Missouri football lands 4-star wide receiver, top-100 prospect Donovan Olugbode
The Tigers are on a roll.
Missouri football secured a verbal commitment from four-star wide receiver Donovan Olubode on Friday, marking the second blue chip receiver based in the state of Florida to pledge to Eli Drinkwitz’s Class of 2025 in as many days.
Olugbode — who is originally from Naperville, Illinois — committed to the Tigers on the heels of Cocoa, Florida, wideout Jayvan Boggs, who pledged to Mizzou on Independence Day. Twenty-four hours later, and the Tigers have a pair of top-25 recruits at the position as part of a currently 14-player recruiting class.
And Olugbode might be the biggest non-quarterback commit to date.
The wide receiver plays his high school football at IMG Academy, a Florida-based high school that plays a national schedule. He is listed as the No. 11 wide receiver and as the No. 86 player in the nation in his class, per the recruiting service 247Sports’ composite rankings.
In what has been a continuing trend in this recruiting cycle, Missouri had to beat out some college football royalty to get its guy.
Olugbode, in addition to visiting Missouri between June 21-23, had taken official visits to USC, Washington and Florida. Oregon also figured heavily in his recruitment.
Mizzou got the final official visit, and it got the commitment.
Here’s what the past couple of days means for the Missouri football wide receiver room, and where the Tigers’ recruiting class now ranks in the nation and in the SEC:
More: Missouri football lands 4-star receiver Jayvan Boggs. Here’s what that means for Mizzou
How will Donovan Olugbode fit in at Missouri football in 2025 season?
With the commitment, Missouri appears to have completed a potential pass-catching trio of the future.
Mizzou is set to lose star wide receiver Luther Burden III — who will be tipped as a first-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft if, and likely when, he declares after his junior season — at the end of the upcoming campaign. Standout starters Theo Wease Jr. and Mookie Cooper also will be out of eligibility at the end of this season.
That leaves six returning scholarship wide receivers who could return next season — a group headlined by speedy sophomore Marquis Johnson and reliable slot receiver Mekhi Miller.
They’ll be joined by Olugbode, Boggs and three-star wide receiver Shaun Terry, an Ironton, Ohio native who was MU’s first pledge at wide receiver in this cycle.
Already listed at 6-foot-1, 200 pounds entering his senior season of high school, Olugbode looks like he’ll have a college-ready build by the time he gets to Columbia in the new year.
There will likely be an opportunity for reps out of the gate for the pass-catching trio, with the room due to hold nine players with just one senior in Miller. Missouri likely will look for experience in the transfer portal at the end of this season to replace some top-level reps left behind by its experienced, outgoing group.
Olugbode has elite arm and hand size and appears to be a gifted route runner with the ability to make defenders miss. That bodes well for his first year in CoMo.
Where does Mizzou football’s Class of 2025 now rank?
After back-to-back commitments at the position, Mizzou has vaulted up the Class of 2025 national team rankings.
Before Boggs and Olugbode announced they plan to play in Columbia, the Tigers ranked No. 34 in the country and No. 12 in the expanded SEC on 247Sports’ team rankings, although their average star ranking outpaced a few teams in both categories.
In the space of about 24 hours, the Tigers now have jumped up to the No. 18 team ranking in the nation, which is good for ninth in the SEC. The Tigers’ average star ranking is 16th in the nation and remains ninth in the SEC.
And Mizzou may not be done for the weekend.
Four-star safety Charles Bass, an East St. Louis senior, will announce his college decision Monday, with Mizzou, Arkansas, Illinois and Kansas State in the running. Four-star offensive lineman Lamont Rogers will announce his commitment, with Mizzou, Texas A&M and Oklahoma among the six teams in consideration. Three-star offensive lineman Keiton Jones, a Coffeyville, Kansas native, will choose between Missouri, K-State and Arkansas on Sunday.
More: 4 upcoming decision times to know for Missouri football Class of 2025 targets
More: Three transfers who could help define Missouri football’s success in 2024 season
This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Missouri football lands 4-star wide receiver Donovan Olugbode
