Meet the Mizzou Freshman: Tight End Dakota Terrell's Ceiling, Fit with Tigers

Breaking down the ceiling, floor and fit with the team for Missouri freshman tight end Dakotah Terrell.

Missouri Tigers tight end Dakotah Terrell on a visit to Columbia, Missouri. / via @Kotah_14 on X, Mizzou Athletics

In many ways, Dakotah Terell is not built like a tight end. He honestly has the build of a small forward or power forward in basketball, which he plays, but he's keeping his talents on the gridiron for the Missouri Tigers.

Terrell has a build and athleticism to go with it that is so uncommon. Some might argue that he focused on the wrong sport with his make, but Terrell can now be utilized as a weapon for Eli Drinkwitz and the Tigers.

Terrell moves like someone shouldn't for being a 6-foot-8 football player, something that can easily be used to his advantage. Though he's in a loaded tight end room, most of whom are on the younger side, Terrell certainly has all the potential in the world to be a contributor for the Missouri offense.

Here's everything you need to know about Missouri's unicorn tight end, Dakotah Terrell.

Player Info

Height: 6-foot-8
Weight: 220 lbs.
Hometown: Pocola, Oklahoma
High School: Pocola

Recruiting

Consensus: 3-Star prospect
247Sports: Not ranked nationally, No. 22 position, No. 7 state
On3: Not ranked nationally, No. 25 position, No. 12 state
Rivals: Not ranked nationally, Not ranked position, Not ranked in state
ESPN: Not ranked nationally, No. 22 position, No. 8 state

High school career

The last two seasons of Terrell's at Pocola were his best, recording 695 receiving yards as a senior and 549 as a junior. He grabbed four touchdowns on 46 receptions as a senior, with a more productive scoring season as a junior with seven touchdowns on 29 receptions.

Terrell was also a productive pass rusher, recording 37 total tackles and 8 tackles for loss, along with four sacks in his junior season. He stopped playing defensive end by the time his senior year came around, but still made his mark at the position.

The dynamic athlete also participated in track and field, running the 200-meter dash and competing in the long jump. He now holds his school record in the 200, recording a best of 23.51. He also holds a personal best of 20-feet, 11.5-inches in the long jump, doing so at his state track meet.

One of those many sports that Terrell took on was basketball, where he also could have been a Division 1 athlete. Terrell racked up offers from Tulsa, Sam Houston State and Cal Poly to further his basketball career after scoring 1,000 career points at Pocola.

Fit with the Tigers

Terrell is a big body with incredible speed to match it. Starting tight end Brett Norfleet obviously isn't 6-foot-8, but the size and ability to move with it resemble what Terrell does. His basketball background is clear when he runs routes as well, along with his footwork. It still needs refining, but the glimpses are there.

His build at the tight end spot is a view into what most tight end prospects are becoming, with more size and speed than ever before. That comes with plenty of things to improve on, including his routes. Missouri's tight ends notoriously must be elite blockers, another area in which he will need to improve his technique and effort.

One concern with Terrell is his experience and level of competition in high school. The 1A division of Oklahoma state football isn't anywhere near the level of competition of Power 4 football, especially the SEC. That will be a massive jump that will take more than one season for Terrell to make.

Scouting Report

Gabe Brooks of 247Sports: Big-framed pass catcher with the physical potential to provide in-line snaps, but functional athleticism and playmaking ability to regularly play flexed. Size is not third-party verified, but clearly tall with ample frame potential. Three-phase small-school standout who also plays basketball to a high level, reporting multiple Division I offers. Extensive experience on the defensive LOS with a hand on the ground and from a two-point edge should help set a foundation for honing attached tight end skills. Generally a hands catcher with a giant catch radius. Couples that with athletic ability to win contested throws and red-zone targets. Possesses desired multi-sport background and multi-phase on-field experience, especially considering lower-level high school competition. Faces significant learning curve going from Oklahoma 1A to P4 level. Expanding route tree, route-running technique, and blocking ability against bigger/stronger/faster opponents will take some time. However, owns great physical traits and strong athletic profile to suggest considerable long-term developmental upside.

When will he play?

It won't be this season and it likely won't be the one after that, but Terrell falls into the "he could be impactful if he's patient" category. If Terrell waits his turn and lets guys like Brett Norfleet, Jordon Harris and Vince Brown phase out of the depth chart, it could be his time to shine.

There's no denying his tools, but Terrell does have a long way to go until he's ready to see the field. That's an advantage just about everyone else has in the tight end room over him, so he needs to change that somehow. Whether it's by adding weight or tightening some screws with his footwork, route-running or blocking, he needs to start making minor improvements fast in order to see his name rise up the depth chart.

Ceiling and Floor

Ceiling: Terrell vaults up the tight end room and is a contributor by his second season with the Tigers, with the potential to become a starter.

Floor: Terrell struggles to crack the tight end rotation and transfers out after a season or two in Missouri.

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