Entering the 2023 season, a number of the Tigers' core players are juniors, so there'll be more than five players realistically expected to make a splash in 2023.
But here are the ones we believe have the most expectations to perform well this season.
Brady Cook
Cook is entering fall camp as the starting quarterback, and if he keeps that spot entering the season then he will be the Missouri player head coach Eli Drinkwitz will expect the most of regardless of class.
During SEC Media Days, Drinkwitz said Cook attacked rehab from offseason shoulder surgery, and there has been word that Cook has taken strides in his play.
Last season, Cook completed nearly 65% of his passes for 2,739 yards, 14 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He also rushed for 585 yards and six touchdowns.
His best game (versus a conference opponent) a season ago was versus Arkansas when he completed 16-of-26 passes for 242 yards and a touchdown in a 29-27 win. He also added 18 carries for 138 yards and a touchdown.
If Cook has honestly improved then games like the one versus Arkansas will be closer to the norm as opposed to an outlier.
Kris Abrams-Draine
Cornerback Kris Abrams-Draine was one of five Tigers named to the preseason All-Southeastern Conference team, so he'll definitely need to have a big year for the Tigers to get over .500.
The team is hoping he can force some turnovers after not recording any last year. Nonetheless, Abrams-Draine was one of the best corners in the league last season after recording the second-most pass deflections with 14 to go along with his 48 tackles.
Abrams-Draine said he received a third-round draft grade but wanted to return to raise his draft stock, and if he has a similar year to last year and adds a couple of takeaways he can do that.
Ennis Rakestraw
Rakestraw was probably one of the biggest snubs on the preseason All-SEC lists.
Coming off of a torn ACL injury he suffered in 2021, Rakestaw bounced back in a big way with 35 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, a pair of forced fumbles, a fumble recovery, 12 pass deflections (third in the SEC) and an interception last season.
His season was arguably better than not only Abrams-Draine's but some of the other corners who made the list.
Rakestraw recorded a PFF coverage grade of 78.2 last season which ranked 19th among SEC defenders who had 100 coverage snaps.
He could possibly be joining Abrams-Draine in the draft if he has another 2022-season-like performance.
Johnny Walker
Four of the Tigers leaders in snaps at the EDGE didn't return from last season's squad, so the defense is in need of someone to step up and it appears to be Johnny Walker.
Drinkwitz talked up Walker as someone who will likely enter the season as one of the starting EDGE rushers.
The defensive end group on this team is inexperienced as a group but Walker has the luxury of being someone who was with the team last season under first-year defensive coordinator Blake Baker.
He recorded seven tackles, two sacks and two tackles for loss in seven games in 2022.
Walker doesn't have to be an All-SEC performer like his predecessor, Isaiah McGuire, but he will need to be consistent in stopping the run game and providing a pass rush.
Riley Williams
This spot could've gone to players like Tre'Vez Johnson, Triston Newson, Mookie Cooper and others. But Riley Williams is the player who has the easiest path to starting and the one who can provide an impact immediately.
Williams was named to the second-team All-Colonial Athletic Association (now the Coastal Athletic Association) after finishing fourth in the FCS in punting average at 44.7 yards per punt on 46 punts at Towson last season.
He also had 16 punts go 50 or more yards and 13 punts land inside the opponent's 20-yard line.
Punting was really inconsistent for the Tigers last season between Jack Stonehouse and Sean Koetting, and Mizzou brought Williams in hoping he would be an upgrade in consistency over what it had last year.
Drinkwitz said at SEC Media Days Williams will be entrenched in a position battle with Luke Bauer, but it would be a surprise if WIlliams didn't win the starting spot.
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