A favorite topic among Mizzou fans during the dreary doldrums of recruiting season, is Mizzou's ability to "lock down the borders" of our own state. This has intensified during the Barry Odom era, as there is a growing perception that Coach Odom struggles to retain Missouri's top talent at Missouri's top football school. The 2018 class in particular led to increased scrutiny on the Mizzou coaching staff's ability to lure great players to stay close to home. While the 2019 in-state recruiting class doesn't pack the marquee names and cornucopia of star ratings that last year's did, if Coach Odom can't secure some of the best Missouri high school players again this year, it will further damage his reputation as a local recruiter.
From the 30,000 feet view that most fans take, recruiting in Missouri means recruiting in St. Louis and Kansas City. Most recruiting experts focus on these cities as well, and rightfully so. A significant majority of the best players in the state come from these two metro areas. But with so many of the state's best players seeking greener pastures in Nebraska, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and the like, perhaps there's another angle of attack that the Odom administration hasn't pursued.
Since 2010, there have been 37 players ranked in Missouri's top-20 players that hail from smaller towns dotted across the state. Perhaps the key to Odom and company locking down the borders, could start in the shadow of the myriad grain silos and Dollar Generals that dot the Show-Me State.
But is it worth the time and Joe Machens' donated mileage for the Mizzou coaching staff to seek out these diamonds in the rough. A little research and some focused strategy says, "yes". Of the football prospects that fall outside of Missouri's two largest metro areas, since 2010, all of them could be found in fewer than 20 towns, and of those only three towns produced three or more top-20 in-state prospects.
The first place to look is in our own backyard. Columbia has produced 10 football prospects since 2010, ranging from three to four stars. In that time, the Tigers have only secured two players; Wesley Leftwich and Tre Williams, with Rock Bridge star Nathaniel Peat yet to decide where he'll commit during this cycle.
Obviously, recruiting in your own backyard is a different beast than recruiting far afield. Some young players prefer to move away for college. Sometimes, increased exposure clouds your judgement. Sometimes a player isn't the right fit and isn't recruited vigorously. But of the ten CoMo players that were ranked among the state's top-20, nearly all have gone to Division One schools. Is it not worth a trip down Rangeline Street to nab the players who have otherwise gone to Oklahoma, Oregon, Nebraska, and Colorado?
From the 30,000 feet view that most fans take, recruiting in Missouri means recruiting in St. Louis and Kansas City. Most recruiting experts focus on these cities as well, and rightfully so. A significant majority of the best players in the state come from these two metro areas. But with so many of the state's best players seeking greener pastures in Nebraska, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and the like, perhaps there's another angle of attack that the Odom administration hasn't pursued.
Since 2010, there have been 37 players ranked in Missouri's top-20 players that hail from smaller towns dotted across the state. Perhaps the key to Odom and company locking down the borders, could start in the shadow of the myriad grain silos and Dollar Generals that dot the Show-Me State.
But is it worth the time and Joe Machens' donated mileage for the Mizzou coaching staff to seek out these diamonds in the rough. A little research and some focused strategy says, "yes". Of the football prospects that fall outside of Missouri's two largest metro areas, since 2010, all of them could be found in fewer than 20 towns, and of those only three towns produced three or more top-20 in-state prospects.
The first place to look is in our own backyard. Columbia has produced 10 football prospects since 2010, ranging from three to four stars. In that time, the Tigers have only secured two players; Wesley Leftwich and Tre Williams, with Rock Bridge star Nathaniel Peat yet to decide where he'll commit during this cycle.
Obviously, recruiting in your own backyard is a different beast than recruiting far afield. Some young players prefer to move away for college. Sometimes, increased exposure clouds your judgement. Sometimes a player isn't the right fit and isn't recruited vigorously. But of the ten CoMo players that were ranked among the state's top-20, nearly all have gone to Division One schools. Is it not worth a trip down Rangeline Street to nab the players who have otherwise gone to Oklahoma, Oregon, Nebraska, and Colorado?
Year |
Player |
Score |
City |
School |
2010 |
Tre Millard |
4* |
Columbia |
Oklahoma |
2010 |
Chase Rome |
4* |
Columbia |
Nebraska |
2011 |
Wesley Leftwich |
3* |
Columbia |
Mizzou |
2012 |
Austin Ray |
3* |
Columbia |
Colorado |
2015 |
Alex Ofodile |
4* |
Columbia |
Oregon* |
2016 |
Tre Williams |
4* |
Columbia |
Mizzou |
2016 |
Hayden Johnson |
3* |
Columbia |
Arkansas |
2016 |
Jerrion Nelson |
3* |
Columbia |
Iowa State |
2017 |
Jaevon McQuitty |
4* |
Columbia |
Nebraska |
2019 |
Nathaniel Peat |
3* |
Columbia |
Undecided |
Jefferson City and Florissant have also produced three or more top-20 players since 2010, and four-star prospects have come from the likes of Bolivar, New Madrid, Potosi, Wentzville, and the infamous five-star recruit Dorial Green-Beckham came from Springfield.
Other universities have recognized the potential in these rural athletes. Florida State snagged Roderick Johnson from Florissant in 2014. Alabama grabbed Hale Hentges from Jefferson City in 2015. Mississippi State took Alec Murphy from Nixa in 2015. If these programs can notice talented players who come from towns where the Friday Night Lights are a little dimmer, there's no reason that Barry Odom's staff can't do the same.
This is not to suggest that the lion's share of the in-state recruiting effort shouldn't be done in and around St. Louis and Kansas City. Some years, there are only one or two rural players even worth recruiting. But in 2010, eight players came from more rural areas. In 2016, nine players came from outside Missouri's two cities. If you're struggling to find a toehold in your own state, making a run at smaller schools in smaller towns, has its advantages.
Mizzou only landed one of its vaunted "Show-Me Ten" last off-season. The pool is more shallow this off-season, and Columbia's Peat is the only non-urban player in the top-20 of Missouri's best players. But as the years progress, keeping the next Roderick Johnson at home in Missouri sounds like a pretty damn good idea.
Other universities have recognized the potential in these rural athletes. Florida State snagged Roderick Johnson from Florissant in 2014. Alabama grabbed Hale Hentges from Jefferson City in 2015. Mississippi State took Alec Murphy from Nixa in 2015. If these programs can notice talented players who come from towns where the Friday Night Lights are a little dimmer, there's no reason that Barry Odom's staff can't do the same.
This is not to suggest that the lion's share of the in-state recruiting effort shouldn't be done in and around St. Louis and Kansas City. Some years, there are only one or two rural players even worth recruiting. But in 2010, eight players came from more rural areas. In 2016, nine players came from outside Missouri's two cities. If you're struggling to find a toehold in your own state, making a run at smaller schools in smaller towns, has its advantages.
Mizzou only landed one of its vaunted "Show-Me Ten" last off-season. The pool is more shallow this off-season, and Columbia's Peat is the only non-urban player in the top-20 of Missouri's best players. But as the years progress, keeping the next Roderick Johnson at home in Missouri sounds like a pretty damn good idea.
City |
Year |
Star Ranking |
Name |
Team |
Joplin |
2010 |
2* |
Jordan Rainey |
Missouri State |
Florissant |
2010 |
3* |
Kerry Gibson |
Southern Illinois |
Joplin |
2010 |
3* |
Brad Hefley |
Arkansas |
Columbia |
2010 |
4* |
Trey Millard |
Oklahoma |
Columbia |
2010 |
4* |
Chase Rome |
Nebraska |
New Madrid |
2010 |
4* |
Kony Ealy |
Mizzou |
Potosi |
2010 |
4* |
Brandon Bourbon |
Kansas |
Wentzville |
2010 |
4* |
Nick Demien |
Mizzou |
St. Joseph |
2011 |
2* |
Malkaam Muhammad |
Wyoming |
Columbia |
2011 |
3* |
Wesley Leftwich |
Mizzou |
Florissant |
2011 |
3* |
Cortland Dunlap |
Lindenwood |
Jefferson City |
2011 |
3* |
Kody Walker |
Arkansas |
Harrisonville |
2012 |
2* |
Travis Britz |
Kansas State |
Bolivar |
2012 |
3* |
Darnell Walker |
Tulsa |
Columbia |
2012 |
3* |
Austin Ray |
Colorado |
Springfield |
2012 |
5* |
Dorial Green-Beckham |
Mizzou |
Jefferson City |
2013 |
3* |
Joey Burkett |
Mizzou |
Bolivar |
2014 |
4* |
Rafe Peavey |
Arkansas |
Florissant |
2014 |
4* |
Roderick Johnson |
Florida State |
Carl Junction |
2015 |
3* |
Chase Johnston |
Kansas State |
Jefferson City |
2015 |
3* |
Hale Hentges |
Alabama |
Nixa |
2015 |
3* |
Alec Murphy |
Mississippi State |
Columbia |
2015 |
4* |
Alex Ofodile |
Oregon * |
Cape Girardeau |
2016 |
3* |
Al Young |
SEMO |
Columbia |
2016 |
3* |
Hayden Johnson |
Arkansas |
Columbia |
2016 |
3* |
Jerrion Nelson |
Iowa State |
Florissant |
2016 |
3* |
Harry Ballard III |
Mizzou |
Hannibal |
2016 |
3* |
Dylan Powell |
Stanford |
Kearney |
2016 |
3* |
Cale Garrett |
Mizzou |
Nixa |
2016 |
3* |
Chase Allen |
Iowa State |
Webb City |
2016 |
3* |
Trystan Castillo |
Mizzou |
Columbia |
2016 |
4* |
Tre Williams |
Mizzou |
Festus |
2017 |
3* |
Shane Clenin |
Arkansas |
Peculiar |
2017 |
3* |
Anthony Payne |
Kansas State |
Columbia |
2017 |
4* |
Jaevon McQuitty |
Nebraska |
Florissant |
2018 |
4* |
Dallas Craddieth |
Iowa |
Columbia |
2019 |
3* |
Nathaniel Peat |
Undecided |
