Missouri 2022 Rankings Updates: Athletes

We unveiled our updated Class of 2022 rankings earlier this week, which includes 300 ranked prospects and more than 650 total prospects including the Watch List. <p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://prepredzone.com/missouri/rankings/2022-rankings/"><span style="font-size: 14pt;"><strong>Click here to view the updated 2022 Rankings!</strong></span></a></p> There are 23 athletes in the top 300 and 59 athletes overall for the Class of 2022 in Missouri in the Prep Redzone database. (NOTE: We have listed these prospects as athletes because of their ability and potential on both sides of the ball.) Today we are taking a closer look at the top five athletes. (Click on the player names to check out their prospect pages on PRZ, including links to their HUDL highlights.) <strong>1. [player_tooltip player_id="96259" first="Connor" last="Lair"], West Plains (Missouri State)</strong> Lair, a 6-foot-1, 225-pounder, is the No. 31 overall prospect in Missouri in the Class of 2022 updated rankings. He has been a two-way monster for the Zizzers the past few seasons as a linebacker and running back. Lair, who is expected to play running back in college but could also play linebacker, rushed for 720 yards, averaging 8.3 yards per carry, and 20 touchdowns as a senior. He also caught 22 passes for 539 yards and seven touchdowns. Defensively, he recorded 90 tackles, including 21.5 for losses, and 10.5 sacks. Lair committed to Southern Illinois but later decommitted and flipped to stay home and play at Missouri State. He told the Springfield News-Leader he chose the Bears, in part, because they were giving him the opportunity to play running back, while Southern Illinois had recruited him to play linebacker. <strong>2. [player_tooltip player_id="37577" first="Jared" last="Rhodes"], Ladue </strong> The No. 44 overall prospect in Missouri in the Class of 2022, Rhodes is a versatile 5-11, 200-pounder who is one of the Show-Me State's top uncommitted and unsigned prospects as either a running back or safety (or maybe even an undersized linebacker). Rhodes racked up 1,384 total yards (1,191 rushing, 193 receiving) and 19 touchdowns as a senior. Defensively, he had 36 tackles, three interceptions and one sack. As a junior he had 628 yards (538 rushing, 90 receiving) and five touchdowns along with 16 tackles and two interceptions in five games. Rhodes rushed for 580 yards and 10 touchdowns as a sophomore and 301 yards and three touchdowns as a freshman on Ladue's state championship team. Rhodes has reported scholarship offers from Navy, Indiana State, Lindenwood and Valparaiso along with a preferred walk-on opportunity at Missouri. <strong>3. [player_tooltip player_id="37531" first="Brian" last="Brown"], Lutheran North (Southern Illinois)</strong> Brown, an athletic 6-1, 180-pounder, was previously ranked as one of the state's top quarterbacks but is now expected to play either defensive back or wide receiver in college after signing with Southern Illinois. Brown was a three-year starter as a dual-threat quarterback for Lutheran North. He led the Crusaders to a state championship as a sophomore when he threw for 2,042 yards, with 26 touchdowns and three interceptions, and ran for 479 yards and nine scores. He accounted for 667 total yards (453 passing, 214 rushing) and eight touchdowns in six games as a junior and then 2,729 total yards (2,014 passing, 715 rushing) and 35 touchdowns (25 passing, 10 rushing) in nine games as a senior. <strong>4. [player_tooltip player_id="172240" first="Dalesean" last="Staley"], Blue Springs (Northern Iowa)</strong><b></b> Staley, a 6-1, 190-pounder, made an impact as a wide receiver and defensive back/outside linebacker for Blue Springs and is expected to play defensive back at Northern Iowa. He has good size, speed and athleticism for either the offensive or defensive side of the ball and could blossom at the next level with the Panthers. Staley racked up 72 tackles, three interceptions and two forced fumbles as a senior while earning first-team all-district and second-team all-conference honors. <strong>5. [player_tooltip player_id="135482" first="Nolan" last="Reed"], North County (Southeast Missouri State)</strong> Reed, a 6-3, 215-pounder, was a two-way standout for North County as a run-first quarterback and an outside linebacker but projects as a linebacker at Southeast Missouri State. Reed ran for 1,008 yards and 22 touchdowns and threw for 745 yards and seven scores (against two interceptions) as a senior as the Raiders advanced to the Class 4 semifinals. He earned second-team all-state honors as a linebacker. <strong>Next five: </strong> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="178664" first="Donnell" last="Dye"], Lee's Summit North</strong> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="177936" first="Michael" last="Haggerty"], St. Michael the Archangel (Missouri Western)</strong> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="37594" first="Seth" last="Marcione"], De Smet </strong> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="179088" first="Austin" last="Carson"], Winfield</strong> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="172286" first="Armon" last="Hill"], Hazelwood East</strong> <p style="text-align: center;"><strong><span style="font-size: 14pt;">Prep Redzone Missouri Rankings Updates Positional Breakdowns  </span></strong></p> <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2021/12/missouri-2022-rankings-updates-quarterbacks/">Quarterbacks</a> | <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2021/12/missouri-2022-rankings-update-running-backs/">Running Backs </a>| <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2021/12/missouri-2022-rankings-update-wide-receivers-2/">Wide Receivers</a> | <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2021/12/missouri-2022-rankings-update-tight-ends-2/">Tight Ends</a> | <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2021/12/missouri-2022-rankings-update-offensive-linemen-2/">Offensive Linemen</a> | <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2021/12/missouri-2022-rankings-update-defensive-linemen-2/">Defensive Linemen</a> | <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2022/01/missouri-2022-rankings-update-linebackers-2/">Linebackers</a> | <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2022/01/missouri-2022-rankings-update-defensive-backs-2/">Defensive Backs</a> | <a href="https://prepredzone.com/2022/01/missouri-2022-rankings-updates-athletes/">Athletes</a> &nbsp;