3 Most Impressive Missouri Tigers Through Four Weeks of Play

Four weeks into the 2024 season, here are Missouri's three strongest performers leading the offensive and defensive units.

Sep 21, 2024; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers head coach Eliah Drinkwitz leads his team onto the field prior to a game against the Vanderbilt Commodores at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images / Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

The first four weeks of Missouri football's season has seen surefire ups and downs. They looked nearly unbeatable in Week 1 against Murray State, but couldn't have looked more vulnerable in Week 4 against Vanderbilt.

With that comes select players who have exceeded and fell below expectations. Multiple transfers taking the field for the first time as Tigers have looked very impressive, with some veterans not performing as others expected.

After the week four SEC matchup against the Commodores, some names stand out more than others. Here are the three most impressive performers through the first four weeks of the Tigers' season.

Chris McClellan, DT

McClellan has looked like a veteran on the Tigers defensive line through for weeks. Of the 12 players who have played over 100 snaps on defense, he is the fourth highest graded player, according to Pro Football Focus (PFF).

The Florida transfer has racked up 17 total tackles to start the season, with a forced fumble and one-and-a-half sacks to go along with it. Not only that, he is tied for the most quarterback hurries on the team alongside fellow defensive tackle Kristian Williams with six.

It seems like McClellan is always there when the Tigers need a big play on defense. His forced fumble against Murray State didn't shift the game one way or another, but was another momentum-building play for the defensive unit. PFF grades him as the teams best pass-rusher, with other stats to back up that grade.

The former four-star recruit never truly tapped into his potential with the Gators, but appears to be fitting in just fine in the early parts of the season. His high-level of production will continue to be counted upon as conference play advances.

Nate Noel, RB

There's no need to continue to overstate the diverse skillsets that Noel and fellow backfield member Marcus Carroll have, but it was apparent looking at their running styles that Noel presented as a workhorse-back. Four weeks in, it's crystal clear that Noel is the No. 1 guy for offensive coordinator Kirby Moore and the Tiger offense.

To say that Noel has been the best player on the Tiger offense isn't that far-fetched. He's the fourth highest ranked PFF player on the offensive side of the ball and the first skill-position player on the list. He's rushed for 441 rushing yards and two touchdowns with the hope of reaching the end zone more frequently.

Against Vanderbilt, Noel was, without a doubt, the most impactful offensive player for Missouri. He rushed for 199 yards on 24 carries, with eight yards in the receiving game. He broke off a 64-yard run that resulted in a Tiger score, arguably a turning point for a currently-stale offense. Noel was reliable the entire time while quarterback Brady Cook struggled to move the ball down the field, proving to be a fall-back option for the air attack.

Noel saw 24 carries against the Commodores, a number that could continue to increase. If he continues to break off big runs when the Tiger offense struggles, it's hard to imagine why his carry-count would get any lower.

Luther Burden, WR

How can you keep Burden's name off any list. Though it seems like Burden hasn't been his normal self four weeks into the season, he is second in receiving yards behind Theo Wease. He has snagged the only four touchdowns Cook has thrown, while highlighting his ability to create plays with the ball in his hands.

He has 257 yards and four touchdowns on 19 receptions, with 153 of those yards coming after the catch. Against Boston College and Vanderbilt, he is getting back to his sophomore year form, posting 117 and 76-yard performances, with three touchdowns sprinkled throughout both games. His two scores against the Commodores came at pivotal moments, one being the first Tiger touchdown and the other on the first play of overtime.

Burden will continued to be relied on as the season progresses. To see him getting closer to his regular-form has been a good sign, but still has strides to go to being the playmaker Tiger fans know him as. Part of that falls on his quarterback to get him the ball, but there have been passes here and there that should have resulted in receptions.

Seeing him healthy is also a positive sign. He missed most of Week 2, leaving after scoring his first touchdown of the season, with an undisclosed illness. Unsure of what he would look like against the week three Eagles, he had his best game of the year. Missouri needs the Burden they saw against Florida and Memphis last season to bring life to the Tiger passing game and offense as a whole.

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