4-star OT Jack Lange commits to Missouri: ‘It’s a dream come true’
Eureka (Mo.) four-star offensive tackle Jack Lange went into his decision date with Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska and Wisconsin as his finalists. The Tigers had been first or second on his list for a while.
During spring visits, Lange could not find a school to “match” Missouri. He eventually chose head coach Eliah Drinkwitz and the SEC program on Wednesday.
“It’s close to home,” Lange told On3. “When I think of what I want in a college town, campus, academics and football, it’s everything that I want and I’m really excited to be a part of it. I’ve been told by Missouri’s coaches that I’m going to be a pillar in this recruiting class. I want to be able to help bring guys in and build this class up to something that’s really special. With me and Matt Zollers, I think we can really turn this thing into something that’s going to be great.”
Lange is ready to play in his home state school
Nebraska made a strong push for Lange, but the 6-foot-8, 275-pound recruit feels at home around the Tigers’ staff in Columbia. He likes how Missouri just concluded an 11-win season that included a victory in the Cotton Bowl over Ohio State.
Lange believes that the Tigers are “not slowing down anytime soon,” which is a key reason why he wants to be a part of what Drinkwitz is building. The No. 1 player in Missouri is also excited about the opportunity to represent the Show-Me State on the field in front of his family and friends.
“I truly believe that Mizzou has everything that I want in a school,” said Lange, the No. 179 overall prospect and No. 13 offensive tackle in the 2025 On3 Industry Ranking. “It’s the home state school. I’ve grown up around it. It’s a dream come true.”
Lange is ready to learn from Missouri’s coaches
Lange is confident that Drinkwitz will continue to develop Missouri’s players and keep the Tigers on an upward trajectory in the SEC. Last cycle, Missouri’s head man brought in a top-25 recruiting class headlined by Lee’s Summit (Mo.) Lee’s Summit North Five-Star Plus+ EDGE Williams Nwaneri.
“He’s unlike any other coach that I’ve talked to in recruiting,” Lange said. “He’s the best recruiter that I’ve talked to. He’s always on top of it. While he does have a funny side, he is also a very serious head coach when it’s game time… He is all about Missouri, he cares about this team and he isn’t going anywhere. He bleeds black and gold and he wants this program to be successful as much as any die-hard fan.”
Missouri’s 2025 class now contains Lange, Zollers and three other players, including another blue-chip pledge in Canton (Ohio) McKinley four-star linebacker Dante McClellan. When Lange arrives in Columbia, he is looking forward to playing for offensive line coach Brandon Jones.
“Coach Jones is not only the greatest coach, but the greatest person that I’ve met during this recruiting process,” Lange said. “He is great. The way that the room responds to him in the first year that he’s been here has been incredible. They see him as another father figure. He’s always checking in on guys off the field. They do Bible study and that’s a huge thing for me. They’re all one big family and it’s not just like that with the o-line. It’s like that with the entire team.”