Upcoming recruiting commitment dates to know for Missouri football Class of 2026 targets
Missouri football landed four players between Monday and Sunday. Three-star running back Maxwell Warner, three-star wide receiver, three-star offensive lineman Khalief Canty Jr., and, to round out the week, four-star offensive lineman Brandon Anderson committed to the Tigers.
Advertisement
Head coach Eli Drinkwitz and company also missed out on a handful of targets, with four-star offensive lineman Evan Goodwin committing to SMU, four-star defensive lineman Danny Beale pledging to Oklahoma State, four-star wide receiver Jayden Petit heading to Wisconsin, and one-time MU defensive line commit — and re-recruiting target — Anthony Kennedy Jr. choosing Miami.
As the calendar flips to July, the upcoming couple of weeks could define the Tigers' 2026 class.
As it stands, the Tigers hold the No. 76-ranked Class of 2026 in the country, per the recruiting service 247Sports' national team rankings. That's wedged between Toledo and Oregon State on the leaderboard.
More: Mizzou athletics' revenue-sharing plan officially begins July 1. What you need to know
Advertisement
There are a number of possible reasons, including an increased focus on the transfer portal over high school, but that's still much lower than Mizzou's recruiting norm in the Drinkwitz era.
It's also not where MU's Class of 2026 will end up. The Tigers consistently have had top-25 recruiting classes under Drinkwitz. A bulk of their next high school class — likely to be around 15 players — could come in the next 10 days.
Eight Mizzou targets will announce their college commitments over the next 10 days. Here are names and dates to keep an eye on:
OL Braylon Ellison: Tuesday, July 1
247Sports composite ranking: No. 1,422
Advertisement
Position ranking (IOL): No. 117
It would be a surprise to see the Boonville prospect go anywhere other than Mizzou. Ellison's father, Attiyah Ellison, played for the Tigers from 2001-04 and is MU's current director of player and alumni relations. His older brother, Tyson Ellison, was a walk-on for the team last year.
Ellison, a three-star prospect listed at 6 foot 4, 285 pounds, would bring the Tigers up to three O-Lineman in this cycle, all of whom are expected to play on the interior.
Linebacker JJ Bush: Wednesday, July 2
247Sports composite ranking: No. 493
Position ranking (LB): No. 35
The Theodore, Alabama, product will make his choice between Mizzou, LSU, Arkansas and Cincinnati — and it seems to be a race between the SEC schools at this point. Bush is rated a three-star prospect in 247Sports' composite rankings but as a four-star talent in their own rankings.
Advertisement
The linebacker, listed at 6-3, 210, officially visited Mizzou back in May and has taken other trips since then.
Safety Tony Forney Jr.: Friday, July 4
247Sports composite ranking: No. 747
Position ranking (S): No. 65
Will there be another reason for fireworks?
Forney, a 5-11, 185, safety out of Marietta, Georgia, will choose between Mizzou, Wisconsin, Georgia, Auburn and Pittsburgh on the Fourth.
Defensive tackle Keytrin Harris: Saturday, July 5
247Sports composite ranking: No. 439
Position ranking (DT): No. 49
Mizzou is in atypical recruiting waters here, as Harris comes from Chandler, Arizona. The Tigers are dueling with California and in-state Arizona for the three-star DT's commitment.
Advertisement
MU was somewhat late to offer Harris, with his official offer coming in mid-May. Landing the 6-3, 290 tackle would be a significant win for the Tigers in mostly unfamiliar territory.
Keytrin Harris, a 6-foot-4, 305-pound defensive tackle, is among the top 2026 football prospects in the country. And he wants to put a little CAA program called AZ Compass Prep on the map in 2025.
LB Adam Balogoun-Ali: Sunday, July 6
247Sports composite ranking: No. 300
Position ranking (LB): No. 20
This is perhaps the least likely player to pick Mizzou on this list. It's an all-SEC race, with Auburn and Kentucky also vying for Balogoun-Ali's commitment. Auburn is viewed as the favorite to land the Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, prospect's pledge.
More: Missouri football reportedly will no longer play Illinois in 2026, 2032. What that means for MU
ATH Jayden McGregory: Monday, July 7
247Sports composite ranking: No. 399
Advertisement
Position ranking (ATH): No. 24
McGregory is listed as an athlete but is expected to play as a safety at the collegiate level. He will choose between the Tigers, Louisville and Minnesota, and the West Des Moines, Iowa, product has received a crystal ball prediction from 247Sports to land with MU. He did, however, seem to dispute that on his X account. He is a four-star prospect, listed at 6-2, 195.
West Des Moines Valley's Jayden McGregory runs the ball during the West Des Moines Valley and Waterloo West football game at Valley Stadium on Friday, Oct. 11, 2024, in West Des Moines.
ATH Javonte Smith: Tuesday, July 8
247Sports composite ranking: No. 956
Position ranking (WR): No. 149
Smith, a Jackson, Tennessee prospect, is expected to play wide receiver, although still listed as an athlete by 247Sports. Mizzou is competing with Arkansas, Tennessee and West Virginia for his commitment.
Advertisement
The Tigers have already received pledges from two wideouts in this class. They may still add another, but that could very well factor into Smith's decision, too.
Safety Jowell Combay: Wednesday, July 9
247Sports composite ranking: No. 631
Position ranking (S): No. 49
Combay is a teammate with Forney, listed above, at Kell High in Georgia. Tennessee, South Carolina, and Wisconsin appear to be the main competitors for the three-star prospect, who is listed at 6-1, 190.
This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Commitment dates to know for Missouri football recruiting targets
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
17 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Jake Ferguson signs four-year extension with Cowboys
Micah Parsons is still waiting for a new contract in Dallas, but one of his teammates landed an extension on Sunday. The Cowboys announced that they have signed tight end Jake Ferguson to a four-year extension. It's a $52 million deal with $30 million in guaranteed money. Ferguson was in the final year of the rookie deal he signed after being drafted in the fourth round in 2022. The move clears $1.8 million in salary cap space for the Cowboys in 2025. Ferguson missed three games last season and posted 59 catches for 494 yards. He was healthy for the entire 2023 campaign and caught 71 passes for 761 yards and five touchdowns.
Yahoo
17 minutes ago
- Yahoo
New York Giants training camp: Top 5 plays from Week 1
The New York Giants wrapped up their first week of training camp on Sunday under overcast East Rutherford skies and with their shells on. There were many highs and lows throughout the week, but more reasons for optimism than pessimism. The offense looks like an entirely different unit than a year ago, while the defensive front seven flashed utter dominance. There were also more than a handful of highlight plays on all sides of the ball, breathing life and excitement into the fan base. Here's a look at the top five plays of the week. 5. The catch that wasn't On the very last play of Sunday's wrap-up practice, rookie running back Cam Skattebo flashed brilliant hands and concentration, hauling in a deflected pass while tapping his toes on the ground. Unfortunately for Skattebo, he was out of bounds by an inch... But it shouldn't take away from the highlight catch. 4. Jones pick-6 Rookie quarterback Jaxson Dart was introduced to fine-line football in his first training camp practice as a pro. During red zone drills, Dart attempted to fire a tight ball into tight end Greg Dulcich, who was undercut by cornerback Nic Jones. From there, it was off to the races for a pick-6. 3. Wan'Dale stunner Quarterback Russell Wilson, unlike Daniel Jones before him, isn't afraid to throw the ball downfield, where wide receiver Wan'Dale Robinson flashed this week. One of those plays included a beautiful fade, where Robinson made a sliding one-handed touchdown grab in front of cornerback Dru Phillips. 2. Carter destroys JMS Rookie edge rusher Abdul Carter is a freak of nature and established himself as a human highlight reel in Week 1 of training camp. He showed out every single day and made multiple "wow" plays in each practice. Arguably, the most unbelievable came when he lined up off the ball inside and completely destroyed center John Michael Schmitz. 1. Darius slays Veteran wide receiver Darius Slayton electrified Sunday's crowd early in practice, hauling in a dazzling one-handed catch along the sideline. Not only was he able to secure the ball, but he got both feet in bounds for the big gain off the arm of Russell Wilson. This article originally appeared on Giants Wire: Giants training camp: Top 5 plays from Week 1
Yahoo
17 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Cowboys sign tight end Jake Ferguson to a 4-year, $52 million extension
OXNARD, Calif. (AP) — The Dallas Cowboys signed tight end Jake Ferguson to a four-year, $52 million extension Sunday. The deal includes a $12 million signing bonus. A fourth-round pick in 2022, Ferguson is entering the final year of his rookie deal. He had 59 catches for 494 yards but did not have a touchdown reception last season. The previous year, he posted career highs with 71 catches for 761 yards and five TDs. Ferguson dealt with knee and concussion issues last year but still started 14 games. This deal comes as two-time All-Pro defensive end Micah Parsons remains in negotiations for his own extension, entering the final season of his rookie deal. Parsons said recently he had not seen much progress in those talks. ___ AP NFL: The Associated Press
