delight to be around and work with. One day it's going to be his time and I'm going to drop the leash on him and say, 'I told you guys, I told you.' But I'm excited to work with that kid and to continue to watch him and help him grow, so he can reach his full potential and help us win a lot of football games."
Behind Drey Norwood, Toriano Pride and Marcus Clarke the experience in the cornerback room is almost nothing. Shamar McNeil played in 16 defensive snaps last year but after him, Nic DeLoach, Cameron Keys, Trajen Greco and Jaren Sensabaugh haven't played yet.
Wayne's conversion to cornerback is a project and one of the younger players may usurp him and take over the vacant CB4 role. However, if Wayne develops and has a strong fall camp then Mizozu has an athletic and long player it can use in a reserve role.
Williams Nwaneri
Another huge wild card is five-star freshman defensive end Williams Nwaneri. At 6-foot-6 and 265 pounds, Nwaneri is already built for the SEC. He will play this year. How much he plays is up to him.
The nation's eighth overall player in the class of 2024 joins four-star signee Elias Williams and three-star signee Jaylen Brown as new players in the EDGE room, and EDGE coach Brian Early said in the spring he thinks one or two of them could be contributors this fall.
"Just watching the three signees, (I've) been really impressed with the quality that we were able to sign here at that defensive end position," Early said. "All three of those guys are prototypical measurable body types. All three of them have really impressive high school tape. (I'm) excited to get our hands on them. (I) would not be shocked if one or two of them weren't able to help us this fall. Just from what I've already seen on the high school tape and where their floor is, if that makes sense."
The depth chart behind DE1 Johnny Walker is unclear. Zion Young, Eddie Kelly, Darris Smith and Joe Moore will all figure into the rotation somehow. The order is yet to be determine So, it's possible (and probably likely) that Nwaneri, Williams and Brown redshirt but Nwaneri is the only one of the three freshmen we're almost certain will get a chance to play.
If he can break into the rotation that already seems to be five deep, then the Tigers have another playmaker in their hands. If he redshirts or doesn't play a snap, they're still in a good place.
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