COLUMBIA, Mo. — In late need of a tight end last December, Missouri offered CBC’s Niko Hea a scholarship just days before the early signing period kicked off.
Unranked by the national recruiting services, Hea didn’t hold offers from other Power Five schools and seemed more suited for a Group of 5 program, the Ivy League or maybe even an FCS team. He wasn’t the kind of high-profile prospect Mizzou fans expected to make an immediate impact, but Barry Odom’s staff thought otherwise, especially once he arrived on campus in June.
“It was interesting how his recruitment went,” Missouri tight ends coach A.