Mizzou Flips 3-Star Commitment from BYU

He joins JJ Bush, Tahj Overton, Carter Stewart, Brody Jones, Brysen Wessell and Johnnie Jones, Jr. as prospects who swapped their original commitments out for Black and Gold.

Gates is a 6-foot-1, 170 lb. prospect from La Verne, California, that is ranked as the No. 56 player at his position in the nation and the No. 48 player in the state, according to 247Sports' composite ranking.

In two seasons of varsity football for Damien High School, the talented defender has compiled 57 tackles and seven pass deflections. Through ten games this year, he's helped his team to an 8-2 record and is a key member of a defense holding teams to just over 20 points per contest.

With the addition of Gates, Missouri now sits at 21 commitments in the 2026 recruiting class, five of which are defensive backs. With just over a month until the early signing period kicks off in December, Drinkwitz and the staff still have time to add more talent, but have compiled a very strong class.

2026 Football Commitments

1. QB Gavin Sidwar, 6-foot-3, 190 lbs. - Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania (Committed 04/18/2025)
2. LB Keenan Harris, 6-foot-1, 210 lbs. - St. Louis (Committed 05/23/25)
3. WR Jabari Brady, 6-foot-1, 205 lbs - Pompana Beach, Florida (Committed 06/07/2025)
4. TE Isaac Jensen, 6-foot-6, 230 lbs - Omaha, Nebraska (Committed 06/09/2025)
5. RB Maxwell Warner, 5-foot-10, 185 lbs - Chicago (Committed 06/23/2025)
6. OL Khalief Canty, 6-foot-5, 305 lbs - Detroit (Committed 6/24/2025)
7. WR Devyon Hill-Lomax, 6-foot-4, 180 lbs. - Edwardsville, Illinois (Committed 06/25/2025)
8. OL Brandon Anderson, 6-foot-3, 326 lbs, - Kennesaw, Georgia (Committed 06/29/2025)
9. IOL Braylon Ellison, 6-foot-4, 285 lbs. - Boonville, Missouri (Committed 07/01/25)
10. S Tony Forney Jr., 5-foot-11, 180 lbs. - Marietta, Georgia (Committed 07/04/25)
11. EDGE Micah Nickerson, 6-foot-5, 215 lbs. - Magnolia, Mississippi (Committed 09/28/2025)
12. DL DeMarcus Johnson, 6-foot-7, 260 lbs. - Missouri City, Texas (Committed 09/25/2025)
13. LB JJ Bush, 6-foot-3, 210 lbs. - Theodore, Alabama (Committed 10/03/2025)
14. RB Terry Hodges, 6-foot, 180 lbs. - Bryant, Arkansas (Committed 10/04/2025)
15. IOL Brysen Wessell, 6-foot-5, 260 lbs. - Jackson, Missouri (Committed 10/11/2025)
16. OT Johnnie Jones, 6-foot-7, 305 lbs. - Venice, Florida (Committed 10/11/2025)
17. S Carter Stewart, 6-foot-1, 170 lbs. - Pearland, Texas (Committed 10/13/2025)
18. S Brody Jones, 6-foot-3, 175 lbs. - Fayetteville, Arkansas (Committed 10/13/2025)
19. DT Tajh Overton, 6-foot-3, 275 lbs. - Owasso, Oklahoma (Committed 10/17/2025)
20. CB Ahmod Billins, 6-foot-2, 175 lbs. - Abbeville, Alabama (Committed 10/25/2025)
21. CB Jaxson Gates, 6-foot-1, 170 lbs. - Ackerman, Mississippi (Committed 10/31/2025)

Check out the Missouri Football Recruiting Tracker to stay up to date with Tigers' targets from 2026, 2027 and beyond.