Mizzou-Illini Preview 8/30

It’s been a long time since Mizzou fans have been as excited about a college football as they are for the 2008 season. After the Tigers performance last year, they are among the Big 12 Conference favorites this season. The key for head coach Gary Pinkel has been his ability to increase the talent level of his team. That’s where the improvement has come and that’s visible when you look at their pro prospects.

These two teams face off Saturday night from the Edwards Jones Dome in St. Louis. Kickoff is just after 7:30 on ESPN.

Missouri

FS William Moore – 6-1, 226 pounds, SR-Redshirt. Moore is ranked among the 40 senior prospects for NFL teams to evaluate thanks largely to his physical gifts and his big play ability. He really jumped forward at the end of the ‘07 season when Mizzou lost fellow safety Pig Brown and Moore became the playmaker. In the last six games, he had five interceptions and two forced fumbles. He led the team and Big 12 Conference with eight interceptions. He has 10 career picks, and he’s returned four for touchdowns. Could be a top 20 choice in April ‘09 Draft.

TE Chase Coffman – 6-6, 247 pounds, SR. Coffman considered coming out for the NFL Draft last year and the NFL advisory council gave him second round grades; this despite an ankle injury that bothered him all season. He decided to return to Columbia for his final season. He’s already played in 38 games for the Tigers, catching 157 passes and 20 TD catches. Chase will follow the footsteps of his father Paul into the NFL.

DT Evander Hood – 6-3, 295 pounds, SR. Coming off a big performance in January’s Cotton Bowl, Hood has a chance to improve his standing with a big senior season. Not considered terribly athletic, Hood gets buy with his heart, hustle and physical play. He’s already played in 36 games for the Tigers with 21 starts.

LB Sean Weatherspoon – 6-1, 235 pounds, JR. Last year in his first year as a starter for the Tigers, Weatherspoon led the team in tackles with 130. He had three sacks, two forced fumbles and a fumble recovery and he broke up eight passes. As a freshman, he was Mizzou’s special teams player of the year.

Illinois

CB Vontae Davis – 6-0, 204 pounds, JR. Davis has top of the first-round athletic ability and the question for the Illini will be whether he stays for his senior season. In two seasons under Ron Zook, Davis has started 24 games and last year was first-team All-Big 10 Conference. He had 76 total tackles and four interceptions last year. He also returned punts and kickoffs. His older brother is San Francisco 49ers TE Vernon Davis.

T Xavier Fulton – 6-4, 300 pounds, SR-Redshirt. After starting his career on the defensive line, Fulton moved to left tackle last year and immediately established himself as one of the best raw talents in the Big 10 Conference. He started all 13 games and earned second-team All-conference honors. Physically gifted, he’s very raw as a blocker.

DE Derek Walker – 6-3, 270 pounds, SR. Over the last three seasons Walker has 31 starts for the Illini at defensive end. He’s racked up eight career sacks and 77 career tackles. In ‘06 he was voted the team’s best defensive lineman. His play in ‘07 was hampered by an ankle injury.