Missouri football landed arguably its best recruit yet from the class of 2024 on Monday with the commitment of four-star linebacker Nicholas Rodriguez, according to Dave Matter. It is the fifth commit for Mizzou in the last four days as head coach Eli Drinkwitz continues to build the future of the program.

Rodriguez is the 27th-ranked outside linebacker in the class according to ESPN. He had 24 total offers and visited four schools, most notably Ohio State, but decided to join Missouri football after an official visit on June 23.

As a junior at St. Thomas Aquinas in Florida, Rodriguez recorded 93 tackles (10 for loss), 9 QB hits, 5 sacks, 3 pass breakups, 2 forced fumbles and an INT. He helped the school go 14-0 and win a state title.

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Rodriguez highlights a crop of mid-level recruits so far for Mizzou. The Tigers have eight commitments in the 2024 class and rank last among SEC schools according to 247 Sports.

Missouri football has not had a winning record since 2018 and last had a winning record in the SEC in 2014. Posting a winning season in 2023 could set Mizzou up for some success in the near future if it's paired with solid recruiting classes. If Drinkwitz and his staff can start to wrangle more four-stars into the Missouri football program, the Tigers won't just be another game on the schedule for the SEC powerhouses.

Mizzou is off to a decent start in its recruitment of the class of 2024. Nicholas Rodriguez could be a day-one starter for the Tigers in 2024, but fans will be hoping he's not the only top-tier recruit the program can bring in.