This offseason, I am previewing the Missouri football season with a countdown of the Top 40 Most Important Tigers for the 2024 season. I wanted to highlight players with high potential who could raise the ceiling of the team, those with a proven track record who would be key cogs, and still find room to celebrate talented players in crowded rooms who could be the important Tigers of the future.
What defines an important player? Excellent play, of course, especially at important positions. Players who have high ceilings and low floors: high variance could define how a specific position group performs. Players at positions that are thin on the depth chart or looking to rebound after a tough season. Players getting the first opportunity to start at Mizzou, either as young players filling in for veterans or highly-touted transfers.
This year’s countdown will take us right up to kickoff against Murray State, with a new batch of five each installment. Last time we looked at some old guys in the defensive backfield and some youngsters on the defensive line. This group brings us some important passcatchers. So without further ado….
25.) Mookie Cooper — Wide Receiver — Senior.
I almost had Mookie much lower on this list. His stats are not eye-popping, and it can be easy to overlook his contributions when considering only the “back of the baseball card” type of production. But the veteran leadership is invaluable, as is his knack for tough, clutch catches over the middle.
His production has ticked up each year in Columbia, from 18 catches to 26 to 36, and from 198 yards to 298 to 447. As defensive coordinators key in on stopping Luther Burden, the sure-handed Cooper should have ample opportunities to raise those numbers again. And hey, maybe he will even find the end zone a few times, after scoring only one touchdown so far in three years.
24.) Starting Punter TBD.
Writing this series, I am struck at how much less existential questions marks the team has this season. Last year we had no idea who would play quarterback, if Cody Schrader could be a workhorse in the SEC, who would rush the passer, or if the revamped offensive line and receivers would be any good.
But this year, punting is one of the only positions with a true, wide-open, major question mark behind it. Luke Bauer was one of two punters last year. His performance was underwhelming (when he was kicking — passing was great), as he lost the job to Riley Williams down the stretch. Orion Phillips is here from Murray State, where he impressed. Early camp reports seem to have Bauer in the lead for the job, and the two were statistically similar on a per-punt basis last year. One area where Bauer was better was returnable punts, as only 23% of his were returned, compared to 34% for Phillips.
Last year’s punting duties rotated between Williams and Bauer, but not because one was outdoing the other. They see-sawed in a match of mediocrity. Ideally, someone grabs this job and becomes a true field position weapon for the Tigers.
23.) Joseph Charleston — Strong Safety — Senior.
One of only two returning starters in the secondary, Charleston has pieced together an excellent career in Columbus after transferring from Clemson. The Tigers will have to replace a lot of Jaylon Carlies’ back end coverage work, but Charleston has been more productive as a strong safety and playing in the box. He has been great defending the run.
If there is an area that could become a catastrophic weakness for this ballclub, it is pass defense. Charleston is one of the most established members of a secondary that will need to step up to replace three stars. Ideally Marvin Burks or Tre’lVez Johnson, more natural coverage players than Charleston, can fill Carlies’ shoes and allow Charleston to play where he is best, thumping against the run.
22.) Brett Norfleet — Tight End — Sophom*ore.
If you long for the days of great Missouri tight ends, the early years of the Eli Drinkwitz era must have been quite disappointing for you. In his first three seasons at the helm, TE1 totalled 332 receiving yards. Not averaged – totalled. On paper, Brett Norfleet’s 197 yards and three scores don’t seem to outpace your typical Niko Hea season that much. But it is how he did it, with spectacular, critical catches against Florida and Kansas State, as a true freshman, that was so impressive. Norfleet was involved in the offense because he could make a difference, and not just because he happened to be standing there, like so many of the prior Drink TEs.
With a year under his belt, Missouri fans can actually expect to see the tight end position used as a weapon in the passing game. Norfleet’s role in the red zone and on third downs is established, and he will be called to expand his role in other situations. He will add an important and long-lost wrinkle to one of the best passing offenses in the country.
21.) Theo Wease Jr. — Wide Receiver — Senior.
Last season I slotted Theo Wease in as the #3 Most Important Missouri Tiger. Although the loss of Dominic Lovett to Georgia stung, the addition of Wease more than made up for it. He almost single-handedly replaced Lovett’s production – 682 yards and six scores, from Lovett’s 828 and three – and was also a massive addition for intangible reasons. Luther Burden’s breakout season does not happen without Theo Wease on the roster. The veteran’s mentorship was crucial for the young prodigy; more importantly, Wease took over the X role and allowed Burden to thrive in his natural position in the slot. It was a perfect marriage of player, fit, need, and locker room.
And the best part? After jump starting his career in new digs, Wease decided to run it back with the Tigers. No longer is he one of the high-leverage, boom-or-bust facets of the team. Now he is simply a proven star, a key contributor and leader for this ballclub. Missouri has high aspirations for the 2024 season, and Theo Wease’s contributions on and off the field are an important piece of the recipe.
Previously:
#30 - #26
#35 - #31
#40 - #36
Introduction and Honorable Mention
