Patience. That’s been the name of the game for Mizzou this offseason.
In the days after Mizzou’s regular season finale, a mass exodus of transfer started, and it didn’t conclude until the tail end of the transfer portal window earlier this month. All in all, the Tigers lost 26 players to the portal, many of them exciting talents that seemed destined for big roles in the 2026 season. Perhaps no position on the roster felt this more acutely than the receiver room, where household names like Josh Manning
and Marquis Johnson dipped ahead of a season where they felt like nailed on starters.
But with a late-running College Football Playoff period, there were always bound to be big names available well into the month of January. And credit to Mizzou’s staff, their patience paid off in a big way on Saturday when they landed star wide receiver Cayden Lee from Ole Miss.
It feels like hyperbole to call Lee’s recruitment a “saga,” though it did come with a fair bit of anxiety. Lee, one of the Rebels’ top pass-catchers for the past two seasons, was seemingly waiting to see if Trinidad Chambliss would be granted an extra year of eligibility before making his final decision. Mizzou felt good enough to send out early social media teasers last week, as good friend Austin Simmons had already made his way to Columbia.
And while Chambliss’ case is still up in the air, Lee felt good enough about his decision to announce on Saturday, giving the Tigers a marquee offensive addition just weeks before spring football (feels weird to type that, sorry to break character.)
So what are the Tigers getting in Cayden “Honeycomb” Lee?
Where He Fits
Mizzou had needs all over the receiving corps, but if there’s one thing we know the Tigers love to have on offense, it’s a quick, sure-handed slot receiver. Luther Burden III fit that mold. Kevin Coleman, Jr. fit that mold. Cayden Lee, believe it or not, fits that mold.
Lee is quick, twitchy and, as his nickname suggests, sticky-handed. And while he was very effective in the slot, the Rebels weren’t afraid to get him open on the outside either. So while he’s more than likely to occupy Mizzou’s slot role early and often, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Chip Lindsey and Garrett Riley find ways to play him on the outside as well. In effect, Lee opens up the middle of the field and also gives the Tigers the option of lining him outside to make defenses guess where he’ll go.
When He’ll Play
Uhm… yeah, right away. Lee will line up with the first team on day one of practice.
What It Means
The Mizzou receiver room was barren at the start of the offseason with Donovan Olugbode as the one notable exception. The Tigers needed a lot of options to fill the holes, and the staff has done well to obtain many of them in the portal. But as enticing as talents like Naushaun Montgomery, Caleb Goodie and Kenric Lanier II are, none of them are surefire starters on day one. Lee is that and more, giving the Tigers a dangerous weapon to pair with Olugbode and Brett Norflett right away. Not only that, it might indicate which way the staff is leaning in Mizzou’s QB battle… you don’t bring an expensive QB in and later add one of his favorite teammates and receivers without thinking he has a shot at your starting gig.
