Welcome to Four Down Territory where I’ll give you three thoughts on Missouri football or college football in general. Then, the last thought will be whatever I want it to be.
1. To start the preseason superlatives, the most improved players of the 2024 season will be cornerback Nic Deloach and wide receiver Joshua Manning.
This feels like completing the third level of a video game. The offseason, particularly from the end of spring ball to right before SEC Media Days, is the first level. The second level is SEC Media Days and now we're finally entering the fourth level, which is the start of the regular season. We won't get to the fifth level until Week 6 when Mizzou goes to Texas A&M.
The home game versus Vanderbilt is the start of league play, but honestly, most people have grouped Mizzou's first four games in the season into the same bucket.
So, back to fall camp. There have been some high risers, steady climbers and stuff in between. Let's see who fits in what category beginning with the high risers and my picks for the most improved players.
For defense, it has to be cornerback Nic DeLoach. In a year, he went from a freshman who was learning a new position and redshirting to possibly a starting cornerback on a top-11 team. The team brought in Toriano Pride to seemingly feel that CB2 role and he still might start the season, but the fact that he split first-team reps with DeLoach throughout camp says DeLoach at the very least, will have a heavy role in the defense.
On top of that, during his presser a week or so ago, DeLoach said that he enjoys guarding Daniel Blood because it's hard to do. Blood is a slot receiver. So, if DeLoach, at 6-foot and 175 pounds can play the slot and the boundary corner his role got that much bigger.
Pride played almost exclusively the boundary last year for Clemson. DeLoach has to be the highest riser because coming into camp it seemed like the CB3 job was Marcus Clarke's job and now DeLoach's floor is CB3.
Offensively, as the days went on in camp, it became evident that Joshua Manning had ascended the depth chart. How much he ascended is anyone's guess when he's in a receiver room that has its top seven players (including Manning) returning to the position. He likely won't be WR6 or lower and if he is, he will get more offensive snaps then what a WR6 may get on a different team.
Thirty-three offensive snaps were his total as a freshman. At the least, he doubles that. Every day it seemed like a new player or coach was talking about how well Manning was doing. During the team's second scrimmage, he had six receptions for 100 yards and two touchdowns.
He's a solid route runner, has good hands and has been working on contested catches and jump balls. Know what that sounds like? Sounds like another Theo Wease type of player.
Wease came in and balled out as the No. 2 wide receiver last year so if Manning is in that mold, the Tigers have a good thing going with Manning.
2. I believe safety Marvin Burks will most likely be the Breakout Player of the Year while left tackle Marcus Bryant and Cayden Green will most likely be Newcomers of the Year.
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