Missouri wrapped up its second and final Junior Day of March on Saturday.

The Tigers hosted a flurry of top targets from across the country, while also bringing unoffered recruits to campus. Four prospects recapped their visits from the past two weekends.

Returning to Missouri after a January visit, Elijah Berman wanted to see how the coaches interacted in practice, and he "wasn't disappointed." The Class of 2026 defensive tackle loved the fast-pace energy and how the defense dominated the Saturday scrimmage.

"I could definitely see myself at Mizzou," Berman said. "An offer would mean everything. They are the highest level of football and have a strong program with a history of developing their guys for the NFL. That's my mindset. I want all that."

Berman talked briefly with defensive line coach Al Davis and defensive tackles coach David Blackwell. Berman noted how Davis wouldn't sugarcoat anything to his players, making them better anyway possible.

"The day went too quick this time, so I didn't really get much time with the coaches," Berman said. "But hopefully I'll be back again at some point. Mizzou is on the top of my list."

Kevin Ford Jr. rang in the new year with an offer from Missouri, while practicing for the Under Armour Next All-America Game in Orlando, Florida. Interest in Missouri has steadily grown since that first conversation with edges coach Brian Early, as Ford visited Columbia for the first time the weekend of March 8.

"Love the visit and have great relationship with him," Ford said.

Ford hasn't announced an official visit to Missouri, but he's among the top edge defenders available in the 2026 class. The four-star has climbed to No. 98 in the Rivals250, playing for Duncanville (Tex.) High, the same school at produced former Tigers cornerback Ennis Rakestraw Jr.

Austin Coles locked in his visit to Missouri in the days leading up to Junior Day. The Rivals250 tight end jumped on the Tigers' radar with his route running at 6-foot-4, 190 pounds.

"(I) learned a lot from (tight ends coach Derham) Cato about how they use the tight end in their offense and what they are looking for the tight end to contribute," Coles said. "I liked that he took the time to tell me what he sees in me and that he was super positive about how the tight ends can be big contributors to the offense."

Offensive assistant Andy Belluomini, a former wide receivers coach at Illinois State, was a primary host for Coles, a Class of 2027 four-star at Barrington (Ill.) High. The two built a relationship, with Belluomini saying to reach out anytime about the Tigers.

Cooper Newman broke down film with offensive coordinator Kirby Moore and quarterbacks coach Sean Gleeson. During the Saturday practice, he noticed similarities to his offense at Sevierville (Tenn.) Sevier County.

"With what little time we had, they seemed to get a lot of information out and keep me very interested for sure," Newman said. "I learned today that a certain system and scheme is something that I’m looking for in a college, and Missouri is one of those schools that I could see myself fitting in."

Moore will visit watch Newman practice this spring. Newman totaled 3,488 yards and 45 touchdowns to one interception while completing nearly 72% of his pass attempts during his sophomore season.

"You could tell the staff cared a lot about the players," Newman said, "and it showed with how they would coach them up after mistakes. I think another thing is how much experience the coaching staff has."

Immediately, Carer Barrett noticed how offensive line coach Brandon Jones interacted with the players. Barrett noted Jones being hard on the linemen through practice, "but at the end of the day, the players said they knew how much he cares about them."

"He talked about how close those relationships are, which is a really cool environment," Barrett said.

Barrett, a Class of 2028 offensive lineman from West Des Moines (Iowa) Dowling, recognized a few names from his area, but he prioritized meeting new faces during his return trip to Missouri.

"One of the things that was talked about was how they run the ball and how they like to have their lineman moving in space," Barrett said, "which would complement my athleticism and how well I move."

Scheduling an official visit with Missouri for late May, Jowell Combay wanted to see the Tigers in person before his weekend-long stay. He planned to arrive Friday ahead of attending Junior Day on Saturday, but he backed out of his visit earlier in the week.

Looking to unofficially visit Missouri later this spring, Combay has started to garner more offers, including recent ones from Alabama, Georgia and South Carolina. A late bloomer in recruitment, he might not stick as a three-star forever.

Class of 2027 three-star offensive lineman Lual Aleu previously mentioned a trip to Missouri would be a tougher drive, given how further it would be than the visits the Cincinnati (Ohio) Winton Woods product made during this past few months.

Nonetheless, Aleu liked what he heard about Missouri after being offered in January and locked in his first unofficial visit for this past Saturday. Aleu ended up not being able to make it down, but he reiterated his interest in the Tigers, hoping to reschedule for April.

Opting for the second Junior Day in March to avoid overlap with his basketball season, Landon Blum ended up focusing on his state tournament this past week, not making his visit. Missouri hasn't offered the Rivals250 wide receiver, but the staff has invited Blum multiple times to campus since May.

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