Who are the rookies you need to know?
Missouri football players are expected to report for fall camp this upcoming weekend, meaning talking season is just about finished. The Tigers will stage a number of important position competitions over the course of the ensuing weeks, including at quarterback and left tackle, leading into their season-opener Thursday, Aug. 28 against Central Arkansas.
The Tigers signed the nation’s No. 20-ranked Class of 2025, adding 17 freshmen to the roster for the upcoming campaign.
Mizzou burned the redshirts of five rookies last season, which indicated Eli Drinkwitz and company are plenty happy to field their first-year players.
Here are five true freshmen who we think could earn playing time for the Tigers in 2025:
Donovan Olugbode, wide receiver
As much as we expect marquee transfer Kevin Coleman Jr. and returners Marquis Johnson and Joshua Manning to take the bulk of the reps for Mizzou at wideout, there’s room for some competition here.
And Olugbode — who is listed at 6 foot 2, 207 pounds — appears to have put himself in as good of a spot as any of MU’s freshmen for offensive reps.
“Been impressed with our freshmen. Donovan (Olugbode), I think, really stood out in a positive way, big-time catch radius,” Drinkwitz said after spring camp April 8. … “He will push Marquis and Josh and (James Madison II) to be a force on the outside.”
Javion Hilson, defensive end
Hilson was a top-50 recruit in his signing class, and his late pledge to the Tigers last December appears to have been predicated on the potential for immediate playing opportunities.
Mizzou is strong at defensive end. Damon Wilson II, Darris Smith, Zion Young and Nathan Johnson all should find their way onto the field frequently.
Hilson, who is listed at 6-4, 246 pounds, is a player who could find himself in that rotation.
Marquise Davis, running back
Ahmad Hardy is Mizzou’s starter, and Jamal Roberts is the likeliest option as Mizzou’s change-of-pace back. But, we think Davis is currently next up on the depth chart.
The Tigers flipped the four-star and top-200 prospect from Kentucky last December.
“Excellent runner,” Drinkwitz said April 8. “A guy who is going to have an impact as a true freshman. We feel like he’s going to be able to provide us with some added depth and explosiveness at the running back position.”
Shaun Terry II, punt/kick returner
Terry has the potential to get involved early through Mizzou’s special teams units. As a high school player, he put up some truly electrifying return tape.
The Tigers have a lot of options here: Daniel Blood was often MU’s punt returner, and Johnson and Coleman both could feature in the kick return game. He likely needs to refine his game to be ready for the college level, but Terry, an Ironton, Ohio native, absolutely will compete for one or both of the Tigers’ return roles this fall camp.
Henry Fenuku, offensive lineman
Fenuku, in all probability, isn’t going to crack the starting five up front for the Tigers, but his reps from the spring indicate that he might not be buried too far down the depth chart. He frequently took reps with the second-team at guard.
He’s a four-star prospect out of Fort Worth, Texas. If and when the Tigers hand out reserve reps in any nonconference blowouts, Fenuku may very well be among the second wave of players to enter the game.
