Missouri defensive back Ennis Rakestraw announces decision to return to Missouri for 2023

Missouri defensive back Ennis Rakestraw, Jr. announced on his Twitter page on Sunday evening that he will not enter the 2023 NFL Draft, and that he’ll instead return to Missouri for the 2023 college football season. This year, he had 12 passes defended, 35 tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, three forced fumbles, and one interception. Rakestraw’s 12-pass breakups ranked second on the team and 25th in the nation.

Check out his announcement below.

Respect my decision ✍🏾 pic.twitter.com/w4PJZhpLyx

— Ennis Rakestraw Jr (@EnnisRakestraw) December 19, 2022

The redshirt sophomore started at cornerback in all 12 games this year. Rakestraw currently has three years of eligibility remaining if he wants to use it: 2023, 2024, and 2025. As a sophomore in 2021, he made four appearances, racking up 13 tackles, before suffering a season-ending injury.

As a freshman, Rakestraw racked up six pass breakups in 10 games, ranking the best of the team in the stat category. He became the first true freshman on defense to start for Missouri in a season-opener since 2017 (Jordan Ulmer).

Rakestraw played his high school football at Duncanville High School (Duncanville, Texas). They’re one of the nation’s most prestigious high school football programs. He led his team to back-to-back state championship game appearances. When he was a senior there, the Duncanville defense only allowed eight points per game.

More on the 2023 NFL Draft

The 2023 NFL Draft is set to take place from Thursday, April 27 through Saturday, April 29 in Kansas City, Missouri. The event will be held at the plaza just outside of Union Station.

Round 1 of the NFL Draft is set to begin at 8 p.m. ET on Thursday, Apr. 27. Rounds 2-3 will begin at 7 p.m. ET on Friday, Apr. 28, and Rounds 4-7 will begin at 12 p.m. ET on Saturday, Apr. 29. The draft will be broadcasted throughout the weekend on both ESPN and NFL Network.

To be eligible for the NFL Draft, players must be at least three years removed from their final year of high school while having used up their collegiate eligibility. Underclassmen are able to request league approval to become eligible for the draft, as are players who have graduated prior to using up all of their collegiate eligibility. 100 underclassmen were approved for last year’s draft. 73 of those 100 underclassmen were granted special eligibility while 27 of them were underclassmen who had completed their college degrees.

The 2023 NFL scouting combine will take place from Feb. 28 through March 6 in Indianapolis.