Mizzou plays long game, flips Louisville safety commit Jayden McGregory

Missouri looked to have sealed in the deal with Jayden McGregory in June, but then came Louisville.

The Cardinals received the Class of 2026 safety’s verbal commitment July 7. The Tigers never let up, though, as the program flipped McGregory from the Cardinals on Wednesday. The West Des Moines (Iowa) Valley defensive back officially visited Missouri the first weekend of June and returned for an unofficial visit Oct. 11 for the Alabama game.

“I give it to him because he just never grew tired of it,” McGregory’s mother, Marissa Townsley, said in July. “With him just staying committed in his journey, as far as just doing something that he loved, it just made it easy for me to make the sacrifices to get him to those places.”

A four-star by Rivals, McGregory originally received predictions to choose Missouri ahead of his commitment date. The program trended that direction out of his official visit as well. Louisville stayed on his schedule, though, to close out the summer session.

McGregory marked the fourth safety commitment for the Tigers, joining three-stars Tony Forney Jr., Brody Jones and Carter Stewart. Missouri safeties coach Jacob Yoro landed Forney in July and Smith and Stewart two days after losing to the Crimson Tide.

“I want him to live his life and not worry about a responsibility to take care of family back home,” Townsley said about her son. “The best thing that Jayden can do — and what I encourage him to do — is go focus on school, focus on football, have fun and enjoy this moment.”

Multiple staffers recruit McGregory

Yoro, defensive coordinator Corey Batoon and special teams coordinator Erik Link, who recruits Iowa prospects, also hosted McGregory for an unofficial visit in November 2024. Missouri defeated Oklahoma in front of a sold-out recruiting section. McGregory returned for a spring practice in March as well.

“It is a school I have visited three times,” McGregory said this past spring. “I like Coach Link a lot. He is the special teams coordinator, so not a lot of guys talk about him, but he is from Iowa. We talk almost every day, and we have a great connection. Coach Yoro is great, too. I like how he coaches, and the guys around the program like him a lot, too.”

McGregory marked the 22nd commitment for Missouri and the 12th since late September.