2025 Mizzou Position Preview: Wide Receivers

Jacob Peeler is not only the positional coach who's coached multiple Missouri pass-catchers into the NFL, but he's also arguably the best recruiter on the team. He was a part of the development of guys like Burden and Wease, along with former Georgia and Missouri receiver Dominic Lovett.

Peeler has been with the Tigers since the 2022 season, with stints at Texas State, Ole Miss, California and Louisiana Tech coming before. He was the offensive coordinator with the Bobcats before making the move to Missouri.

Arguably, his biggest developmental win was Burden. Despite coming in as a five-star player who was ready to play right away, Burden required plenty of refinement. Peeler aided with those efforts and helped him become the player he is now.

The recruiting impacts of Peeler can't be understated, either. He's pulled in plenty of talented receivers, including Burden, but is also the main recruiting coordinator. All in all, Peeler is vital to Missouri's success when it comes to acquiring talent and developing it.

The Starters

The three main starters will be Kevin Coleman Jr., Marquis Johnson and Joshua Manning. Coleman is the only new player of those three, with Johnson and Manning coming into the season as juniors.

Coleman is a senior with three previous schools under his belt. He got a taste of SEC experience last season with the Mississippi State Bulldogs, with stops at Louisville and Jackson State before. For the Bulldogs last year, he recorded 932 yards and six touchdowns on 74 receptions.

The St. Louis native has proven to be a reliable slot option and that appears to be the case for the Tigers this season. He presents himself as Missouri's top option, despite not playing a single game yet.

Johnson is the next man up. He had an odd sophomore season on the field, going for 352 yards and a single touchdown. As a true freshman, he posted 383 yards and three touchdowns.

He's very capable of being a down-the-field burner, but he developed more of a route package last season. Johnson is dynamic with the ball in his hands and moving down the field, giving whoever starts at quarterback one of the better deep threats in the SEC.

Manning is the last guy. His first season of production was last year, recording 192 yards and a touchdown. He's a bigger target with a large catch radius who's capable of highlighting both that and his after-the-catch ability. A breakout season could be in the works for Manning, who became more comfortable as his sophomore season progressed.

In the Rotation

The wide receiver rotation becomes fascinating after Manning and Johnson. If a depth chart were released right now, there could be no predicting who would be the fourth receiver on it. That being said, there are plenty of talented options who could fill in that role.

True freshman Donovan Olugbode might be the favorite, at the moment. He's showing flashes of being a quick contributer for the Tigers only a few days into fall camp, but still has to put it together on the field.

Daniel Blood is another option. Most of his experience comes on special teams, but he's helped out here and there over the last two seasons. Given his experience in the offense, he could see a slightly increased role this year.

Xavier Loyd, a transfer from Illinois State who also has experience with the Kansas State Wildcats, also likely will find his way onto the field. His veteran leadership will be his biggest contribution, though.

Shaun Terry II and James Madison II could also see snaps in the receiver rotation, but that seems unlikely. They are both very talented, but they need to truly stand out this fall to find their way onto the field.

Who’s next up? 

Not much more can be said about Olugbode, who's more than just the future of the wide receiver room. The chances of Olugbode contributing as a true freshman continue to rise every time he catches a football on a Missouri practice field, which should only excite Missouri fans.

Outside of Oligbode, freshmen Shaun Terry II and DaMarion Fowlkes will patiently wait their turns this season. Both have burning speed and are great after the catch and could create a fascinating duo. There is a chance that Terry plays this season, but not a significant one.

Madison also needs to be mentioned. He could play this season, but if he opts to be patient and wait out one more year with the Tigers, a role could be waiting for him. He's a huge target and has great hands, he simply has too many established players in front of him on the depth chart for there to be promised snaps.

Biggest question in fall camp: Can Johnson and Manning take the next step?

Johnson and Manning are entering their junior seasons with the Tigers. This is only Manning's second of true snaps on the field, but the expectation is still the same for both. The duo has to step up and become more technical and productive to raise the ceiling of Missouri's offense.

Johnson did not take a huge leap last year, but there were injuries involved. It was Manning's first real season of play as well, but he showed flashes of what could be.

Now, with both players healthy and settled into their roles, it's time for them to step into larger ones. Coleman will help when it comes to taking some of that load off, but the duo needs to be ready to make big plays and lead the Missouri offense when the time comes.

This story is a part of a series from Missouri On SI taking a deep dive into each position on the Missouri Tigers’ 2025 season: Linebackers | Running back | Quarterback | Wide Receiver | Next up: Offensive line