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In a weekend loaded with tight end visitors, PJ MacFarlane named Missouri among his Top 3 schools.
MacFarlane, a three-star from Middletown (Ohio) Lakota East, made a plan to schedule three official visits by the end of his spring unofficial visit. As of this past week, the Tigers cracked the list.
Missouri made it a point of emphasis to lock in top tight ends in the 2026 class after missing out on multiple pass-catchers in the previous cycle. During Junior Day on March 15, tight ends coach Derham Cato hosted MacFarlane for the first time.
"Coach Cato is a very personable and knowledgeable coach," MacFarlane said. "He clearly understands concepts and what to do to get his players ready to play."
MacFarlane has also built a relationship with offensive assistant Brendan Boylan, the Tigers' primary recruiter for Ohio. Cato visited MacFarlane for a workout during the NCAA Contact Period in January, offering the Class of 2026 tight end then.
"He also complimented me on my aggressiveness at the point of contact," MacFarlane said in January. "He watched my workout this morning, and it was very clear to him that I'm a hard worker."
Offensive line coach Brandon Jones put Missouri into Brandon Anderson's top group when he offered the then Tennessee commit in January. On Monday, Anderson announced a Top 5 of Alabama, Florida State, Georgia, Missouri and Tennessee. He will officially visit Missouri the first weekend of June.
"He and (LSU coach Brad Davis) are the only black head O-line coaches in college football, so he keeps it real with him, he tells me the truth," Anderson said about Jones in January. "He's not trying to waste my time."
Former St. Louis (Mo.) Christian Brothers College High wideout Karate Brenson entered the transfer portal Friday. Missouri expressed interest in the former the three-star in the 2021 class, he confirmed to MizzouToday on Wednesday.
Brenson appeared in 33 games across three seasons with Tennessee State, reeling in 1,669 yards and nine touchdowns. He spent his freshman year at Ball State after backing off his commitment to Illinois.
Moving from Alaska to California for more exposure and training, Marcus Fakatou noted the positives of being offered by Missouri early in his recruitment, with the Tigers being one of the further teams from home to notice his early development. The Orange (Cali.) Lutheran freshman has also admired the trajectory of the program.
"He was personable," Fakatou said of safeties coach Jacob Yoro, who offered the Class of 2028 defensive end in January, "and I appreciated that he recognized my talent. ... Personally, I wouldn't say they aren't near the top on the list. It's still early for me, so you never know."
Surprised by the importance of academics at Missouri, Roman Igwebuike enjoyed the engagement with assistant director of player personnel Christian Heinz on March 8. Igwebuike was impressed with the overall quality of the facilities and what learned from Heinz.
"I really liked their intensity," the Class of 2027 three-star linebacker said, "and the way the coaches coached the players consistently."
Chicago (Ill.) Mt. Carmel teammates Quentin Burrell, Tavares Harrington and Joey Quinn also visited Missouri for Junior Day. Quinn, a Class of 2026 three-star, committed to Vanderbilt on Wednesday.
Missouri special teams coordinator Erik Link and special teams assistant Brock Olivo told Jackson Shevin about their love for California punters, deploying Jack Stonehouse in 2022 and signing transfer Connor Weselman and prep kicker Robert Meyer in the 2025 class.
"Me and Coach Olivo have been in touch since last summer," Shevin said, "and both coaches have sent me endless letters in the mail to show their interest. ... The staff-to-player connection and support seems unmatched anywhere else."
Shevin, Class of 2026 punter at Manhattan Beach (Cali.) Mira Costa, worked out at San Diego State and UCLA during the summer. Being a lefty, with a different spin on his kicks, he separated himself from his right-footed peers.
Jett Thomalla named Missouri to his Top 5 on Wednesday along with Arizona, Duke, Iowa State and Virginia Tech. The Tigers circled the Class of 2026 three-star as a top quarterback target along with Ryan Hopkins and Gavin Sidwar.
Ahead of his official visit in late June, D'Montae Tims will make his first trip to Missouri on April 1 after the Tigers' spring break. Tims, a three-star from Seffner (Fla.) Armwood, received an offer fromYoro in January.
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