Recruiting Reset: Mark Manfred has the size and speed to be elite

Look, we all love our short corner kings. Kris Abrams-Draine? Ennis Rakestraw? E.J. Gaines? Fantastic. Amazing. We can’t get enough of them.

But admit it… isn’t there something satisfying about watching a hulking monster playing in the secondary? I get that his attitude wasn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but Richard Sherman drew ratings not just because he was loud, but also because he was tall and strong and a lock down defender. There’s just something about an outside wide receiver lining up onside, looking up, and seeing someone bigger than him ready to man him up. It’s intimidating in the best possible way.

Since his arrival at Mizzou, Eli Drinkwitz has been seeking out these mondo defensive backs to patrol Mizzou’s secondary. The first pair that comes to mind is Akayleb Evans and Allie Green IV, both pulled from the group of five conference ranks to give the Tigers a pair of twin towers on either side of the field. It only really worked out for one of those two, but that hasn’t stopped Drink from trying, 5’11” heroes KAD and Rakestraw notwithstanding.

As the high school recruiting class of 2025 rounds out to about a midpoint for Drinkwitz and his staff, he still appears to be looking for some other defensive backs to sign on and be the tall drink of water that was promised. And while he’s still got plenty of irons in the fire — Charles Bass, where are ye? — he finally locked down his first corner commitment of the 2025 cycle in Mark Manfred, who hails from Sprayberry, Ga. Tell me that doesn’t sound like a delicious brand of sour candy.

Where He Fits: Manfred’s stats aren’t necessarily eye-popping, but it doesn’t take long to see why a school like Mizzou would want to bring Manfred in. He stands at 6’2” and is smooth as Kerrygold butter when running with his man. He’s a bit clunky on the turn and obviously isn’t seeing anything in the way of complicated route runners at his current level of play. But when you get the chance to bring in a tall, fast, smooth athlete for your secondary, you do it. It’s easy to see how a year in the strength and conditioning program could give Manfred a little extra strength and, potentially, a leg up in the fight for snaps as a sophomore.

When He’ll Play: Eli Drinkwitz has kept the cupboard fully stocked with young corners and safeties. On the 2024 roster alone, there are currently 8 freshman or redshirt freshman defensive backs, as well as 5 sophomores. And that’s not counting all the other guys Drinkwitz is prioritizing in this class, as well as future transfers who will be used to supplement depth or raise the ceiling. It feels safe to say, Manfred has something of an uphill battle ahead of him if he wants early playing time. But there’s always playing time for fast, silky athletes like Manfred. His return experience could also pave the way for meaningful snaps in camp and practice, which isn’t nothing for young players.

What It All Means: Perhaps the most notable thing about Manfred’s recruitment is that Mizzou pulled him out of Marietta, Ga., and away from the likes of Miami and Ole Miss. Obviously the Tigers have a lot going for them these days and Eli Drinkwitz has always had a pull on young guys looking for a shot in the SEC. But it’s still somewhat striking to see the Tigers operating like a recruiting powerhouse in the southeast. This is the fourth class in a row that the staff has picked someone out of Georgia, so maybe the trend line for Tigers from the Peach State is heading up?