2 Mizzou Players Who Need Bounce-Back Years in 2025: The Extra Point

Steps back up from these two rising juniors could go a long way for the Tigers.

Oct 19, 2024; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers tight end Brett Norfleet (87) hurdles Auburn Tigers safety Sylvester Smith (19) during the second half at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

Watch the video below as Missouri football reporter Joey Van Zummeren names two rising juniors who the Tigers will need to take a step up from underwhelming seasons in 2024.

Welcome to Missouri Tigers On SI's "Extra Point," a video series featuring the site's Missouri beat writers. Multiple times a week, the writers provide analysis on a topic concerning the Tigers or the landscape of college sports.

Calling the Missouri Tigers' 2024 campaign a disappointment feels a little harsh and greedy. The 10-3 record is far better than what the team produced from 2015-2022, after all.

But with the expansion of the College Football Playoff field coming off the heels of a 11-2 2023 , atleast closely competing for a spot in the Playoff was the expectation for the Tigers. Instead, Missouri was virtually knocked out of the race in late-October after being shutout at Alabama.

After retooling the roster through the transfer portal, Missouri will hope 2025 is the year it can get over the hump and make the Playoff for the first time in program history.

In order to take that next step, Missouri will likely need two players to do make leaps back up from disappointing 2024 seasons.

Like the team itself, edge rusher Nate Johnson (a transfer from Appalachian State) and tight end Brett Norfleet had underwhelming seasons last year. For Norfleet, it was due to injury. For Johnson, the explanation is a little more difficult to pin down.

Johnson was a Freshman All-American in 2023, recording 7.5 sacks in 10 starts. His production dipped in 2024, grabbing only 2.5 sacks.

Missouri's two starting edge rushers, Damon Wilson II and Zion Young are already established. But Johnson has rare athleticism that can make him an elite piece of the Missouri defense if he can find the same production he did his freshman season.

Norfleet appeared in 11 games on the season 2024 season, but suffered a shoulder injury in Week 1 against Murray State that lingered all season, preventing him from being physical as a blocker or after the catch. He eventually underwent surgery on the shoulder shortly after the end of the regular season.

Norfleet flashed impressive potential in the second half of his freshman season, even if his season stats (197 receiving yards, three touchdowns) don't jump off the page. With his 6-foot-6, 260-pound frame, he can create plenty of mismatches against linebackers or cornerbacks.