Mizzou football was the proud recipient of a verbal commitment from one of the nation’s top prospects on Monday as Lees Summit DE Williams Nwaneri announced he would play football for the Tigers next season. Nwaneri is one of America’s most sought-after recruits as the 5-star defensive standout picked Mizzou over the likes of Oklahoma, Georgia, Tennessee, Oregon and more.

Nwaneri’s announcement came in front of a few hundred people at the Lees Summit North fieldhouse and was attended by various media outlets from across the state. After the commitment, Nwaneri claimed to be “1,000 committed” and talked with us about the importance of playing football in the SEC.

Williams Nwaneri talks Mizzou commitment

Mizzou now has 12 commitments for the 2024 class, including three other four-star players. Nwaneri is the second five-star prospect to pick the Tigers since Eli Drinkwitz took over the program in 2020. Nwaneri is also Missouri’s first five-star defensive player since Sheldon Richardson back in 2010.

While recruiting has picked up in a big way for Drinkwitz and staff, according to Rivals.com, the team currently sits with the 49th ranked class. With that said, there are a myriad of top-end recruits still on the board for Missouri, including five-star WR Ryan Wingo who will announce his school choice in December. Now, what the Tigers must do is win.

The program has not had a season that has yielded more than six wins since 2018. While Drinkwitz has brought excitement on the recruiting trail, that has yet to manifest itself on the field. Nwaneri told us he will be watching Mizzou with a close eye this season.


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