High School

Mizzou Offers Platte County Star Quarterback Rocco Marriott After James Madison Commitment

The No. 1–ranked Pirates’ senior standout has accounted for 50 total touchdowns this season as Missouri looks to flip his commitment

Levi Payton

Platte County senior quarterback Rocco Marriott picked up an offer from Mizzou on Nov. 7.
Platte County senior quarterback Rocco Marriott picked up an offer from Mizzou on Nov. 7. / RaDel Hinckley

Rocco Marriott already had his college destination mapped out — Harrisonburg, Virginia, and James Madison University. But with the way the Platte County senior quarterback has been lighting up scoreboards this fall, Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz hopes to change the Pirate's course.

A three-star captain leading the No. 1 Platte County Pirates, Marriott entered the season as one of Missouri’s most recognized players. The Pirates reached the district championship game during his sophomore year in 2023, then went 14-0 and captured the Class 5 state title last season.

Missouri Steps In With Late Offer

As Marriott developed physically and improved his mechanics, college attention followed. On May 8, 2025, well before his senior season began, the 6-foot-4, 212-pound right-hander and Under Armour Next athlete committed to Division I James Madison. The Dukes, members of the Sun Belt Conference, are 8-1 and ranked No. 24 in the latest AP Top 25.

That hasn’t stopped Drinkwitz and the Tigers from making a push. Marriott took a visit to Columbia over the weekend, and Missouri officially extended an offer on Nov. 7. He also picked up an offer from coach Rich Rodriguez and West Virginia on Sept. 23 and from UCF on Oct. 20.

Marriott announced the offer in a post on X, formerly Twitter: "After a great visit and conversation with @CoachDrinkwitz, I am grateful to receive an offer from Mizzou!"

Flip Alert? A Family Legacy Ties Marriott to Mizzou

Rocco Marriott Platte County Pirates quarterback
Marriott has accounted for 50 touchdowns through No. 1 Platte County's first 10 games of the season. / RaDel Hinckley

There’s a clear family tie between Marriott and Mizzou, which has caused some to believe he will flip. His father, Jeff Marriott, played defensive tackle for the Tigers, earning Big 12 Third Team All-Conference honors and MVP of the Insight.com Bowl in 1999 before being selected by the New England Patriots in the fifth round of the 2000 NFL Draft.

Missouri, once ranked No. 14 in the AP Top 25 on Oct. 5, has dropped to 6-3 and out of the poll after losing starting quarterback Beau Pribula to a dislocated left ankle and falling to No. 3 Texas A&M with true freshman Matt Zollers starting. The Tigers are currently one spot ahead of James Madison at No. 24 in the latest AFCA Coaches Poll.

Marriott’s Production Stands Among the Country's Best

Whoever lands Marriott will be getting one of the nation’s most productive prep quarterbacks. Surrounded by Division I talent — including tight ends Jack Utz (Kansas) and Brooks Hall (South Dakota, recently offered by UCF), along with receivers Braiden Stevens (Minnesota) and Tres Baskerville (who holds multiple offers) — Marriott impressively threw more touchdown passes (39) than incompletions (36) during the 2025 regular season.

He has accounted for 50 total touchdowns this fall — 42 passing and eight rushing — and 3,185 total yards through 10 games. In the regular season, he completed 141 of 177 passes for 2,545 yards and 39 touchdowns while adding 339 yards and six scores on the ground. In Platte County’s 42-0 win Friday over St. Pius X in the Class 5 District 8 semifinals, he went 15 of 25 passing for three touchdowns and ran 14 times for 130 yards and two more scores.

A Championship Career Defined by Consistency

Rocco Marriott Platte County Football
Defending Class 5 champion Platte County has won 24 consecutive games with Marriott as its starting quarterback and has outscored opponents 551-99 this season. / RaDel Hinckley

Marriott’s production has been consistent throughout his high school career. As a sophomore, he completed 84 of 128 passes for 1,533 yards and 23 touchdowns while rushing for 340 yards and eight more. As a junior, he hit 167 of 245 passes for 3,077 yards, 39 touchdowns and just five interceptions, adding 627 rushing yards and 19 TDs.

With Marriott leading the way, Platte County has outscored opponents 551-99 this season and remains favored to repeat as Class 5 state champions — with a chance to go wire-to-wire as Missouri’s No. 1-ranked team.

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Levi Payton
LEVI PAYTON

Levi’s sports journalism career began in 2005. A Missouri native, he’s won multiple Press Association awards for feature writing and has served as a writer and editor covering high school sports as well as working beats in professional baseball, NCAA football, basketball, baseball and soccer. If you have a good story, he’d love to tell it.

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