Mizzou Football's Most Important Players: No. 21, Caleb Goodie

Missouri On SI ranked the 30 most important players for the Tigers' 2026 season. Goodie could be the deep threat that Missouri lacked in 2025.

Nov 29, 2025; Fort Worth, Texas, USA; Cincinnati Bearcats wide receiver Caleb Goodie (10) runs with the ball during the game between the Horned Frogs and the Bearcats at Amon G. Carter Stadium. | Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Missouri retooled nearly every aspect of its passing game this offseason, finding a new offensive coordinator, quarterback and two new starting receivers. One of those new likely starters at receivers brings serious speed to the offense, with Cincinnati transfer Caleb Goodie joining the unit.

Goodie comes in at No. 21 in our countdown of the 30 most important on Missouri's roster for the 2026 season. With two years of proven production, there's little question of how Goodie will fit in Missouri's offense and adjust to the Southeastern Conference.

Goodie's best trait is his speed, opening the door for him to be the deep threat that Missouri's offense sorely lacked in 2025. Out of his 51 targets in 2025, 16 (31.4%) were of 20 yards or deeper, per Pro Football Focus. He caught five of those passes for 250 yards and touchdowns.

Meanwhile, Missouri as a whole only completed four of its nine pass attempts of 20 yards or deeper on the season. The Tigers had speed with Marquis Joshnson at wide receiver, but he and quarterback Beau Pribula never seemed to be on the same page.

Now with Goodie, the Tigers will have speed from a player with two seasons of over 400 yards under his belt.

“You're (Missouri is) going to get a guy who can probably run a 4.1 (40-yard dash), a guy who can make plays, a dynamic playmaker down the field,” former Cincinnati wide receiver Jeff Caldwell said of Goodie to Missouri On SI at the NFL Scouting Combine. ”I feel like you're gonna see him here (the Combine) next year.”

Oct. 4, 2025; Cincinnati, USA; Cincinnati Bearcats wide receiver Caleb Goodie (10) catches a pass and runs for a touchdown as Iowa State Cyclones defensive back Jamison Patton (2) defends in the fourth quarter of the NCAA football game between the Cincinnati Bearcats and Iowa State Cyclones at Nippert Stadium. | Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Goodie will likely be Missouri's starting Z receiver, lining up alongside Cayden Lee in the slot and rising sophomore Donovan Olugbode at the X. Entering 2025, Missouri's wide receiver group had very little experience.

In 2026, the opposite is true, mainly because of the additions of Goodie and Lee. A transfer from Ole Miss, Lee was the Rebels' starting slot receiver for the last two seasons, compiling over 1,509 receiving yards in that time. Additionally, Olugbode was undeniably Missouri's best true freshman last season, catching 30 passes for 401 yards.

Goodie's skillset as a speedy, skilled route runner is an excellent complement to the shiftiness of Lee and the physicality and contested-catch ability of Olugbode. Goodie will be one of many players that could bring the significant improvement Missouri needs in its passing game, making him one of Missouri's most valuable portal additions.

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