Find you something to love as much as Eli Drinkwitz loves bringing local boys home in the transfer portal.
Mizzou’s staff continued to rebuild its offensive line depth last week through the addition of Will Kemna, the former Kansas State offensive lineman.
Kemna, who will have all four years of eligibility remaining after redshirting last season, will be a familiar face to many in mid-Missouri. He’s a Helias graduate from Eldon, Mo., who earned first team All-State honors during his time in the Show
Me State. A quick year’s dalliance to Manhattan wasn’t enough to keep him from home, though, and he’ll continue his college football career just a few miles away from where he cut his teeth. Let’s dig into what his commitment means.
Where He Fits
Kemna was listed as a tackle out of high school, and his most recent tape shows him playing mostly on the right side. It’s hard to judge him too astutely as he spent most of his time running clean over and through mismatched mid-Missouri boys, but Kemna has a noticeable burst off the snap and the drive to finish blocks. He also looks light on his feet for a big man, a quality that will serve him well in Mizzou’s outside zone running scheme. The trick will be adding weight without sacrificing his speed and explosiveness.
When He Plays
The road to immediate playing time looks steep for Kemna. As a tackle, he’ll be fighting quite a few returners and newcomers for a spot on the outside, and he’s only one year removed from high school. But we know Eli Drinkwitz and Brandon Jones like to mix-and-match in the trenches and there’s at least one tackle spot open this offseason. He’s had a year of seasoning in a college strength and conditioning program, so Kemna’s chances of getting snaps right away aren’t miniscule. He’s got the frame at 6’4”, he’ll just need to make sure his weight comes up – he measured 268 as a true freshman.
What It Means
Mizzou lost quite a bit of offensive line depth in the transfer portal, so rebuilding the back end of the roster was essential. Kemna not only gives Mizzou some essential depth for the future, he also returns as a highly motivated local prospect looking to prove his mettle after a quiet first year in college.
