‘He’s his personal director of recruiting’ – The Athletic

Missouri head coach Eli Drinkwitz didn’t have to say Antonio Johnson’s title. Drinkwitz additionally didn’t have to see Johnson intercept Tigers quarterback Connor Bazelak to know there’s an issue he’s paying for each week.

However Johnson, an East St. Louis native, was one of many nation’s prime 100 recruits within the 2020 recruiting class and didn’t take an official go to to Mizzou. The Tigers didn’t even make Johnson’s checklist of finalists. Johnson even dedicated to a different convention rival, Tennessee, earlier than flipping to Texas A&M and signing with the Aggies.

And this 12 months, Drinkwitz solely might watch because the sophomore made the play towards his crew. Johnson is second in tackles for Texas A&M on the season, too. Johnson performed highschool soccer two hours from Missouri’s campus however is now taking part in on a campus greater than 700 miles away from his hometown.

“To ensure that us to get to the place we wish to be we have to have these gamers proceed to return play for us,” Drinkwitz stated, “and in order that’s been an emphasis for our workers, and we acquired to proceed to try this.”

It takes time, however the Tigers are already seeing dividends. 5-star receiver Luther Burden, the nation’s No. 5 total recruit from the exact same highschool as Johnson, dedicated to Missouri final month, and Drinkwitz’s class ranks 14th nationally and fifth within the SEC.

The Athletic spoke with eight head coaches in Missouri to be taught extra concerning the recruiting panorama throughout the state and the way they’ve taken discover of Drinkwitz’s strategy. And it might repay.