The Missouri Tigers have lost another defensive commitment, this time with three-star cornerback Jaxson Gates. Gates is a La Verne, California, native and is staying on the Western side of the country, committing to BYU.
BREAKING: Speedy cornerback Jaxson Gates from La Verne (Calif.) Damien has committed to BYU, giving the Cougars a high-upside defender in their fast-rising 2026 class https://t.co/fYtePrKPy3 pic.twitter.com/xtFw8WALRP
— Blair Angulo (@BlairAngulo) July 8, 2025
The California native is the No. 1,021 player in the country according to composite rankings, along with being the No. 86 cornerback and No. 81 in his state.
Gates was also considering Utah, Michigan State and Syracuse. Whether the Tigers ever had a true chance is unknown, but the other programs got official visits and Missouri did not.
Missouri still only has two defensive commitments, and they await the decision of two others committing Tuesday. Adding the pledge of three-star athlete Javonte Smith, who will likely play cornerback, is the biggest of the bunch.
Four-star linebacker Adam Balogoun-Ali will also announce his decision, but it doesn't look like the Tigers will end up landing him. It would be a massive win if they managed to, however.
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