A number of promising new faces are approaching their first camp in Colombia.
In just a little over two months, the University of Missouri football team will kick off the 2024 season on Thursday, Aug. 29, against Murray State University at Memorial Stadium in Columbia. The new campaign comes with high expectations for the Tigers, who will have a golden opportunity to advance to a College Football Playoff expanded to 12 teams.
Missouri will add some attractive recruits through the portal, have 15 new players on campus, a good chunk of a top-30 offensive line returns from offensive coordinator Kirby Moore's first year as a breakout play-caller at Columbia, and the schedule looks favorable on paper.
The Tigers also signed the top 20 in their 2024 freshman recruiting class, with 21 players signing letters of intent. Seven freshmen enrolled early and participated in spring training, but the majority of the signing class will get their first taste of college football when MU's players gather for camp in late July.
So which first-year players can help Missouri on the field in 2024?
Combining the quality of the freshmen with the positional needs, here are the five freshmen who could make the biggest impact for the Tigers in the 2024 season.
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Jalen Sensabaugh, Cameron Keyes add depth to Missouri football's cornerback corps
He'll have a chance to compete for the cornerback position at Columbia.
Both starting cornerback positions are open after Ennis Rakestraw Jr., a second-round pick by the Detroit Lions in the 2024 NFL Draft, and Chris Abrams-Drain, a fifth-round pick by the Denver Broncos, moved to new positions.
Will either of Missouri State's freshman cornerbacks, Cameron Keyes or Jalen Sensabaugh, see playing time? Both are ranked in the top 30 of their position classes, according to 247Sports' rankings.
Drayden Norwood appears to have locked down the starting spot in Missouri's secondary, but Clemson transfer and East St. Louis native Toriano Pride Jr. is the favorite to fill the other vacancy.
But there are spots open for reserve players: Marcus Clarke has played primarily as a reserve the past two seasons, and Jamariyon Wayne, Shamar McNeil and Nicholas DeLoach have all been praised by position coach Al Pogue but have yet to see real game time.
Keyes enrolled early and participated in spring training, giving him an immediate advantage, and Sensabaugh has shown great open-field tackling ability on video and appears to have good ball skills having played wide receiver in high school.
The job will be taken by someone who retires in the fall, and it could very well be one of the younger recruits.
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Williams Nwaneri, defensive end
The five-star recruit is likely to have a role on the field as the Tigers look to secure a spot in the CFP.
Ranked as the No. 1 defensive line prospect in his class by 247Sports, Williams-Nwaneri is Missouri State's signature signee this class. A native of Lee's Summit North in Kansas City, Nwaneri stands 6-foot-6 and weighs 257 pounds and looks ready for college.
But the edge rushers will face stiff competition for playing time. Johnny Walker Jr. was the Cotton Bowl defensive MVP, and Missouri made up for the loss of first-round NFL draft pick Darius Robinson with Darris Smith and Zion Young, acquired through the power conference portal.
Joe Moore III impressed new MU defensive ends coach Brian Early during spring training, but fellow 2023 reserve Austin Firestone retired from football after spring training, which will give Nwaneli and possibly the Tigers' other recruits, four-star prospects Jaylen Brown and Elias Williams, an opportunity to play right away.
“I'm excited to play against those guys,” Early said during spring training. “From what I've seen already on high school tape, I wouldn't be surprised if one or two of them can't help us this fall.”
more:Introducing “huge” Chris McClellan, the University of Missouri football team's new defensive tackle.
Nicolas Rodriguez and Brian Huff, linebackers
As with the cornerbacks, turnovers at the top end created some opportunities.
Nicholas Rodriguez and Brian Huff are both four-star recruits who will enter their first collegiate fall camp with very little decided upon.
Chuck Hicks and Triston Newson started in place of injured Tyrone Hopper and Chad Bailey in the Tigers' Cotton Bowl win over Ohio State. Hopper was a third-round draft pick and Bailey had exhausted his eligibility. During the offseason, Missouri acquired Corey Flagg Jr., a transfer from Miami, and Khalil Jacobs from the University of South Alabama.
The competition at linebacker will be the most intense through the fall, and while returners and transfers will most likely take the reins, rookies shouldn't be discounted.
“Those are both elite players,” Drinkwitz said after National Early Signing Day in December. “They're both capable of coming in and contributing and finding a role through special teams (or defense). They're both good size, they're both good instincts, they're both good run players. And I'm really excited about Nick's leadership ability.”
