
Transfer shopping opened this week, and Mizzou football is targeting Miller Moss. Who are some other names further down the list of options?
Eli Drinkwitz be shoppin’. Mizzou’s head man is knee deep in the portal, and reportedly with a fat NIL wallet – a lot of prior commitments are coming off the payroll. His team has numerous holes to plug before spring camp to get ready for the 2025 season: offensive line, linebacker, safety, and the big one, quarterback.
There is arguably no bigger factor to the fate of Mizzou’s next campaign than this one singular roster move. If the Tigers add a proven Power Four starter, there are enough pieces and continuity on staff to build another winner. But strike out on the best options, and roll the dice with an inexperienced high ceiling player or a small school promotion, and suddenly everything looks like a big question mark. And as men’s basketball just showed us, with the return of the Border War rivalry in Week Two, the Tigers must be ready and fully functional right out of the gate.
Mizzou has already been deeply involved with one of the top quarterbacks in the portal in USC’s Miller Moss. In fact, he just wrapped up his on-campus visit, and we are waiting for news. There are plenty of other targets, either rumored or a wishlist, so let’s take a look at some of the backup plans for the Tigers.
Today’s piece is a look at some of the riskier options. I have split them into two groups, the Reclamation Projects and the Veteran Group of Five promotion candidates. I do not believe Drinkwitz will target any transfer quarterbacks that are all promise, and have no playing experience.
This list is not exhaustive, because the quantity of available portal quarterbacks is immense, and seemingly grows by the day. And perhaps this is a fool’s errand, as the portal is constantly moving. I have broken this list of ten players into three groups to highlight a batch of realistic options, but there are plenty more players in the portal. And I’m not in the war room – just some speculation to see what puzzle pieces might fit.
Fixer Uppers
Jackson Arnold, Oklahoma
Okay, hear me out. I understand the knee-jerk reaction here from Missouri fans, since his 2024 season at Oklahoma was forgettable. The Sooners were the chosen measuring stick for the Mizzou football team in 2024, and we watched closefully as Arnold sputtered through a turnover-filled campaign.
But there is raw talent here, as shown by his 5 star recruiting evaluation. He has displayed the ability to be a game-changing type player as both a thrower and a runner, and could be a massive turnaround for whomever lands him in the portal.
One worry would be if he is forever scarred from playing behind such an atrocious offensive line this season. He took far too many sacks, and fumbled the ball ten times. If he can put this nightmarish season behind him, he might be a steal.
Maalik Murphy, Duke
Joe Milton 2.0 would be an odd choice for the Drinkwitz offense. Murphy is a big tall statue in the pocket, but he does have a rifle. Duke went 9-3 with him starting this year, but they also had a remarkably fortunate season with the way the funny-shaped ball bounces.
He is a fun name, but I don’t see him as a fit. He offers literally nothing in the rush game, and his numbers fall off a cliff when pressured, from 67% to 28% completion percentage. Like Milton, he will always have a great highlight tape and an exhausted fanbase.
Anthony Colandrea, Virginia
Anthony Colandrea is a wild man. I have no idea if the conservative Drinkwitz could stomach such an audacious player. But if someone can coach the turnovers out of him, he would be a solid QB. He sports a 27 to 28 career Big Time Throw to Turnover Worthy Play ratio, and almost 900 career rush yards (sacks removed). Make no mistake: this is a gunslinger.
Michael Van Buren, Mississippi State
Forced into action as a true freshman after an injury to starter Blake Shapen, Van Buren struggled mightily with accuracy (55% completion). Even grading on a curve — a rookie on the worst SEC roster since Chad Morris — Van Buren is too raw for the bridge quarterback role. He is an intriguing prospect, but not the right fit for the Mizzou room.
Preston Stone, SMU
What happened to Preston Stone? Once a darling at SMU, a pair of injuries derailed his development and he lost his job to Kevin Jennings and is now looking for a new home. He can scoot a little bit, and his 30 BTTs in 2023 far surpass any Brady Cook season. His 12% Pressure-to-Sack ratio will play. He’s a graduate transfer who won’t force younger players to look elsewhere. He is also still practicing with the team and supporting them in their playoff effort while also in the portal, which shows the mark of a guy who the program and staff respects and trusts. I’m a fan.
G5 Veterans
Braylon Braxton, Marshall
Braxton transferred from Tulsa to Marshall and led the Herd to a Sun Belt Championship. If Mizzou ends up bargain shopping, you would want a dual-threat guy who just showed he can lead a winner.
Kaidon Salter, Liberty
Once a 4-star Tennessee recruit, Salter revitalized his career in Jamey Chadwell’s funky triple option scheme at Liberty. Salter compiled just shy of 6,000 yards passing and over 2,000 yards rushing for the Flames across three seasons.
Caden Veltkamp, Western Kentucky
Western Kentucky’s season took off like a rocket once Veltkamp won the job midseason. He puts the ball on the turf too much (13 fumbles) but would step into many power four QB rooms and make them better.
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