Mizzou newcomers to watch at every position

Instant-impact newcomers used to be rare in college football. But like many facets of the sport, that has changed in recent years.

Thirty-two of Missouri’s scholarship players — more than one-third of the roster — have joined the team since last season. That doesn’t include a pair of potential impact walk-ons in quarterback Jack Abraham and running back Cody Schrader. And while Eli Drinkwitz did tell reporters last week that the Tigers are likely at least close to done adding to that number, he left the door open for one or two more late additions. The staff hosted former Oregon defensive tackle Kristian Williams for an official visit over the weekend.

Thus, a pivotal part of prognosticating what the 2022 Missouri team will look like come September 1 will be figuring out which newcomers will play what roles. Here, we go position by position to take a look at which newcomers could see significant playing time.

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The quarterback question mark continues to loom over Missouri’s 2022 season, and two newcomers figure to feature prominently in the competition for the starting spot. Abraham joined the roster as a walk-on in May and could be the favorite to start the season-opener against Louisiana Tech. Abraham, a seventh-year senior, has something the rest of the quarterback room lacks in starting experience. He started 27 games across three seasons at Southern Miss before transferring to Mississippi State last season but never seeing the field due to post-concussion syndrome. However, Abraham will have to beat out several other contenders for the starting spot, including true freshman Sam Horn. Horn just hit campus about two weeks ago, but Drinkwitz has consistently maintained that the four-star recruit will get every opportunity to compete for the starting job — that is, assuming he bypasses a professional baseball career. It would come as a bit of surprise if Horn is ready to take the reins for Week One, but would be much less shocking if he sees meaningful snaps at some point this season.

The second-biggest question for the Missouri offense, behind the starting quarterback, is how the Tigers will replace the production of Tyler Badie, who racked up a school record 1,604 rushing yards and 18 total touchdowns a season ago. One newcomer who figures to feature prominently in the Badie-less backfield is Stanford transfer Nathaniel Peat. Peat, a Columbia native, has the most college experience of any scholarship back on the roster, rushed for 404 yards and three touchdowns on 79 carries a season ago. Peat could also make an instant impact as a return man, as he earned all-Pac 12 first team honors as a kickoff returner each of the past two seasons.

A couple other newcomers who are at least worth keeping an eye on in the backfield are Schrader and true freshman Tavorus Jones. The staff has claimed it would like to utilize more of a committee in the backfield, and both come to Missouri with impressive credentials. Jones racked up huge numbers for Burgess high school in Texas, accumulating 2,270 yards from scrimmage and 26 touchdowns in 11 games. Schrader led all of Division II in rushing yards (2,074) and rushing touchdowns (25) a season ago.

This will surprise no one, but if there’s one true freshman who fans can expect to play a significant role in 2022, it’s Luther Burden III. The former five-star recruit arrived on campus in January and showed his playmaking ability during the spring game, when he logged 96 total yards and a touchdown. It would come as a surprise if Burden isn’t in the starting lineup on Sept. 1.

No position underwent a more drastic offseason overhaul than the tight end room. Missouri not only lost its tight ends coach in Casey Woods but also saw Daniel Parker Jr. and Messiah Swinson hit the transfer portal while Niko Hea medically retired. Thus, the Tigers don’t have a tight end on the roster who has caught a pass in a Missouri uniform. As a result, look for Buffalo transfer Tyler Stephens to fill the void and likely start. The 6-foot-6 target caught 15 passes for 157 yards and a touchdown last season.

The offensive line remains perhaps the most difficult position to forecast, with position battles looming at most of the five spots. Right tackle and center appear to be the most likely positions where a newcomer could make an instant impact. At center, another Buffalo transfer will likely have a solid chance to win the starting spot in Bence Polgar. Polgar started 11 games at center for the Bulls last season, but he will have to beat out redshirt freshman Connor Tollison. A host of newcomers could be in the mix at right tackle. Shortly after he committed to the Tigers, junior college prospect Ma’Kyi Lee told PowerMizzou that the staff likes him at right tackle. Transfer Dylan Spencer — who is not really a new face, as he started his career at Missouri in 2020 before spending last season at Jackson State — could factor into that competition as well, as could freshman Armand Membou. The Lee’s Summit native drew positive reviews after spring practices, but it would admittedly come as a surprise for a true freshman to start on the offensive line.

Another contender to start his first game in a Missouri uniform is Oklahoma State transfer Jayden Jernigan. Jernigan saw regular action for a Cowboy defense that ranked fourth nationally in total defense and fifth against the run last season. He totaled 22 tackles, including two sacks.

Missouri has a pair of fairly well-established edge rushers in Isaiah McGuire and Trajan Jeffcoat. Assuming those two remain healthy, they seem like the heavy favorites to start. But a couple newcomers could have a shot at playing time behind them. Jacksonville State transfer DJ Coleman earned FCS All-America honors in both 2019 and 2020. Across three seasons as a starter for the Gamecocks, Coleman made 28 tackles for loss and 17 sacks. Missouri also added another veteran in North Carolina transfer Tyrone Hopper. The seventh-year senior totaled 27 tackles, including two sacks, in 2020 before missing virtually all of last season due to injury.

If we had to tab one newcomer to make the biggest impact in 2022, it would likely be Florida transfer Ty’Ron Hopper. The cousin of Tyrone Hopper recorded 62 tackles, including eight for loss, last season. In Florida’s loss to Missouri, he racked up 12 tackles. The younger Hopper drew quite a bit of praise during spring practices and looks like the favorite to replace Blaze Alldredge as Missouri’s starting weakside linebacker.

Missouri’s starters at cornerback appear likely to be returning players, assuming Ennis Rakestraw and Kris Abrams-Draine are back to full health when the season starts. However, one newcomer who saw plenty of action and drew praise during spring practices with Rakestraw and Abrams-Draine injured was Dreyden Norwood. The Texas A&M transfer is raw — he primarily played quarterback in high school and didn’t see the field for the Aggies — but athletic. Don’t discount junior college transfer L.J. Hewitt, either. Hewitt committed to Missouri in May, and typically teams don’t add junior college prospects that late if there’s no path to the field.

Another transfer who appears to have a solid chance to start from day one is Joseph Charleston. The Clemson transfer put together a strong spring game, recording six tackles and an interception. Missouri has a decent amount of returning experience at safety with Martez Manuel and J.C. Carlies, but Manuel could move to the “Star” position under new defensive coordinator Blake Baker, opening up a starting spot for Charleston.

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