Missouri enters its matchup with Alabama sitting at 6-1 following a 21-17 comeback victory over Auburn, in which quarterback Brady Cook exited with injury before returning and leading the team to the win.
Cook has been listed as doubtful on the injury report for Saturday’s game, but he has been trending in the right direction ahead of the top-25 matchup. The Tigers will be without top running back Nate Noel, third-string wide receiver Mookie Cooper, two defensive linemen, and a linebacker.
Even though Missouri will be without Noel, Cooper, and possibly Cook, it still has a couple of players that Alabama needs to be aware of. Starting with dynamic receiver Luther Burden. He’s one of the top wide receivers in the 2025 NFL draft class, and can change the game in a way only a few players can.
Whether taking a screen pass 75 yards or burning the defense over the top, Burden is a walking touchdown. Burden isn’t on his outside, however, with Theo Wease Jr. leading the Tigers in receiving with 463 receiving yards on 35 catches.
Still, both Burden and Wease haven’t exploded like the Missouri passing game did last year when Burden led the country in receiving. Although the Tigers lost multiple defenders into the 2024 NFL draft, Missouri’s defense still remains as a top 10 unit in yards per game and points per game allowed.
Still, there are a few remaining players on the defense who could see their names called in the future. Defensive lineman Kristian Williams and Johnny Walker Jr. began the year as the two leading defenders for the Tigers, and the two have combined for a pair of sacks. In addition to those two, there have been multiple other defensive linemen who have stepped up for Missouri with five different players with multiple sacks.
All of these players have the potential to make an impact and must play well if the Tigers want to improve to 7-1.
