Following what was a slightly disappointing 2024-25 campaign from the Mizzou Tigers football team, it was clear some changes needed to be addressed. Within these needed changes was the recruitment efforts, as the front office looked ahead for future seasons.
Recruitment hasn't been the most active for the squad since the close of last season in late December. They have, however, been talking to a number of prospects from around the country since the season ended.
Though head coach Eliah Drinkwitz has looked all over for reinforcements, their ninth and most recent commitment came from somewhere not too far away from campus at all.
Braylon Ellison is the third offensive lineman to commit to play for Drinkwitz's Tigers in the past week, all of which are at least 3-stars. It just goes to show how much this team values the trenches, while also making Columbia an appealing destination for any runningback looking for a home in the near future.
The 6-foot-4 monster is going into his senior year at Booneville high school, a local school just 30 minutes out of the University of Missouri's campus. Staying local definitely seemed like a big factor in Ellison's early commitment.
But Ellison won't be the first to touch Farout Field in Columbia, as Mizzou football runs in his family. His older brother, Tyson, walked-on and played the past two seasons for the Tigers. He also recorded 6 sacks and over 120 tackles when he was a Boonville Pirate.
Along with the two brothers, their father Atiyyah, who was All-State for football and basketball, was a star at Mizzou on the Tiger defensive line, earning All-Big 12 honors in back to back seasons, before entering the NFL as a third-round draft pick.
He went into coaching following his playing career, becoming the head coach at Battle high school in Columbia, before being named the Director of Player & Alumni Relations for Mizzou football in 2021, where he still works now, further bolstering Braylon's reasoning to come play for the Tigers.
Ellison joins a small, but talented, 2026 recruitment class, as he'll compete for a starting spot and serious game minutes early onto his career.
He chose the Tigers over several other talented FBS programs, such as Oregon State, Washington State, Costal Carolina, and James Madison.
Coach Drinkwitz and the rest of the team and staff hope that this recruitment helps gain momentum as they add more and more big names to the next incoming class.