Eli Drinkwitz has said Mizzou will be active over the next few weeks. What should he aim to get done?
Here we go again.
As if you weren’t getting enough of your transfer fill on the Rock M+ basketball boards, it’s time to turn our attention to football, where players have the next two weeks to officially enter the transfer portal for the spring window. Given the shorter timespan, this second window ahead of summer promises to be a bit lighter on the chaos that the winter window brought. But make no mistake, we’ll still see some names that make us go, “Oh!” in and out of the portal. Hopefully for Mizzou’s sake it’s more of the incoming variety.
With Eli Drinkwitz already declaring the Mizzou will be active in this window and several Tigers having declared their intention to transfer, let’s go ahead and lay out three priorities for Drinkwitz and his staff this month. For kicks, we’ve prioritized them in order of importance.
Land a “big fish” (if possible)
It’s been a few months since the end of the 2023 season, but I don’t think I need to tell any of you that Mizzou has just as much momentum as any program in the country right now. They’re coming off a Top 10 finish, are tapped to be a CFP contender and return one of the most dynamic offenses in the country… one that got stronger on the offensive line thanks to the addition of splash transfer Cayden Green.
Eli Drinkwitz has proven his ability to recruit the portal over the past few years, but he’s often done it by bringing in players whose names don’t carry as much weight as Green’s. There’s nothing wrong with that, of course. But if possible, Mizzou should aim to keep the hype train rolling by reeling in another big fish and cementing its status as a desirable destination for top college talent.
Improve your positional depth (where necessary)
Much of this priority was taken care of in the winter window. Mizzou shored up its pass-rushing depth, both on the line and in the linebacking corps. The running back room is restocked after the departure of Cody Schrader. A few new secondary pieces are set to replace the NFL-bound Ennis Rakestraw, Jr. and Kris Abrams-Draine.
Still, it never hurts to continue stockpiling depth, especially in the trenches and the secondary. Mizzou’s offensive line seems set at four out of five positions, but there’s a battle up for that fifth spot. With no one having claimed it in spring, why not see if there are more competitors looking for a new home? See a particularly gifted ball hawk or havoc-inducing pass-rusher? Why not throw them into the room and see how they push the rest of the guys? Drinkwitz and Co. won’t be looking to remake the roster in April, but they should be aiming to continually push the current roster by bringing in guys who can fight for immediate playing time.
Keep the poachers away (at all costs)
No, I don’t think Luther Burden III is going to get poached. Please don’t ask.
In fact, I think you should feel pretty good about a lot of Mizzou’s “name” talent. As I mentioned in the first point, Columbia is a place to be right now. The NIL money is good. The vibes are arguably better. It would be a surprise to see any of the Tigers’ stars hop into the portal, especially after spring ball.
But with the pickings sure to be a bit slimmer, you have to wonder if some young players might be tempted to chase offers from elsewhere, especially on offense. The Tigers are returning a lot of talent in 2024, and playing time will be tough to come by for those who haven’t already established themselves (see: Hoerstkamp, Ryan and Cox, Michael). Should any poaches come looking to nab any of Eli Drinkwitz’s up-and-coming ballers, the staff needs to do all it can to make sure the youngsters stay in place. There will be plenty of restocking to do in 2025, and you can’t do that with any empty cupboard.