Mizzou set to hire Deshon Lawrence Jr. as director of player, recruiting engagement

Missouri added to its off-the-field staff Monday. The Tigers agreed to terms with Deshon Lawrence Jr. as their first director of player and recruiting engagement, a source confirmed to MizzouToday. CBS Sports’ Matt Zenitz first reported the news.

Lawrence announced his departure from UCF on Sunday, ending his tenure with the Big 12 program after three seasons. He recently received a promotion to senior director of player development, pro-liaison and internal operations.

According to a job posting by Missouri, Lawrence’s role entails alumni relations, career readiness and NIL education, managing strategy for recruiting visits and program branding. He joined president of player personnel and recruiting Jake Breske as the second high-ranking addition to the Tigers’ revamped recruiting efforts this offseason.

Lawrence played wide receiver at Western Michigan in the late 2010s. The Georgia product also bolstered UCF’s recruiting efforts in the Peach State. He spent nearly a decade as the operations manager for the Cam Newton Foundation from 2012-2021.

Lawrence also worked as a sports marketing consultant with the Consilio Agency from 2015-2020, where he developed business plans, product marketing strategies and go-to-market strategies. He organized branding opportunities for clients and created talent brand strategies. Lawrence also generated $250,000 in revenue through endorsement partnerships and charitable fundraising initiatives, according his Knights profile.

The newest Missouri staffer received a master of science in sports administration from Georgia State. He earned his bachelor of science in recreation with a specialty program in alcohol and drug abuse from Western Michigan. He graduated high school from Atlanta (Ga.) Westlake.