COLUMBIA, Mo. 鈥 For being a position group geared toward creating turnovers, Missouri鈥檚 cornerbacks have seen a significant amount of turnover among themselves.
It鈥檚 one of the few position groups that will require two new starters as the Tigers retool for the 2024 season, though there鈥檚 still hope that coaches lean on some experience one returning contributor and one transfer portal addition provide.
For the past couple of seasons, Mizzou has benefited from the stability of cornerback duo Kris Abrams-Draine and Ennis Rakestraw Jr. The tandem was one of the best in college football last season, and Abrams-Draine was the most consistent MU player in terms of getting on the field.
Abrams-Draine鈥檚 813 defensive snaps were the most of any player by a notable margin 鈥 safety Jaylon Carlies, the next closest, logged 687. Rakestraw, who battled injuries that required offseason surgery, still played the ninth-most snaps, with 465.
People are also reading…
The 11 pass breakups and four interceptions provided by Abrams-Draine 鈥 opponents threw at him more frequently than Rakestraw, who posted just two pass breakups last season 鈥 were good for second in the Southeastern Conference in terms of on-ball playmaking.
Both are headed to the NFL draft, leaving two holes on the edges of Missouri鈥檚 defense.
鈥淭hose guys logged so many reps 鈥 just the mileage that they had,鈥 MU cornerbacks coach Al Pogue said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 hard to replace experience.鈥
The next man up last season looks likely to be the first player turned to next time around. And right on cue, cornerback Dreyden Norwood has been one of the most eye-popping players of Mizzou鈥檚 spring practices.
He played in 12 games last season, starting five of them when Rakestraw was unable to play. That led to 383 snaps 鈥 the 13th-most of any defensive player.
Norwood was certainly a serviceable fill-in. On the 28 plays that opponents threw his way, they completed 18 passes for fewer yards per catch than Abrams-Draine allowed.
That gave the junior who started his career with a redshirt season at Texas A&M a head start on cornerback room competition for spring ball.
鈥淚 think we would all be kidding ourselves if we didn鈥檛 believe that Dreyden Norwood was ahead of everybody else 鈥 just the amount of snaps that he鈥檚 played and the consistency that he played,鈥 coach Eli Drinkwitz said at the start of spring camp. 鈥淚 mean, Ennis was injured and dinged up throughout most of the year, and Dreyden played a lot of good football for us.鈥
In the limited sample of one-on-one and three-on-two coverage drills against wide receivers, Norwood has held up well. Given the stature of MU鈥檚 receiving corps 鈥 Luther Burden III, Theo Wease Jr. and Mookie Cooper comprise one of the best returning groups in the nation 鈥 it鈥檚 a challenging test.
Norwood has faced up most frequently with Wease, a wideout who prides himself on his ability to beat out defensive backs for contested catches. Their frequent duels have earned Norwood plenty of respect.
鈥淣orwood鈥檚 a dog. He been a dog since last year when I would go against him,鈥 Wease said. 鈥淚 think he鈥檚 definitely going to emerge as the top guy in that room.鈥
During a closed scrimmage over the weekend, Norwood was productive when called upon for on-ball plays. In the immediate aftermath of that bit of friendly competition, the cornerback was one of the most impactful players in the eyes of a new and important figure.
鈥淭he Norwood kid鈥檚 had a really good camp,鈥 new defensive coordinator Corey Batoon said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 made some plays on the ball. He鈥檚 been very consistent. I think that on the back end, he鈥檚 really stood out, made some plays.鈥
Part of replacing two NFL-bound starters is a bet on the next wave of players making the requisite leap forward. Norwood seems to be laying the groundwork for that to take place.
鈥淢an, been really pleased with Drey鈥檚 growth,鈥 Pogue said. 鈥淲hen he first got here, he hadn鈥檛 played that much, but I鈥檝e really been impressed with him this spring. He still has some things he has to work on, but he鈥檚 been really attentive.鈥
Norwood鈥檚 likely partner on the opposite side of the defense is Toriano Pride Jr., a cornerback who picked Missouri quickly out of the transfer portal when it opened in December.
Pride, an East 50度灰视频 and Lutheran North product, spent two seasons at Clemson. He played less in his second season there than in his first but still has nearly 500 career collegiate snaps.
He has broken up seven of the 55 passes thrown his way, allowing catches roughly 65% of the time.
鈥淚t was really big to acquire a player like that, with the experience he had,鈥 Pogue said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 an athletic kid. He鈥檚 a local kid, so it means something to him.鈥
It鈥檚 Pride鈥檚 physical skill set and drive that have made a quick impression in spring practices.
鈥淗e鈥檚 quick, twitchy and he seems he has a lot of hunger to him, so that鈥檚 what I like about him,鈥 Norwood said.
There鈥檚 also something of a developmental bet with Pride, too 鈥 can a spring and preseason working with Pogue and the rest of the Missouri staff get him ready to cover SEC wide receivers?
That鈥檚 where the advantage of having Pogue on the payroll comes into play.
鈥淚 think Coach Pogue is one of our best teachers and developers, and I look forward to seeing what he鈥檚 going to do with that room,鈥 Drinkwitz said. 鈥淲hen Coach Pogue got here, there was a lot of question marks about what that room was going to become, and he developed two really, really good players.鈥