Eli Drinkwitz breaks down Missouri’s recent success on recruiting trail

This recruiting cycle, Eli Drinkwitz and Missouri have been on quite a run. The 2024 class is headlined by Five Star Plus+ EDGE Williams Nwaneri, but the Tigers have been in the mix for some other high-profile recruits, as well.

Of course, Drinkwitz has a little bit of time to put in to recruiting now that he’s not calling plays. He also takes some time late in the week to hit the trail during high school football season, spending many a Friday under the lights.

Drinkwitz also mentioned some other ways he makes his recruiting pitch to prospects, and it’s all part of the plan to build a contender in Columbia.

“I think I spend probably not as much as all the other SEC coaches, but I do my fair share,” Drinkwitz told Andy Staples on Andy Staples On3. “I don’t have a basis for comparison. But I spend a lot of time, every Friday night home game, I’m out on the road recruiting high school players. I’ll be out Thursday and Friday this week. We’ve got call nights, text messages, letters, all kinds of stuff that we try to do.

“The best way to win a championship’s to have great players. That’s what it starts with. So we’ve got to continue to recruit at a higher level if we want to continue to rise. That’s, obviously, what you’ve got to do.”

How Eli Drinkwitz, Missouri have fared on the recruiting trail

Landing Nwaneri was quite a statement for Drinkwitz and the Tigers. He received a Five Star Plus+ status as one of the only players ranked by all four major recruiting media companies as a five star. A product of Lee’s Summit North (MO) High School, Nwaneri checks in as the No. 2-ranked player in the country from the 2024 cycle, according to the On3 Industry Ranking, a weighted average that utilizes all four major recruiting media companies. On3’s evaluators are even higher on him, ranking him as the No. 1 player in the On300 Rankings.

Nwaneri’s commitment helped Missouri’s 2024 class move up to No. 33 in the country, according to the On3 Industry Team Recruiting Ranking. The Tigers were also one of the finalists for five-star wide receiver Ryan Wingo, who wound up committing to Texas Wednesday night.

Still, Drinkwitz and Mizzou are making some noise on the trail. He’s building momentum as the Tigers put together a strong season, taking a 7-1 overall record into the bye week this week before next week’s matchup against two-time defending champion Georgia.