Missouri 2024 Rankings Update: Stock Risers

The Prep Redzone Missouri Class of 2024 football prospect rankings have been updated and there is plenty of movement with prospects up and down in the rankings. Today we are kicking off our 2024 rankings update coverage with a quick look at some of the prospects who moved up. <p style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://prepredzone.com/missouri/rankings/2024-rankings/"><span style="font-size: 18pt;"><em><strong>Click here to view the updated 2024 Rankings!</strong></em></span></a></p> The top four prospects in the rankings remained the same from our preseason rankings update of Missouri 2024 prospects: St. Louis University High wide receiver [player_tooltip player_id="125255" first="Ryan" last="Wingo"], Liberty North linebacker [player_tooltip player_id="172304" first="Melvin" last="Laster"], St. Pius X (KC) defensive lineman-wide receiver [player_tooltip player_id="177069" first="Jayshawn" last="Ross"] and CBC wide receiver [player_tooltip player_id="126237" first="Jeremiah" last="McClellan"]. All four players are elite prospects who we could see receive scholarship offers from just about every major program in college football over the next 23 or 24 months before they are able to officially sign with schools. Wingo, who is blessed with rare size (6-foot-2, 200 pounds) and speed for the wide receiver position, holds on to the top spot after a breakout sophomore campaign that saw him rack up 844 total yards and 15 touchdowns in 10 games. Here is a quick look at some of the biggest stock risers in the newly updated rankings: <strong>DL [player_tooltip player_id="185397" first="Williams" last="Nwaneri"] Lee's Summit North</strong> Nwaneri, a long and lean 6-5, 240-pound defensive end, jumps from No. 52 in the preseason rankings all the way up to No. 5 overall in the updated Missouri Class of 2024 rankings. Nwaneri is oozing with potential and is working hard to fulfill that potential. He was credited with 43 tackles, 11 hurries and five sacks during his sophomore season for Lee's Summit North, which went 11-2 and advanced to the Missouri Class 6 semifinals. Colleges have noticed. Since the beginning of his sophomore season, Nwaneri has received scholarship offers from Iowa, Kansas, Iowa State, Missouri, Arkansas, Minnesota, Illinois and Vanderbilt. He received those latest two offers on Monday. He will be a big name to watch this offseason as he hits the camp and combine circuit. <iframe src="//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/16228891/617644b40661850558fa94bf" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <strong>DL [player_tooltip player_id="172169" first="Demetrius" last="Jones"] Lutheran North</strong> Jones, a 6-2, 265-pound defensive tackle, makes a big leap from No. 59 all the way up to No. 11 following a dominating sophomore season that saw him earn first-team all-state honors in Class 3. Previously listed as an offensive lineman, we moved Jones to defensive line after a remarkable sophomore campaign in which he recorded 69 tackles, 23 tackles for loss and 13 sacks. He led the Crusaders in each category, which is a significant accomplishment for an underclassman. <iframe src="//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/15206621/61a9ae7a32e6c309c4025e9e" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <strong>OL [player_tooltip player_id="126268" first="Donn" last="Lewis"] Fort Zumwalt South</strong> A powerful 305-pounder, who is listed at either 6-3 or 6-4, Lewis brings an aggressive and physical presence from his right guard spot. He moves up from No. 21 to No. 13. The early impressions of this Class of 2024 in Missouri are there are several big, strong offensive linemen like Lewis and most of them project to play among the interior line spots in college. <iframe src="//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/13270112/619c4c767bddaf05502bd1a0" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <strong>RB [player_tooltip player_id="185385" first="Jacorey" last="Love"] KC Center </strong> Love, a speedy 5-10, 180pounder, moves up from No. 46 overall to No. 26 following a breakout sophomore season. Love rushed for 1,310 yards, averaging 10.2 yards per carry, and 17 touchdowns. He also added 14 catches for 387 yards, averaging 27.6 yards per catch. That's a total of 1,697 yards and 20 touchdowns for the standout sophomore, who also moves up to the No. 1 running back in this class. <iframe src="//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/14963704/61d93ffcb534c4093826405f" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <strong>WR [player_tooltip player_id="177946" first="Jobe" last="Bryant"] Park Hill Central</strong> Bryant, a 5-11, 160-pounder, was already established as one of the state's top young basketball prospects going into his sophomore season and then went out and had a record-setting campaign as a wide receiver. Bryant, who moved up from No. 41 to No. 33 in the updated rankings, racked up a school-record 1,076 receiving yards and scored 17 touchdowns. <iframe src="//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/11822476/619c929e3dea810894f875f0" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <strong>LB-S [player_tooltip player_id="130188" first="Brian" last="Fitzmaurice"] Marquette</strong> Fitzmaurice, who moves up from No. 57 to No. 41, is a fast and physical 5-11, 180-pounder. He was one of the standouts at the National Football Foundation Showcase event a year ago when he ran a 4.59 (hand-timed) 40-yard dash, recorded a 4.28 shuttle, a 33-inch vertical leap and a broad jump of 9 feet 8 inches and his on-field production as a sophomore backed up those numbers. Fitzmaurice recorded 56 tackles, seven tackles for loss and four sacks in eight games for a Marquette squad that went 9-2. <iframe src="//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/14629583/618e841019af220ca8c4d753" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <strong>ATH [player_tooltip player_id="126255" first="Elijah" last="Stevens"] Rockwood Summit</strong> Stevens, a 5-10, 185-pounder, was a two-way talent for one of the top teams in the St. Louis area this season, making an impact as a running back and safety on a veteran-laden team. Another player who impressed us at the NFF Showcase a year ago, Stevens moved up from No. 63 to No. 42 in the Class of 2024 with this rankings update. Stevens racked up 812 total yards (662 rushing, 150 receiving) and team-high 16 touchdowns as a running back and 62 tackles, two interceptions and two fumble recoveries from his safety spot. That's a lot of production for a sophomore on a Summit squad that went 11-1. <iframe src="//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/13463199/6164e0908cde9809dc61b22a" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> <strong>DL [player_tooltip player_id="172578" first="Anthony" last="Thompson"] Parkway North</strong> Thompson, a 6-0, 255-pounder, was impressive at the NFF Showcase a year ago — like the two players mentioned above him in this article – and was a terror on quarterbacks during his sophomore season. He moves up from No. 68  to No. 43 in the updated Missouri 2024 rankings. Thompson recorded 61 tackles, 15 tackles for loss, 13 sacks and four fumble recoveries in his sophomore campaign. He led his team in sacks and fumble recoveries and second in tackles. <iframe src="//www.hudl.com/embed/video/3/12324531/6192c35e34530605d8114676" width="640" height="360" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe> &nbsp;