Where Mizzou targets rank in updated Rivals150 for 2028 class
Senior national recruiting analyst Jamie Shaw expanded the Rivals150 for the 2028 class to 100 players Monday.
Missouri already has one commitment in the 2027 class in four-star point guard Scottie Adkinson, but the staff has also put focus on current sophomores. With the Tigers recently targeting two-to-four signees per class, here are the team’s top-ranked prospects for 2028:
No. 16 Brady Pettigrew, PG
The second-ranked point guard in the country, Brady Pettigrew visited Missouri the weekend of homecoming this past September. The No. 1 prospect in Illinois, Pettigrew raved about the Tigers’ fanbase around Columbia, seeing the program separating itself early into his recruitment.
“They weren’t the average visit,” the Lisle (Ill.) Bolingbrook four-star said. “(The managerial staff) took me to do a workout. They showed me around some things that other colleges haven’t showed me like they took me to their shops and stores. They showed me some inside looks that other colleges didn’t really show me, like, beyond the locker room and court.”
No. 31 Kam Mercer, PG
Kam Mercer had previously planned to join his brother, Class of 2027 three-star defensive lineman Jaylen Mercer, at Missouri for the Alabama game Oct. 11. Although not making the trip due to a USA Basketball camp, the younger Mercer still expressed interest in the Tigers.
The sixth-ranked point guard transferred to Cincinnati (Ohio) Princeton from Atlanta (Ga.) Overtime Elite amid his sophomore year, and his brother followed suit from Winton Woods. Missouri assistant coach Steve Wright previously coached at Princeton before later recruiting Mercer.
“He’s like family to me,” said the four-star, who Wright previously recruited at Duquesne. “I talk to him once a week. He just checks up on me like somebody that truly cares about me outside of basketball.”
No. 40 Xavier Skipworth, SF
The newest target among this group, Xavier Skipworth received an in-person visit from head coach Dennis Gates and associate head coach Kyle Smithpeters in November. The Tigers stopped by Potomac (Md.) The Bullis School during their trip to Washington to play Howard in the season opener.
“Coach Gates saw him, and that was enough,” said former Missouri guard Jason Conley, who is on staff for The Bullis School. “I said, look, this kid is different. The way he sees the game, the work he puts in, the time. If you want to have a chance to get him when he’s a senior, you should start now.”
No. 41 Cole Kelly, SF
The second-ranked prospect in Illinois, Cole Kelly visited for the Tigers’ Pro Day. Missouri surprised the No. 14 overall small forward with an offer following dinner the night before the program’s event in October.
“They’re all just real guys,” the four-star said. “They didn’t try to sugarcoat anything or tell you lies necessarily, trying to sell you on the school. They were just showing their best stuff and what they had to offer at the school. I think Coach Gates is super genuine.”
No. 42 Trey Edwards, SG
The cousin of former Missouri wide receiver Luther Burden III and current Class of 2028 linebacker target Anthony Busby Jr., Trey Edwards had to see the Tigers this past fall. The St. Louis native — who transferred to Melissa (Texas) High before his sophomore year — took in the Border War this past September.
“The coaching staff really set the bar, and they made us feel at home,” said Edwards, the fourth-ranked recruit in the Lone Star State. “They were very honest and upfront during the whole visit.”