Mizzou pledge Jack Brown brings coach on visit, meets fellow commits for first time
COTTLEVILLE, Mo. — As Jack Brown plotted his first visit to Missouri since committing on an unofficial visit in mid-March, the Class of 2027 tight end checked off two important facets of his recruitment. The four-star brought his high school head coach to campus and met two fellow commits for the first time.
Brown pledged to the Tigers on March 17, a longtime coming for the Francis Howell Central athlete. On April 15, the third-ranked Missouri recruit returned to campus with his father, Jason Brown, and high school head coach, Malach Radigan.
Radigan made past trips to Columbia as a high schooler, fan and coach, but his trip with Brown offered a look behind the curtain. As Radigan walked into the entrance of the South End Zone Facility, Missouri immediately blew him away, which continued as he walked up the stairs to the team cafe.
“He was like, ‘Dude, this is every day?'” Brown recounted. “I think I’m gonna take him back for a game, so that hopefully impresses him even more.”
“I probably thanked Jack and his dad 20 plus times for allowing me to even go on that experience,” Radigan added. “Because it’s not guaranteed.”
Radigan felt the relational qualities of Missouri radiate through the entire staff from head coach Eli Drinkwitz, tight ends coach Alex Atkins and assistant tight ends coach Travis Russell, who spent 20 minutes getting to know the high school coach.
The entire day trip to Missouri, Radigan took down notes, putting together 15 bullet points for his offensive and defensive coordinators. There was one major takeaway from the culture aspect.
“Every Mizzou staff member was out there with intense energy,” Radigan said. “Our core value No. 3 is love. This is the embodiment of that. You had coaches dapping up and hugging players, you had guys joking around laughing and you had offensive and defensive guys messing with each other in a brotherly love way. … If I can mimic that here down at the high school level, man, it’s possible for them to have that again when they go on from here.”
Jack Brown visits with commits
Brown met quarterback Braylen Warren and wide receiver Chris Harris Jr. for the first time in person. The trio of commits spoke beforehand over text, but the return to Columbia offered the opportunity to further their connections.
“I know Braylen’s not decommitting,” Brown said. “He told me he had a few teams reaching out to him, but he’s locked in. I don’t have any worries about him going anywhere. For me, I just want to make sure Chris stays home, and that (Alabama) visit doesn’t pull him.”
“Nothing new,” added Harris, who received an in-school visit from offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey and wide receivers coach Jacob Peeler this past Thursday. “We didn’t really talk about anything specific. It was just building a connection.”
Jack Brown recruits for Mizzou
Brown scheduled his official visit for June 5-7 rather than the third-to-last weekend of the month, when recruits usually return to campus. That decision overlapped with Harris and Warren, whom Brown already spoke to about living together next year. It also coincided with wide receiver Lawrence Britt, who unsurprisingly named the Tigers to his Top 6 on Tuesday.
“I’ve talked to Lawrence Britt a lot,” Brown said. “We have met in person before (Jan. 31), so I definitely want to get him in this class. I think he’s awesome.”
After a March checkup on his recruitment, Brown also reached out to St. Louis (Mo.) Cardinal Ritter linebacker Marshaun Ivy. The two have corresponded twice since, with the uncommitted three-star noting a conversation with Brown after announcing his Top 5.
“What I’m preaching all the in-state guys is ‘The best in Missouri stay in Missouri,'” Brown said. “I’ve just been keeping up with them.”
Brown, who had dinner with Lindsey and Atkins on Monday, will visit Missouri as many times as possible this season. He will not visit for the Thursday home opener. Due to the Border War moved to a Friday kickoff time, Brown also won’t travel to the Kansas game.
“To know (Missouri tight ends Jude James and Brett Norfleet) are Francis Howell school district guys, Jack knew them growing up, those are brothers,” Radigan said. “It was just so cool to see that piece. All of it, man. I know he’s in good hands, because from the top down, it’s family, it’s culture.”