Missouri Tigers 2023 Early Signing Day Wrap Up: Which Offensive Newcomers Could Play Early?
There's still some time left in Early Signing Day, but don't expect too many surprises late in the game for Missouri.
The Tigers should be more than happy with the day they've had, though, finishing with one of the better early classes in the country.
Two months stand between now and the next signing period, which is plenty of time for head coach Eli Drinkwitz and his staff to make more moves, but for now, there's a little bit of time to take a hard look at the beginnings of this 2023 class.
Missouri pulled in 19 signings on Wednesday afternoon, including some priority players on both sides of the ball. It's no secret, though, that Mizzou struggled at times on offense this year and there are certainly some incoming Tigers who could make an impact early.
Here's a look at some of the players in Mizzou's 2023 class that could see early playing time.
1) TE Brett Norfleet
Norfleet, a 6-foot-7, four-star prospect, was a big get for Mizzou, both literally and figuratively. The towering tight end weighs in at just 220 pounds, so he's certainly going to need some extra time in the weight room. In the passing game, though, the Missouri native could prove to be a real threat, especially on third down and in the red zone. The Tigers struggled in both of those areas in 2022, so a mismatch creator like Norfleet could prove to be too valuable to be left on the sideline.
2) WR Joshua Manning
Manning is another in-state product, hailing from Lee's Summit, Mo. Drinkwitz has made it clear that winning the state of Missouri is a priority, and landing Manning was a necessity for that objective. With the departure of leading receiver Dominic Lovett, as well as some senior route runners, there's plenty of wiggle room in the receiving unit. Manning's 6-foot-3 and provides some much-needed size on the outside. He may be the most game-ready prospect on this side of the ball. Pairing his size with Luther Burden III's speed might be just the combination that the Tigers are looking for.
3) OT Logan Reichert
OK, every coach pretty much hates playing freshmen on the offensive line. They'd prefer to have five four-year starters up front protecting their quarterback and opening up lanes in the running game. But, the only way to make an omelet is to break a few eggs, and you'll never get to that coveted veteran unit without starting some young guns. Reichert is as good a candidate for that as anyone, standing 6-foot-6 and weighing in a 350-pounds. With the way Mizzou's front line looked last year, there's no reason Reichert doesn't have a chance to see some early snaps.
4) QB Gabarri Johnson
This isn't a knock on Brady Cook. However, Johnson's got a boatload of talent and you have to think the battle for the future is between him and Sam Horn. Johnson can run and throw with the best in this class, but what's most impressive is how often he carried his team singlehandedly. That's a quality everyone wants in their field in general, and if he can show it in the spring, he may be just a couple of breaks away from taking the helm in his first year on campus or at least being featured in some special packages.
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