Missouri Tigers DB Ennis Rakestraw Knows Tennessee Volunteers Well
Sophomore defensive back Ennis Rakestraw has had to mature quickly in his time at Missouri. Last year he was a freshman rotation player, just getting his feet wet. Now, Rakestraw's one of the leaders of this Tiger defense and he's done his part in its success, as the squad ranks 18th nationally in total defense.
Rakestraw patrols the secondary like a seasoned veteran, having notched eight pass deflections and an interception on the year, and he's got seven of those deflections in just the last five games. Two weeks ago, in Mizzou's win over South Carolina, he added a forced fumble to his stat line for the fall. He's as integral to this defense as any player on Missouri's roster and the Tigers will be counting on him to help contain Tennessee's high-octane offense in Week 11.
That's a challenge that Rakestraw is all too familiar with, having gone toe-to-toe with the Vols as a freshman in 2021. Tennessee stomped Mizzou in that one, 62-24, and Rakestraw hasn't forgotten it.
"We got just blown out of the water [against Tennessee last year]...that's just a bad feeling right after that game," said Rakestraw after noting he's looking forward to another shot at the Volunteers.
The Vols maybe even better than they were last year, but so are Rakestraw and this Missouri secondary. Both he and junior Kris Abrams-Draine have proven to be some of the best cornerbacks in the SEC. They'll face one of the best receivers in the SEC, though, this weekend, when they're asked to cover Tennessee's Jalin Hyatt, who leads the nation with 14 receiving touchdowns on the year.
"We all know [Hyatt] can take the top off. I was watching the Alabama game, he had like five touchdowns," said Rakestraw in reference to Hyatt's five-touchdown outing against Bama. "He's very explosive..he's got good game speed."
Just about everyone is aware of Hyatt's explosiveness, but that hasn't helped them slow him down much. Luckily, the Tigers have one of the best pass defenses in the country and have put up similar numbers to that of Georgia, who held the Vols to just 13 points last weekend.
Missouri and Rakestraw may not extinguish the Tennessee offense to that extent, but the Tigers could give them problems in the passing game. If Mizzou's front seven can pressure Tennessee quarterback Hendon Hooker, it'll be a lot easier for Rakestraw & Co. to defend his passing attack.
The Tigers will hit the road Saturday to try and take down one of the best teams in the country in a hostile environment. Rakestraw knows his opponent well, and he also knows a win here could change the whole narrative of Missouri's year as the season closes out.
Hey Tiger fans! Want to catch Mizzou live? Get your Tigers game tickets from SI Tickets here!
Follow MizzouSportsTalk.com on Facebook and Twitter!
Want More Tigers News? Check Out The Latest In Mizzou Tigers News Here
