Mizzou Football: Three Tigers set to take leaps forward as sophomores

When you have highly-touted freshmen recruits having to wait their turns behind experienced stars, then you know you’re doing something right as a football program.

That’s the case for the Missouri Tigers, as Eliah Drinkwitz and Co. have now reached the level of being able to sit talented newcomers for a year or two before they have to significantly contribute. This creates high-quality roster depth and ensures that those players are well-prepared when their time comes.

True, there are individuals like Luther Burden III and Williams Nwaneri that will demand playing time in their first seasons because they are simply that good. That’s another great problem to have.

But, there are plenty of freshmen from last season’s team that are set to take on even larger roles after learning from the elders that spearheaded the 2023 squad.

I took a look at three who I believe are set to become household names in 2024:

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Marvin Burks Jr.

Safety | St. Louis, Mo.

6-foot-1 | 201 lbs.

2023 Stats: 16 total tackles, 1 TFL, 1 sack, 74 kick return yards on 4 returns

We saw plenty of flashes from Mr. Burks, who burst onto the scene with four tackles and a sack in the first game against South Dakota before recording five tackles against Memphis. He played sparingly through the remainder of the season, but Burks typically stepped up and performed well when his number was called.

He’s already got a great frame to play at safety in this league, and the former 4-star recruit showed that he has the physicality and instincts to tread water as a true freshman. Burks has a ways to go in terms of his development in coverage, but he is not afraid to get close to the line of scrimmage and hit anybody that crosses his path. He’ll likely be another “havoc” player for this defense down the line, as Burks fits a similar mold of Daylan Carnell in terms of his size and speed.

He also has potential as a kick returner, and I can see Burks improving in that regard with more reps next season.

With the significant amount of snaps that Burks received last season, it’s safe to say that this coaching staff trusts him and that they plan on him being a more prominent member of the 2024 unit. A host of players will likely compete for that free safety spot that Jaylon Carlies left vacant. Even if he doesn’t win the job, expect to see Burks rotating in frequently.

Logan Reichert

Offensive Guard | Kansas City, Mo.

6-foot-6 | 369 lbs.

2023 Stats: Redshirted

The true debut of the “Big Ticket” — as Reichert has become known within the program —has been long awaited, and Tiger fans figure to see it in 2024.

With a wingspan that approaches 6-foot-10 to go along with that size, Reichert is more than a figurative elephant in the room (I mean that in…