Mizzou camp preview: Wide receivers
On Sept. 1, Missouri will kick off the third season in the Eli Drinkwitz era with a home matchup against Louisiana Tech. The entire month before then will be used to prepare for a campaign that feels like it could go a long way toward defining Drinkwitz's Missouri tenure.
Fall camp, the official start of full-time practices, will begin Aug. 1. Each day between now and then, we will get fans set for camp by breaking down the Tiger roster one position at a time. In today's preview, we take a look at a position that has inspired a lot of optimism heading into the 2022 campaign in the wide receivers.
The Starters
Most of the hype around the Missouri receiving corps has resulted from a pair of young, local prospects in Dominic Lovett and Luther Burden III. We'll get to them. But don't forget about senior Tauskie Dove. Dove led Missouri with 576 receiving yards a season ago, and he's probably the safest bet of the bunch to start on Sept. 1. Dove isn't a burner, but he's proven to be effective making contested catches in traffic.
We're guessing he will be joined in the starting lineup by Lovett and Burden. Burden likely doesn't need an introduction. The No. 5 prospect in the nation in 2022, Burden represented a massive recruiting win for Drinkwitz when he picked Missouri over Georgia and Alabama. He put up ridiculous numbers at East St. Louis high, catching 71 passes for 1,190 yards and 23 touchdowns. He also scored once as a rusher and 10 times as a return man. While some of the expectations for Burden might have gotten a little out of whack, we still expect him to take the field with the starters against Louisiana Tech and Drinkwitz to manufacture ways to get the ball in his hands.
Lovett also came to Missouri from East St. Louis a year prior to Burden. He showed some flashes a season ago, catching 26 passes for 173 yards on the season, but struggled a bit with consistency. However, he seems to have found a home in the slot during the offseason. Lovett looked dynamic during the Black and Gold game, racking up 127 scrimmage yards and a touchdown. If he can provide a consistent big-play threat, the entire Missouri offense would benefit.
The Backups
For the first time in a while, Missouri appears to have some legitimate depth at receiver. A pair of players will push Lovett in the slot in Mookie Cooper and Barrett Banister. The speedy Cooper, who started his college career at Ohio State, offered glimpses of his ability during his first season as a Tiger, like when he caught three passes for 72 yards and a touchdown against South Carolina, but he was limited by a foot injury for much of last season. Like Lovett, he has the ability to turn a routine play into a big gain when he's healthy. Banister, meanwhile, may be less flashy, but he always seems to carve out a role. The sixth-year senior has caught more passes in a Missouri uniform than anyone else on the roster, and he's been especially reliable as a chain-mover on third downs.
On the outside, the top option off the bench will likely be Chance Luper. The son of running backs coach Curtis Luper, he started last season strong, catching 21 passes for 203 yards and a touchdown in the first six weeks of the season, then he disappeared from the lineup. However, Luper, too, looked good in the Black and Gold game with 72 yards and a score. Missouri also added junior college transfer Demariyon Houston to the receiving room during the offseason. Houston, who started his college career at Nebraska before transferring to Hutchinson Community College, was a track star in high school. He could fill the field-stretching role of the graduated Boo Smith.
Finally, don't forget about the other true freshmen who Missouri signed alongside Burden. The coaching staff has routinely expressed excitement about Mekhi Miller and Ja'Marion Wayne. Miller might have a better chance to carve out a consistent role this season, as he participated in spring practices. Wayne brings elite athleticism to the roster, but after playing virtually every position possible other than lineman during his Parkway West high school career, he is a bit less refined as a route-runner. Still, it wouldn't come as a shock if Drinkwitz tries to find ways to get the ball into Wayne's hands a few times per game, like he did with Kris Abrams-Draine a few seasons ago.
Camp Storyline to Watch
How good is Burden, really? Yes, he routinely proved himself against high-caliber competition while at East St. Louis, but there's always an adjustment when players transition to college ball. Expectations have become higher for Burden than any true freshman since Dorial Green-Beckham 10 years ago. Can he live up to the hype? His performance in camp should start to give an indication.
PowerMizzou prediction
We feel pretty confident penciling in Dove and Burden as Week One starters. Lovett seems like the most likely option in the slot, but regardless of who starts there, look for Cooper and Banister to play consistent snaps. We're guessing Luper and Houston fill out the two-deep out wide.
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