Watch Missouri football coach Eli Drinkwitz talk as Tigers wrap camp
Watch Eli Drinkwitz’s opening statement from his press conference Tuesday as the Tigers wrapped up fall camp.
(This story is being updated to include players who land on practice squads.)
Former Missouri football standouts Brady Cook and Cody Schrader were among the players who were waived Tuesday as NFL franchises trimmed their teams to 53 players ahead of the initial roster deadline.
Cook, who started at quarterback at Mizzou for three seasons, was waived by the New York Jets, as was his former teammate and MU placekicker Harrison Mevis.Â
The former Mizzou QB appeared to be in the conversation for a roster spot when the Jets waived Adrian Martinez over the weekend, but Justin Fields and veteran Tyrod Taylor take up the two QB positions on the 53-man roster.
Schrader, who broke MU’s single-season rushing record in 2023 after joining the team as a preferred walk-on, was in the same position as his former teammate after being cut by the Los Angeles Rams.
Both Cook and Schrader — as well as former Tigers such as Theo Wease Jr. and Harrison Mevis — have since landed on practice squads.
There were 32 former Missouri players competing for initial roster spots when the Tribune took a headcount earlier in August. There are now 15 former Tigers on 53-man rosters, and three more who were not waived but do have injury designations.
Here’s how former Mizzou players fared at the roster deadline:
These former Missouri players are on initial 53-man rosters:
Armand Membou, Jets: The right tackle was the No. 7-overall pick in this year’s draft and is expected to immediately start for the Jets in 2025.Â
Luther Burden III, Bears: The No. 39-overall draft pick and three-year Mizzou standout, as expected since the day he arrived in Columbia, will be playing on Sundays soon.
Darius Robinson, Cardinals: After missing much of his rookie season due to a calf injury, the No. 27-overall selection in the 2024 NFL Draft is competing for a starting role on Arizona’s defensive line.
Nick Bolton, Chiefs: The fourth-year NFL linebacker recently signed a three-year, $45-million extension. With two Super Bowl rings in hand, he is expected to be a starting middle linebacker for the Chiefs in 2025.
Marcus Bryant, Patriots: The left tackle was a seventh-round pick by New England in the 2025 NFL Draft. He appears to have shifted to right tackle with the Patriots.
Drew Lock, Seahawks: After a year with the New York Giants, Lock is back in Seattle — where he spent the 2022 and 2023 seasons — and is expected to back up Sam Darnold in the 2025 season.
Larry Borom, Dolphins: The former Mizzou offensive lineman was a fifth-round draft pick by the Chicago Bears in 2021 and now will compete for the Dolphins’ starting left tackle job.
Tyler Badie, Broncos: The running back has recovered from a scary injury he sustained last season and is one of four running backs on Denver’s initial roster.Â
Kris Abrams-Draine, Broncos: The 2024 draft fifth-round pick is one of five corners to make the cut for Denver this season.
Ty’Ron Hopper, Packers: A third-round pick in 2024, Hopper has reportedly had an impressive summer in Green Bay and looks likely to carve out a playing role.
Isaiah McGuire, Browns: The defensive end is about to begin his third season in the league after a solid 2024 campaign. He is competing to start opposite Myles Garrett at the other edge-rushing role.
Jordan Elliott, 49ers: The defensive tackle projects as a starter on the 49ers’ defense this season.
Akayleb Evans, Panthers: The one-year Mizzou corner was signed by the Panthers last December after being waived by the Vikings.
Dominic Lovett, Lions: The wide receiver out of East St. Louis finished his career at Georgia after two seasons with Mizzou. He was a seventh-round pick in this year’s draft.
Mekhi Wingo, Lions: The St. Louis native spent one season with Mizzou before transferring to LSU.
Injured but not waived
Jaylon Carlies, Colts (IR, designated for return): The former Missouri safety switched to linebacker in the NFL. He will miss at least the first four games of the season with Indianapolis as he begins the year on the IR. When he returns, he is an expected contributor.
Ennis Rakestraw Jr., Lions (season-ending IR): The former standout Mizzou corner has had some bad injury luck again and will miss the 2025 season with a shoulder injury. He was a second-round pick in 2024, but will spend the upcoming season on the injured reserve list.
Johnny Walker Jr., Broncos (season-ending IR): The edge rusher out of Tampa, Florida, was an undrafted free agent pickup after the draft this year, but his rookie season ended before it started. He will spend the year on the injured reserve list due to a lower-body injury.
These former Missouri players were waived before initial deadline
Brady Cook, Jets: Zack Rosenblatt of The Athletic has reported that Cookj has landed on the Jets’ practice squad, where he will be joined by …
Harrison Mevis, Jets: Rosenblatt also reported that Mevis — dubbed the ‘Thiccer Kicker’ — is on the Jets’ practice squad alongside Cook.
Cody Schrader, Rams: After being waived, Schrader was signed to the Rams’ practice squad. The Rams head into the season with Kyren Williams, Blake Corum and rookie Jarquez Hunter as their active running backs.
Theo Wease Jr., Dolphins: Wease is on the Dolphins’ practice squad, per a report from Barry Jackson of the Miami Herald.
Kristian Williams, Broncos: The mainstay along Mizzou’s defensive line for the past few seasons was waived with an injury designation in Denver.Â
Javon Foster, Jaguars: The fourth-round pick from 2024 has been released after one season in the league.
Elijah Young, Bills: The running back who spent three seasons at Mizzou before transferring to Western Kentucky signed as a UDFA with KC this year and then ended up at the Bills before being waived ahead of the deadline.
Trystan Colon, Lions: The Lions signed Colon after center Frank Ragnow retired this summer. He did not make the 53-man roster.
Nate Noel, Colts: The running back spent time at Miami and Indianapolis this preseason but was waived at both stops.
Marcellus Johnson, Colts: Johnson spent a season as a sixth offensive lineman and swing tackle for Mizzou.
Yasir Durant Patriots: The offensive tackle reverted to the injured reserve list for the Patriots in July.
Albert Okwuegbunam, Raiders: The Raiders kept three tight ends, but Okwuegbunam couldn’t work his way into that group.
Joshua Bledsoe, Titans: The former Mizzou safety was waived in Nashville.
Connor Bazelak, Buccaneers: The quarterback, who spent two seasons with Mizzou before transferring to Indiana and then Bowling Green, had been competing to be Baker Mayfield’s backup.