Mizzou QB Commit Braylen Warren Talks Elite 11 Finals Invite, Offensive Hires

Warren, a three-star recruit in the 2027 class, was recently invited to the Elite 11 finals.

Aug 28, 2025; Columbia, Missouri, USA; A general view of a Missouri Tigers helmet against the Central Arkansas Bears during the second half of the game at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

The early commitment of 2027 quarterback Braylen Warren is starting to look even better for the Missouri Tigers. On the last two days of February, Warren participated in an Elite 11 regional camp in Indianapolis.

He left that camp with an invite to the Elite 11 finals, which are held in Los Angeles over the summer. Warren is one of two players with an invite, alongside Ohio State quarterback commit Brady Edmunds.

Warren left the weekend with a positive experience and more national recognition as a recruit in the 2027 class. Participating in the camp itself was an honor, but leaving with the lone invite of a talented bunch of quarterbacks was even more special. 

“It was a great experience,” Warren told MissouriOnSI. “Something I'm most like proud of is obviously getting the finals invite to the finals, because that's something I've been looking forward to, hoping that I can get a shot to do. Now that I actually am, it's really a blessing.”

In order for Warren to get that invitation to the finals in the summer, he was going to have to look better than some of the best quarterbacks in the country. Warren was the only player to earn an invite last weekend in Indianapolis while having No. 10 quarterback Jake Nawrot, No. 3 quarterback Israel Abrams and No. 13 quarterback Will Mencl in attendance. 

“I knew if I really had to get invited to bring my A-game and all that,” Warren said. “I did and got invited, which I'm proud of, and I'm glad that I did. But I knew I believed in myself that I could.”

As things stand, Warren is the No. 32 quarterback in the class. Though that seems likely to change moving forward, Warren being overlooked by the people who gave him that ranking while also earning his Elite 11 finals invitation was an important accolade for him.

“It means a lot,” Warren said. “Being ranked lower. My ranks (have) been slipping, so me getting that invite allowed me keep myself and all that. So I thought it meant a lot.” 

Warren is coming from an area with a recent uptick in Division 1 quarterbacks. Coming from the Omaha, Nebraska area, his quarterback trainer, John Teigland, has sent four quarterbacks to the Elite 11 finals in recent years.

Teigland has coached Oklahoma State’s Zane Flores, Nebraska’s Daniel Kaelin and Alabama’s Jett Thomalla. Warren is the fourth to head to the finals.

“One of the biggest things you could go to is the Elite 11 finals, just because they have so many people coming out of there going to the NFL and all that,” Warren said. “My quarterback coach, people I trained with, out of the past five years, four people went to the finals. So just kind of cool getting to know their experience and just kind of it's kind of cool being able to go there.”

Warren has also had the chance to directly talk with Missouri head coach Eli Drinkwitz. A connection is already starting to form between the two after Drinkwitz visited Warren. The Omaha native will return the favor soon.

The way in which Drinkwitz carries himself and coaches his players is what stands out to Warren the most at the moment. There’s obviously still much to learn, but all of the right and positive first impressions are still there.

“He's a funny guy,” Warren said. “One thing that really stands out to me is that he's a player's coach. He really cares about his players a lot, and everything. Him being an offensive coach meant a lot to me, too, just because he coaches all the quarterbacks and all that.” 

Warren will head to Columbia for an unofficial visit on Friday and Saturday to meet with the coaching staff, with the goal of learning more about offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey and quarterbacks coach Garrett Riley. 

“I'm going up to Mizzou (on) the sixth and seventh, just (to) meet them in person, talk football and kind of sit down with them more (and) go over everything,” Warren said. “I've seen Garrett Riley in person watch me throw and so it's kind of cool getting those people and all that.”

Both Lindsey and Riley have a reputation for working with quarterbacks, as does Drinkwitz. The potential development for Warren by those coaches is an intriguing factor in his recruitment. 

“It definitely means a lot, knowing that they have developed and working with all those guys really shows me that they like that they're really big on stuff and really good at it,” Warren said.

Warren, the current composite-ranked No. 457 player in the country, seems primed for a jump in national rankings. He’s actively looking to add four-star wide receiver Lawrence Britt, four-star running back Myson Cook-Johnson and four-star tight end Jack Brown to the 2027 class alongside him.