Mizzou climbed the recruiting ladder a few spots this year with its 2015 signees. The class is ranked 18th by ESPN, 24th by Scout, 25th by 247Sports, and 27th by Rivals. It’s no Alabama-esque signing day, but for Mizzou, it’s another step in the right direction.
Mizzou’s 2015 signees include…
- No. 2 recruit in the country by ESPN (five-star recruit)
- Eight four-star recruits by ESPN
- Three recruits in ESPN300
- Three recruits in ESPNJC50
I think moving to the SEC, winning 24 games in the last two seasons, appearing twice in the SEC championship the first three years as an SEC school, success in the NFL, and a damn good, highly-touted coaching staff are all factors in Mizzou's improved recruiting rank.
Coach Pinkel preaches not putting value into recruiting class rank, and to his point, he does a great job transforming two- and three-star recruits into very successful players. However, I care about recruiting class rank, and I think a lot of fans do, too.
So I looked into Mizzou's recruiting rank in the previous years…
247Sports
2000 – 44
2001 – 34
2002 – 26
2003 – 37
2004 – 32
2005 – 40
2006 – 43
2007 – 31
2008 – 32
2009 – 34
2010 – 22
2011 – 57
2012 – 31
2013 – 43
2014 – 39
2015 – 25
Rivals
2002 – 29
2003 – 28
2004 – 46
2005 – 39
2006 – 47
2007 – 33
2008 – 25
2009 – 40
2010 – 21
2011 – 48
2012 – 31
2013 – 41
2014 – 34
2015 - 27
ESPN (until recently, only top 25 were ranked)
2006 – NR
2007 – NR
2008 – NR
2009 – NR
2010 – NR
2011 – NR
2012 – NR
2013 – 38
2014 – 33
2015 – 18
This is Pinkel’s highest-ranked class since 2010, which featured names like James Franklin, Kony Ealy, Marcus Lucas, Bud Sasser, Marcus Murphy, E.J. Gaines, Henry Josey, and Jimmie Hunt.
One thing Pinkel repeated time and time again when I attended pressers was the importance of recruiting the top players in Missouri and its bordering states. This year, Mizzou grabbed eight players from Missouri and seven players from bordering states. From Missouri, – according to ESPN – Mizzou picked up players ranked No. 2, 4, 6, 11, 12, 13, and 17. From Kansas, – according to ESPN – Mizzou grabbed the No. 1 and 3 players. From Illinois, – according to ESPN – Mizzou signed the No. 1 player. From Tennessee, – according to ESPN – Mizzou added players ranked No. 20, 27, and 30.
An even more jaw-dropping stat comes from Rivals. Rivals lists Mizzou as signing the No. 1 player in Kansas (A.J. Harris), Missouri (Drew Lock), and Illinois (Terry Beckner Jr.). Three players ranked No. 1 in their state, and they all signed with Mizzou. That is huge for the program.
I looked at how the top three recruiting classes – per ESPN, (1) Alabama, (2) FSU, (3) USC – recruited in that area. I found Alabama has 8 signees from its state and 9 from bordering states. Florida State has 13 signees from its state and 2 from bordering states. USC has 19 signees from its state and one from bordering states.
In the past, here’s how Missouri’s fared with recruiting in-state and in bordering states, per ESPN…
2014 – 8 from Missouri, 6 from bordering states
2013 – 11 from Missouri, 2 from bordering states
2012 – 5 from Missouri, 2 from bordering states
2011 – 4 from Missouri, 2 from bordering states
2010 – 6 from Missouri, 5 from bordering states
2009 – 11 from Missouri, 2 from bordering states
2008 – 9 from Missouri, 1 from bordering states
2007 – 12 from Missouri, 4 from bordering states
2006 – 5 from Missouri, 3 from bordering states
While these stats don’t show a large increase in numbers over the past few years, I think the important thing to note is the quality of players from these states that Mizzou has signed over the past few years. This program has grown tremendously, and the coaching staff is doing all the right things to contend for a top 15 recruiting class in the years to come. I mean, Mizzou signee Tyrell Jacobs told defensive line coach Craig Kuligowski he wanted to play for the best defensive line coach in the country. The No. 2 recruit in the country – Terry Beckner Jr. – wore a “D LINE ZOU” t-shirt under his button down at his signing.
The Mizzou football program’s strengths aren’t a secret anymore. Sure, they have more to improve on. What team doesn’t? At the end of the day, I think they have the stamp of approval.
Or, maybe Pinkel needs to wear the yellow jumpsuit once a week to up his recruiting.
