Missouri Recruiting: 2025 commit breakdown
Missouri has continued to establish itself as a legitimate threat on the recruiting trail as head coach Eli Drinkwitz and his staff continue to reach new heights in Columbia.
After inking the No. 21 class in the nation last cycle, Mizzou has used a big spring and summer to catapult itself inside the top 20 of the On3 Industry Team Recruiting Rankings this time around. The Tigers’ class currently ranks No. 18 overall and No. 9 in the SEC, as of August 20.
Despite not landing a commitment until April, Mizzou has rallied for 17 pledges — 10 of which have come from blue-chip prospects, including a five-star quarterback.
Missouri Class Breakdown
The class was finally kicked off with a bang on April 4, as Royersford (Pa.) Spring-Ford five-star quarterback Matt Zollers made the call in favor of the Tigers, choosing them over Penn State, Pitt and Georgia. He is now On3’s No. 11 recruit and No. 2 QB in the nation.
Two additional top-100 prospects have joined the class in July. Mesquite (Texas) Horn four-star offensive tackle Lamont Rogers is the No. 60 recruit and No. 7 OT in the cycle, while Naperville (Ill.) IMG Academy four-star wide receiver Donovan Olugbode is the No. 13 WR and No. 94 player overall.
Eureka (Mo.) four-star offensive lineman Jack Lange is a standout in-state addition, as he’s the top-ranked player in Missouri this cycle and the No. 12 IOL overall. Germantown (Tenn.) Melrose four-star running back Jamarion Morrow highlights the five commitments that came for Mizzou in June.
Other top commits in the class include Hermann (Mo.) four-star EDGE Daeden Hopkins, Canton (Ohio) McKinley four-star linebacker Dante McClellan and Fort Worth North Crowley four-star IOL Henry Fenuku and East Saint Louis four-star cornerback Charles Bass.
Top Offensive Commit: QB Matt Zollers
The race for Zollers’ pledge was tight down the stretch, but Mizzou was always viewed as a real threat and continued to find momentum ahead of his April decision. Drinkwitz and Co. were able to beat the pedigree of Georgia, as well as the in-state pull coming from Pitt and Penn State for the No. 6 QB in the On3 Industry Ranking.
Zollers reflected on his commitment with On3’s Phillip Dukes in July:
“It all came down to Coach Drinkwitz and the coaching staff and all the players up there. I just feel like I clicked best with them, faster and better than everywhere else. That was ultimately the main reason.”
“I didn’t let the history get to my head,” he added. “I just fell back on what I wanted in college and what I wanted through the coaching staff, so ultimately I felt like the best decision was to go to Missouri.”
Top Defensive Commit: EDGE Daeden Hopkins
A steady riser since his decision, Hopkins was one of the first dominoes to drop following Zollers, as he committed on April 30. The 6-foot-6, 210-pounder is now the No. 231 overall prospect, No. 24 EDGE and No. 3 player in Missouri in the 2025 cycle.
“The thing that catch my eyes the most is the quality of the coaching staff,” Hopkins told On3’s Steve Wiltfong ahead of his decision. “When looking for a school one of the biggest things for me are the coaches.”
“Team culture is important to me and the proximity to home is also very appealing,” Hopkins said. “They are only an hour from home.”