Welcome to the Morning Commute
Because there’s not a lot of Mizzou news up top right now (y’know, bye week), I thought it might be nice to check in our boys in the League. We’ll go quickly (this is the commute after all) and give you their Pro Football Focus grade, how many snaps they’ve played and a notable tidbit about their season thus far. Please remember that PFF still hasn’t updated all of their stats from Week 4 at the time I wrote this, so if some numbers are off, don’t yell at me.
- Armand Membou (NYJ): 74.3 grade on 180 snaps played. Membou is the second-highest-graded player on the Jets offense, trailing only wide receiver Garrett Wilson.
- Luther Burden III (CHI): 74.7 grade on 47 snaps played. Burden’s 101 yard, one touchdown performance in Week 3 received a 93 overall grade.
- Jaylon Carlies (IND): Currently out with an ankle injury, though reports out of Indianapolis say he is due to return soon and is being eyed to take over a starting linebacker position.
- Kris Abrams-Draine (DEN): 60.0 grade on only 1 snap played. KAD hasn’t seen the field much this season, though reports out of Denver suggest the team is still high on his upside.
- Ty’Ron Hopper (GB): 63.8 grade on just 4 snaps played. Hopper has been listed on several Packers’ blogs and podcasts as a player who needs to see more playing time after the official team website designated him as one of the most improved players in training camp.
- Ennis Rakestraw, Jr. (DET): Rakestraw is on injured reserve for the entire 2025 season after undergoing shoulder surgery.
- Darius Robinson (ARI): 35.5 grade on 153 snaps played. Robinson doesn’t grade out well, particularly in pass rushing, for the Cardinals, but he did get his first sack of the season against Seattle in Week 4. And he’s getting a lot of snaps after a tough rookie season in which he battled injuries.
- Isaiah McGuire (CLE): 75.8 grade on 100 snaps played. McGuire has had a breakout junior campaign in Cleveland, grading as an especially effective run defender for the Browns’ defensive line.
- Tyler Badie (DEN): 55.4 grade on 29 snaps played. Sean Payton spoke about Badie’s role this week, saying he envisions the former Mizzou star primarily as a third-down back.
- Akayleb Evans (CAR): 61.6 grade on 7 snaps played. Evans is in his first full season with the Panthers after being waived by the Vikings last season.
- Larry Borom (MIA): 51.3 grade on 128 snaps played. Borom had a good first week in a limited role, and is acclimating to a more prominent role in the following weeks.
- Nick Bolton (KC): 45.2 grade on 191 snaps played. It’s been a rough start to the season for star linebacker, though he did play well in Week 4, generating a career high 5 pass rushes against the Ravens.
- Jordan Elliott (SF): 72.0 grade on 94 snaps played. Elliott continues to be a very useful pass-rushing DT in the NFL, generating 4 QB hurries on the year so far.
- Drew Lock (SEA): 46.1 grade on 18 snaps played. Lock has mostly served as a backup for Sam Darnold, though at least one blog advocated for the Cincinnati Bengals to go get the former Mizzou QB1.
- Connor McGovern (BUF): 60.0 overall grade on 212 snaps played. The 32-year-old continues to be Mizzou’s old man in chief in the NFL, holding it down as the Bills’ starting center.
Yesterday at Rock M and Rock M+
I assume the Tigers will look more focused
in two weeks when the Tide roll into town. And much like Georgia losing to Alabama last night, the Tigers’ season doesn’t hinge on winning one game. But it’s an opportunity to capture one most don’t expect.
I’m not sure I totally buy that Mizzou was bad against, UMass, but they definitely looked like they weren’t as sharp as they should’ve been. That’s a switch you can turn on and off, I would think.
[Micah] Nickerson is strong through the line, and shows a burst of quickness on the snap. Last season, South Pike had a strong season, finishing 9-2. This season the team is 2-3 through five games. Nickerson will look to continue helping his team get on the right track as he wraps up his senior season.
We list him as a three-star recruit in the headline, but 247’s Composite Rankings have him as a low-end four star. Another blue chip win for the staff!
Time to rest up, get healthy and hope the SEC eats itself while we’re hibernating. Looking at you, Vandy vs. ‘Bama.
Seriously, though, that game will be juicy.
Having a choreographer on staff as immensely talented as Jackie Terpak since the 2023 season has proven pivotal, as it allows the routines to evolve as the season progresses. When talking with Jackie over email about the floor squad, she said the plan is to “remain one of the best floor teams in the country.”
This is the final post in this series, so now you can binge read them all! (Editor’s Note: Go read it! I have lots of explainers and videos!)
- Over at Rock M+, we’re talking about how PFF showed some bounce back performances against UMass and how Arkansas is out one head coach.
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