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National Signing Day 2016: Ranking and grading each SEC football recruiting class

By Nicholas Ian Allen

Feb 3, 2016; Gordo, AL, USA; Gordo High School linebacker Ben Davis fields questions after committing to the Alabama Crimson Tide at the University of Alabama during national signing day at Gordo High School. Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 3, 2016; Gordo, AL, USA; Gordo High School linebacker Ben Davis fields questions after committing to the Alabama Crimson Tide at the University of Alabama during national signing day at Gordo High School. Mandatory Credit: Marvin Gentry-USA TODAY Sports /
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Nov 28, 2014; Columbia, MO, USA; A general view of the press box during the second half of the game between the Missouri Tigers and Arkansas Razorbacks at Faurot Field. Missouri won 21-14. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 28, 2014; Columbia, MO, USA; A general view of the press box during the second half of the game between the Missouri Tigers and Arkansas Razorbacks at Faurot Field. Missouri won 21-14. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports /

The Barry Odom era is officially underway in Columbia, and the new Missouri head coach had an advantage over many first-year hires because he was the defensive coordinator of the Tigers in 2015. That continuity should have helped smooth the transition away from longtime coach Gary Pinkel, who retired following the end of the 2015 season – at least, that’s how it should work in theory.

In reality, Mizzou lost a handful of players that committed to the Tigers under Pinkel and then struggled to fill in the gaps. However, adding former Alabama commit Brandon Scales was a nice step in the right direction and helped Missouri avoid a last place finish.

Instant Impact Performer: RB Natereace Strong

Ranked as the No. 2 junior college running back in the 2016 recruiting class, Strong has a great chance to emerge as Mizzou’s primary ball carrier in 2016, and will compete with Ish Witter for that role this fall.

Also, though he’s not officially a member of the 2016 Missouri recruiting class, it’s worth mentioning the recently announced arrival of former Alabama wide receiver Chris Black, who has joined the Tigers as a graduate transfer and should provide an immediate upgrade at the position.

Underrated Signee: ATH Jerod Alton

A 5-foot-10, 179-pound athlete, Alton could play either offense or defense at Mizzou, and he’ll immediately be one of the fastest players on the roster. While the Tigers need playmakers on offense and Alton is capable of making an impact out of the backfield or in the slot, his future may be as a ball-hawking cornerback and special teamer.

Unanswered Question: Can Odom develop players like Pinkel?

Missouri has never been a recruiting heavyweight but won back-to-back SEC East titles in 2013 and 2014 with a roster of overlooked players that Pinkel and his coaching staff unearthed, and then developed into stars. If Odom has similar instincts (and luck), the Tigers will be competitive moving forward. If not, Mizzou must bring in better talent to avoid being an annual cellar dweller in the league.

Complete 2016 Missouri Football Recruiting Class:

Final Thoughts: First classes are often difficult for a head coach, and Mizzou’s 2016 group is no different. Though the overall talent doesn’t stack up well with the top teams in the SEC, the Missouri program has a strong record of overachieving, so there’s still hope this class will rise above its disappointing ranking.

Next: Kentucky

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