In preparation for the NFL draft, eight players from Missouri were invited to participate in the NFL Combine this year
Coming off a 2023 Cotton Bowl win — and finishing with their first 11-win season in nearly a decade — Missouri was bound to produce NFL talent. Eight Missouri Tigers were invited to the NFL Combine this year, which was the most in program history since the start of the event.
Darius Robinson
Defensive lineman Darius Robinson ranked highly in his measurements and workouts at the NFL Combine. He finished with the highest combine grade among all defensive linemen. Robinson ran 4.95 seconds in the 40-yard dash. He muscled out 21 reps on the bench press, while also jumping 9 feet and 3 inches in the broad jump and a 35-inch vertical jump. He measured in at 6 feet and 5 inches, and 285 pounds.
Ty’Ron Hopper
As an off-ball linebacker, Ty’Ron Hopper has tremendous athleticism and explosiveness. For Hopper’s combine experience, he did not do any workouts because of his lingering ankle injury. He measured in at 6 feet and 2 inches, and 231 pounds. To make up for his size, Hopper can move sideline-to-sideline very well and has a very hard-hitting tackling style. As a prospect, he is viewed as a rotational linebacker and has special teams value.
Ennis Rakestraw Jr.
Ennis Rakestraw Jr. had been battling a core injury since the second half of the season, causing him to miss the Cotton Bowl and Senior Bowl. Despite this, he participated in the combine, sprinting a 4.51-second 40-yard dash, and jumping 10 feet in the broad jump. Rakestraw is very physical at the line of scrimmage and is capable of multi-level man coverage. As a prospect, Rakestraw may be a valuable pick on day two of the draft.
Jaylon Carlies
Jaylon Carlies weighed in at 227 pounds and measured at 6 feet and 3 inches, which is a very large frame for a safety. After running a 4.5-second 40-yard dash, he could potentially make the switch to linebacker. Playing safety in the SEC requires good ball skills and a wide range, which Carlies could utilize in a linebacker role. He does have tight hips, giving him trouble with changing direction in the open field. Carlies will have to find a role on an NFL defense where his weaknesses aren’t exposed.
Kris Abrams-Draine
Kris Abrams-Draine had an impressive senior season as a cornerback, propelling himself into draft conversations. He has a smaller 5 feet and 11 inches, 179-pound build, but made up for it with his 40-yard dash. He ran 4.44 seconds, the fastest time out of all eight prospects from Missouri, and tied for No. 9 overall of all the combine cornerbacks. The only other drill he participated in was the vertical jump, leaping to a 33.5-inch jump.
Cody Schrader
From starting at Truman State, a Division II program, to becoming the leading rusher in the SEC, Schrader is no stranger to beating adversity. His next challenge came in the shape of the NFL Combine. Schrader ran a 4.61-second 40-yard dash, pulling his hamstring in the process. The only other recorded measurement was his vertical jump, marked at 33 inches. His competitive trait was present in his combine interviews, and his leadership helped lead Missouri to the Cotton Bowl in 2023.
Javon Foster
Javon Foster measured in at 6 feet and 5 inches, and 313 pounds. He brings tremendous strength to the game, but he did not participate in the combine’s bench pressing session. He was not the fastest athlete at the combine, running a 5.3-second 40-yard dash and recording an 8 feet and 10 inches broad jump. Foster isn’t known for his speed, but he is known for having a powerful upper body.
Harrison Mevis
A frequent hero for Missouri this past season, kicker Harrison Mevis may have trouble doing the same in the NFL. He measured in at the combine at 6 feet tall and 241 pounds, which is large for a typical kicker. Of the five other special teams players at the event, Mevis had the lowest combine grade. Despite his clutch kicks, such as his 61-yard SEC record game winner against Kansas State in 2023, Mevis isn’t very consistent. He hit a lackluster 83.9% of his kicks under 40 yards his last two seasons, which is lower than the standard 90% that scouts look for.
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