Rookie watch: These Missouri football freshmen could get playing time in 2024

In a preseason headlined by veteran experience and seasoned newcomers, some youngsters are making some noise.

Missouri football is fast approaching its 2024 season-opener, which comes Thursday, Aug. 29 against Murray State on Faurot Field in Columbia. Behind the scenes, some true freshmen are drawing the plaudits of their peers and mentors.

“I mean, there’s freshmen in every aspect of the game, offense, defense, special teams,” Missouri tight end Tyler Stephens said Thursday. “And I think that these guys need to understand that they are needed. Like, every single player is needed. Doesn’t matter if you’re a first year, if you’re a fifth year, there’s going to be an opportunity to play.”

Mizzou signed 21 players in its Class of 2024 — a recruiting cycle that brought one five-star prospect, seven four-stars and 13 three-stars to Columbia. The recruiting service 247Sports rated that as the No. 20 signing class in the country.

But, when the Tigers draw back the curtains on the new campaign, how many of those rookies will Missouri fans realistically see in Year 1?

Due to limited portions of practice being made available to reporters, and the periods that are available mostly containing individual and positional drills, it’s an imperfect system to attempt to adjudicate how much playing time each player is likely to earn from practice alone.

So, based on best judgment, positional needs and comments from players and coaches throughout fall camp, here are the Missouri freshmen who look the most likely to burn redshirts in the 2024 season:

More: Projecting Missouri football’s first offensive depth chart of 2024

Has Cameron Keys made case as rotational corner for Missouri football?

When you lose both of your starters at one position in the same NFL Draft, there’s naturally going to be some shake up.

With Kris Abrams-Draine and Ennis Rakestraw Jr. no longer manning the cornerback spots for Mizzou, true freshman Cameron Keys — a three-star pledge out of Panama City, Florida — seemingly is making a strong case to get some reps early in his Mizzou career.

“Cam Keys has done a nice job. He’s very physical,” Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz said on Aug. 3. … “When we put the pads on, he already knew what it was going to take and the physicality he had to play with.”

The Tigers’ depth appears to have Dreyden Norwood and Clemson transfer Toriano Pride Jr. as the starters. Experienced backup Marcus Clarke likely will retain his role as a rotation piece and redshirt freshman Nicholas DeLoach has been seen working with the Tigers’ first-team unit in camp.

Keys, who is listed at 6 foot, 166 pounds, might be one of the next men up, as he’s packing more of a punch than his listed weight suggests.

“He’s physical, he ain’t scared to put his head in there,” wide receiver Mookie Cooper said. … “He’s just not afraid to put his head in there and go make contact with a receiver. That’s just something you don’t see too much out of freshmen, especially at his size.”

Need for Williams Nwaneri may increase after injury

Five-star defensive end Williams Nwaneri would be most people’s first guess for the freshman most likely to get playing time as a rookie.

More: Here’s where Missouri football could turn after EDGE Darris Smith’s season-ending injury

Mizzou’s staff isn’t planning on rushing the Lee’s Summit North alum onto the field, and have attempted to temper any undue expectations for the top-10 recruit. But a season-ending injury to Darris Smith in camp could hurry his journey to the field.

“The key for us is to not put too many expectations on him,” Drinkwitz said at the start of fall camp. “Just let him learn the standards of how we operate on a day to day basis and when it’s his opportunity he’ll take advantage of it.”

Despite the injury to Smith, the Tigers can still ease Nwaneri into the lineup. Johnny Walker Jr., Zion Young, Joe Moore III, Eddie Kelly and Jakhai Lang all look capable of contributing.

But it would be a surprise not to see Nwaneri at some point to help shoulder the load.

Trajan Greco, Jeremiah Beasley special teams candidates

There’s a tough road to defensive reps for Missouri football’s young safeties, with more returning production there than any other spot on the defense. At linebacker, between returning their Cotton Bowl starters and finding experience in the portal, MU seems to have its two-deep sorted.

But, safety Trajan Greco and linebacker Jeremiah Beasley may still play important roles this season, coming in the form of coverage unit reps.

“Trajan Greco is a guy that’s really stood out,” Drinkwitz said Saturday. “Jeremiah Beasley has really stood out as guys who can find a role, whether that’s on special teams, so it’s been good.”

More: Projecting Mizzou football’s first defensive depth chart of 2024

Will Mizzou’s blue-chip WRs play?

Four-star wide receivers James Madison II and Courtney Crutchfield both have flashed in camp. Crutchfield hauled in a one-handed grab during 1-on-1 drills during Tuesday’s workout on Faurot Field for one of the more impressive plays of the day. Madison’s 6-3 frame, in particular, makes him an intriguing option.

But the depth of players ahead of them will make offensive snaps sparse.

The Tigers don’t have a set-in-stone punt-returner at this point in camp, although Drinkwitz said Saturday that the team has a “pretty clear idea” who the top two players will be on that front this season. The coach added that six wide receivers have been taking reps at the position: Luther Burden III, Theo Wease Jr., Marquis Johnson, Daniel Blood and the two true freshmen, Crutchfield and Madison.