Eli Stowers is the top returning weapon for Diego Pavia and the Commodores. Will the NFL prospect turn in yet another great season?
This summer leading up to the 2025 season, we’ll be exploring the top 10 offensive and defensive players Mizzou football is slated to face this fall. We’re not ranking them 1-10, so while Jalon Daniels is a very good player, he’s not necessarily the best offensive player Corey Batoon will have to game plan for this upcoming season.
This is the eighth of (you guessed it) 10 such posts of the season. If you haven’t yet, take a look at the previous TTOP articles:
- Jalon Daniels and Nikhai Hill-Green
- Nyck Harbor and Deontae Lawson
- John Mateer and Jordan Lawson
- Le’Veon Moss and Will Lee III
- Diego Pavia and Dean Miller
- Kadyn Proctor and Dylan Stewart
- Marcel Reed and Raion Strader
- LaNorris Sellers and Xavian Sorey, Jr.
Eli Stowers
School: Vanderbilt (by way of New Mexico State and Texas A&M)
Position: TE
Class: RS Senior
Height: 6-4
Weight: 235 lbs.
Hometown: Denton, Texas
What he’s done
Journeyman Eli Stowers seems to have finally found a home in Nashville. Stowers originally signed with Texas A&M as a four-star dual-threat quarterback in the 2021 class. After redshirting and spending time in a crowded quarterback room, he moved to New Mexico State where he transitioned to tight end.
As a part of the great Las Cruces-to-Nashville diaspora before last season where the Commodores gained analyst Jerry Kill, quarterback Diego Pavia, and several others, Stowers finally began to find his footing. He appeared in all 12 games in 2024, starting nine, and finished with 49 receptions for 638 yards and 5 touchdowns—ultimately leading the team in all three categories and good enough to land him on the list as a first-team All-SEC player. He also contributed as a blocker, particularly in two-tight-end sets, and earned praise from coaches for his physicality and willingness to embrace the position fully.
Photo by Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
What he’ll do
Heading into 2025, Stowers is expected to be one of the focal points of Vanderbilt’s offense under head coach Clark Lea and offensive coordinator Tim Beck. With a young and still-developing receiving corps, Stowers could see an expanded role as both a chain-mover and red-zone target. Stowers’ rare athletic profile at 6-4, 235 lbs., combined with his quarterback background, gives him a unique understanding of offensive structure and coverage schemes. He’s shown good hands, solid route running and a growing ability to handle SEC-level physicality.
His versatility allows Vanderbilt to flex him out wide, line him up in the slot, or use him as an in-line blocker. Don’t be surprised to see more RPO and play-action concepts designed to get Stowers the ball in space, especially off of bootlegs and delayed releases. If he can build on his 2024 production, Stowers should find himself atop the list of tight ends eligible for the 2026 NFL draft.
Mizzou Matchup
When Vanderbilt visited Columbia in 2024, the Tigers emerged with a hard-fought 30–27 double-overtime win over the Commodores, but not for the lack of trying by Eli Stowers. Stowers was Vanderbilt’s only reliable target that day, finishing with seven catches for 57 yards. No other Commodore had more than one catch.
Despite his production, Mizzou’s defense had the right game plan by limiting (almost) everything down field and forcing Diego Pavia to dump it off to Stowers time and time again. For the rematch in 2025, Missouri staff will be well aware of Stowers’ effectiveness in clutch situations. Expect bracket coverage packages with a linebacker or safety helping over the top, and occasional shift to tighten underneath comfortable throws.
Using nickel personnel and matchups that avoid Stowers will be key to minimizing his impact. While the Tigers prevailed (barely), Stowers remained a dangerous mismatch. Limiting him in Nashville this year could go a long way toward keeping the Commodores’ passing game in check.
R. Mason Thomas
School: Oklahoma
Position: DE
Class: Senior
Height: 6-2
Weight: 249 lbs.
Hometown: Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
What he’s done
After flashing elite athleticism and growth during his first three seasons in Norman, Sooners’ edge rusher R. Mason Thomas enters 2025 as one of the most important defensive players for Oklahoma as they try to bounce back after their underwhelming first season in the SEC.
Thomas, a native of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., signed with Oklahoma in the 2022 class and played immediately as a true freshman. After contributing for two years in a rotational role, he broke out in 2024 with his best season yet under Brent Venables. As a junior, Thomas tallied 23 total tackles, 12.5 tackles for loss, nine sacks, and two forced fumbles; numbers good enough to earn him second team All-SEC honors. Thomas brought consistent pressure from the edge and showed the ability to drop into coverage in Venables’ complex defensive schemes. His explosiveness off the snap, combined with improved hand technique, made him a disruptive force on third down.
Photo by Brian Bahr/Getty Images
What he’ll do
Now entering his fourth year in the program, Thomas is expected to be the leader of Oklahoma’s front seven in 2025, schematically and vocally for the unit. Thomas’s ability to generate pressure off the edge will be critical in navigating an incredibly tough SEC schedule filled with top-tier offensive lines and mobile quarterbacks.
Venables, who decided to take over defensive play-calling duties this year, is likely to move Thomas around the formation—lining him up in wide-nine looks, over tight ends, and even as a stand-up rusher on passing downs. With double-digit sack potential, Thomas is a legitimate first team All-SEC contender. While his size and lack of overall length might limit the ceiling of his NFL draft prospects, he should still find himself on plenty of teams’ draft boards if he has another productive season in 2025.
Mizzou Matchup
When Oklahoma came to Columbia last year to renew the century-long rivalry between the Tigers and Sooners, both teams’ defensive fronts controlled play throughout the game. Thomas did have some impact on the game, finishing with one sack of backup quarterback Drew Pyne, but he only had two tackles total on the game, which finished in a flurry with a Tigers victory.
Heading into the 2025 rematch, Mizzou knows it can’t assume a repeat performance based on the talent the Tigers have lost on the offensive line. To keep Thomas and the rest of the Oklahoma defense in check, expect Kirby Moore to lean into similar tactics as he did last season, which included running the ball early and often, and moving the pocket to disrupt Thomas’s angles. Running back support in protection and tight end chips may also be part of the plan to slow him down off the edge.
Thomas is a game-wrecker when he’s allowed to play freely. If Mizzou lets him heat up early, it could be a very different outcome this time around. But if they once again control the tempo and force Oklahoma to rush with discipline, they may yet again have the formula to keep Thomas from ruining their plans in Norman.