Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz got the full attention of his Southeastern Conference peers by securing an early commitment from top-rated edge rusher Williams Nwaneri.
The Tigers beat out Georgia, Tennessee, Oklahoma and Oregon to get in on him. Missouri is not supposed to win such recruiting battles, but the state’s liberal new Name, Imagine and Likeness regulations will give the Tigers (and their big-spending boosters) and edge on some traditional powers.
Of course, the ability to pay recruits earlier in the process doesn’t guarantee success. Coaching staffs still must put in the work to build relationships, which Drinkwitz and Co.