How Mizzou, Mississippi State starters ranked as recruits
Missouri called upon multiple freshman and second-year players to start on offense against Texas A&M in Week 11.
Tigers freshman Matt Zollers took over starting quarterback duties for an injured Beau Pribula, who got upgraded to doubtful Wednesday. After weeks of production, freshman Donovan Olugbode was announced a starting wide receiver over Marquis Johnson, and redshirt freshman Jude James stepped in for Brett Norfleet, who is still questionable with a shoulder injury.
Mississippi State might be in a similar spot as its opponent Saturday, given injury worries around quarterback Blake Shapen. If the second-year Bulldog can’t go, coach Jeff Lebby will turn to freshman KaMario Taylor.
Here’s how the projected Missouri and Mississippi State starters ranked as high school recruits:
Quarterback
| Matt Zollers (MIZ) | 4-star (95 rating) | 2025 (81st on On300) |
| KaMario Taylor (MSU) | 4-star (97) | 2025 (41st) |
Running backs
| Ahmad Hardy (MIZ) | Unrated | 2024 |
| Jamal Roberts (MIZ) | 3-star (87) | 2023 |
| Fluff Bothwell (MSU) | 3-star (86) | 2024 |
Hardy ranked 16th overall nationally as a Louisiana-Monroe transfer.
Wide receivers
| Kevin Coleman Jr. (MIZ) | 4-star (92) | 2022 (224th) |
| Josh Manning (MIZ) | 4-star (93) | 2023 (193rd) |
| Donovan Olugbode (MIZ) | 3-star (89) | 2025 |
| Brenen Thompson (MSU) | 4-star (96) | 2022 (71st) |
| Ayden Williams (MSU) | 4-star (93) | 2023 (152nd) |
| Anthony Evans III (MSU) | 4-star (90) | 2023 |
Coleman, who transferred twice before landing at Missouri ahead of the 2025 season, ranked as the 31st transfer nationally this past winter.
Tight ends
| Jordon Harris (MIZ) | 3-star (89) | 2023 |
| Jude James (MIZ) | 3-star (86) | 2024 |
| Seydou Traore (MSU) | 2-star (5.2) by Rivals | 2021 |
Offensive linemen:
| Cayden Green (MIZ) | 4-star (90) | 2023 |
| Dominick Giudice (MIZ) | 2-star (5.4) by Rivals | 2021 |
| Connor Tollison (MIZ) | 4-star (90) | 2021 (188th) |
| Curtis Peagler (MIZ) | 3-star (85) | 2022 |
| Keagen Trost (MIZ) | Unrated | 2019 |
| Jayvin Q. James (MSU) | 3-star (84) | 2023 |
| Jacoby Jackson (MSU) | 3-star (5.6) by Rivals | 2021 |
| Canon Boone (MSU) | 3-star (5.5) by Rivals | 2021 |
| Zack Owens (MSU) | Unrated | 2023 |
| Albert Reese IV (MSU) | 3-star (5.6) by Rivals | 2021 |
After departing Oklahoma in 2023, Green signed with Missouri as the 27th-ranked transfer. Giudice (Michigan) and Trost (Wake Forest) both joined the Tigers this past offseason as three-stars. On3 rated Trost the 292nd-best transfer.
Defensive linemen:
| Zion Young (MIZ) | 4-star (91) | 2022 (285th) |
| Marquis Gracial (MIZ) | 4-star (93) | 2022 (178th) |
| Sterling Webb (MIZ) | 2-star (5.4) by Rivals | 2022 |
| Chris McClellan (MIZ) | 4-star (93) | 2022 (174th) |
| Damon Wilson II (MIZ) | 5-star (98) | 2023 (22nd) |
| Deonte Anderson (MSU) | 4-star (91) | 2021 (294th) |
| Jaray Bledsoe (MSU) | 4-star (96) | 2022 (80th) |
| Kedrick Bingley-Jones (MSU) | 4-star (5.9) by Rivals | 2020 (98th) |
| Branden Jennings (MSU) | 4-star (5.9) by Rivals | 2021 (83rd) |
Wilson made a splash by committing to Missouri over Ohio State this past winter. Young, who chose Michigan State over Missouri out of high school, joined the team ahead of 2024 as a three-star transfer. Webb and McClellan also joined the Tigers two seasons ago as a three-star transfers from New Mexico State and Florida, respectively.
Linebackers:
| Triston Newson (MIZ) | 3-star (88) | 2022 (JC No. 40) |
| Josiah Trotter (MIZ) | 3-star (87) | 2023 |
| Nic Mitchell (MSU) | 3-star (5.5) by Rivals | 2021 |
| Zakari Tillman (MSU) | 3-star (5.6) by Rivals | 2023 |
The son of four-time Pro Bowler Jeremiah Trotter, Josiah parlayed a strong second year at West Virginia into being the No. 44 overall transfer recruit after the 2024 season.
Defensive backs:
| Daylan Carnell (MIZ) | 4-star (5.8) by Rivals | 2021 |
| Jalen Catalon (MIZ) | 4-star (5.8) by Rivals | 2019 (243rd) |
| Marvin Burks Jr. (MIZ) | 4-star (90) | 2023 |
| Drey Norwood (MIZ) | 3-star (5.6) by Rivals | 2021 |
| Toriano Pride Jr. (MIZ) | 4-star (97) | 2022 (42nd) |
| Stephen Hall (MIZ) | 3-star (84) | 2023 (JC 174th) |
| Kelley Jones (MSU) | 4-star (94) | 2023 (114th) |
| Jahron Manning (MSU) | Unrated | 2022 |
| Brylan Lanier (MSU) | 3-star (5.5) by Rivals | 2021 |
| DeAgo Brumfield (MSU) | Unrated | 2021 |
| Tony Mitchell (MSU) | 4-star (93) | 2023 (146th) |
A three-time transfer, Catalon joined Missouri from UNLV as the 108th-ranked player in the portal. After one season with Texas A&M, Norwood transferred to Missouri ahead of the 2022 campaign, but he’s not listed with any transfer portal information in the On3 | Rivals database.
Pride, another St. Louis-area product to return home, ranked a four-star and 57th nationally out of the portal from Clemson. A fellow junior-college product like Newson, Hall came from Washington State as a three-star.