Production Over Potential: A Look Into Mizzou Football's Transfer Portal Philosophy

The Tigers have loaded up on transfer portal talent with a common theme spread throughout all of the commitments.

Mississippi State's wide receiver Kevin Coleman Jr. (3) smiles after scoring a touchdown during the Egg Bowl game against Mississippi at Vaught-Hemingway Stadium on Friday, Nov. 29, 2024. / Lauren Witte/Clarion Ledger / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

As of now, the Missouri Tigers have the No. 11 ranked transfer portal class, according to 247Sports. That number has seesawed under and around the top ten for most of the portal cycle, proving head coach Eli Drinkwitz's ability to recruit players in the transfer portal. Throughout all 15 commitments is a common theme, one of production, consistency and efficiency.

If you look at all 15 of Drinkwitz's commitments in the transfer portal, all of them had some sort of role on their former teams last year. This Missouri transfer portal class has a unique blend of potential for years to come, as well as proven prior years of production.

With the recent emergence and spotlight on NIL, alongside the impact the transfer portal's impact in recent years, it's clear the Tigers have shifted its focus to acquiring talent that way. It does change its philosophy when scouting high school recruits but, nonetheless, the transfer portal is now the focus for the Missouri Tigers.

There are multiple avenues teams can take while looking for talent in the portal. In today's college football landscape, plenty of highly-touted freshmen hit the portal when older which allows for more productive talent to join the roster. The alternative is adding experienced, productive players from either group of five teams or other power five programs.

Missouri has taken the second route. A great example of that is its most recent transfer pickup, former UNLV safety Jalen Catalon. Though he's experienced injuries in many of his six seasons in college football, Catalon will enter his seventh, and likely final, season of football. In his most recent season with UNLV, he posted 96 total tackles, five interceptions and two sacks. He's recorded 272 tackles in his six years.

Another perfect example of that is Mississippi State receiver Kevin Coleman Jr. Coleman's recorded 1,804 career yards and 11 career touchdowns at three different stops so far. He's been a reliable option at Jackson State, Louisville and Mississippi State and that expectation will remain while with Missouri. Not only has Coleman been reliable but productive as well. That's exactly what the Tigers were looking for while looking to replace Luther Burden III and Theo Wease.

The list goes on and on with the additions Missouri has brought in through the transfer portal. Coleman and Catalon are both older, more experienced players but others that Drinkwitz added are both younger and productive. Redshirt freshman safety Santana Banner recorded 54 tackles and four pass deflections. West Virginia linebacker Josiah Trotter and offensive tackle Johnny Williams IV are both redshirt freshmen, as well.

Missouri's done it all now while adding talent. They have productivity at multiple levels, whether these players are younger and have time to grow or are in the final seasons of their careers. Adding both is important. Relying on adding fourth or fifth-year players each season might not be realistic for each option and having guys you can count on developing is the perfect substitute. The idea of player development is much more challenging now with the transfer portal which also makes older transfers more important.

Both types of additions will remain crucial for the Tigers as the transfer portal, NIL and more continue to get pushed to the forefront of the college football spotlight. Finding the balance won't ever be easy but the Tigers seem to have found some good pieces on both sides of that spectrum.

Read More Missouri Tigers News:

Experienced Safety Jalen Catalon to Transfer to Mizzou
4-Star Mizzou Defensive Back to Enter Transfer Portal
Takeaways from Mizzou's Loss to Auburn to Open SEC Play