Perhaps the least talked about transition in the Southeastern Conference this offseason was at Missouri, where Gary Pinkel retired due to a cancer diagnosis and was replaced by Tigers defensive coordinator and Mizzou alum Barry Odom.

This class is not very large (14 commits) at present and doesn’t rank very high, but there is some talent here. So with that, here are some questions and answers about Missouri’s 2016 recruiting efforts.

Who are some of the classic Missouri “sleepers” who will out-perform their ranking?

The first commit that comes to mind is defensive end Marvin Terry from South Oak Cliff in Dallas. He’s listed at 6-foot-2, 220 pounds, but he plays bigger than that and he’s a skilled pass rusher with exceptional quickness off the edge. If he develops and adds bulk/strength, he can be a dangerous member of the Tigers defense in the future. Cornerback Christian Holmes from McNair High in Atlanta has awfully good size at 6-foot-1.5, 182 pounds. Again, he’s a guy that can develop into an outstanding player.

Are there any obvious difference-makers in this class?

One sure-fire guy comes to mind — Hinds (Miss.) Community College running back Natereace Strong. The East St. Louis native originally signed with the Tigers out of high school and on film as a high school recruit, he struck me as special. Even though he did have a serious injury during one of his high school seasons, he came back full-speed. Strong is a big, 6-foot-1, 210-pound back with speed who can really provide a lift to the run game right away.

How has Odom has done recruiting since taking over?

He and his staff have been solid. With the season Missouri had, the transition from a long-time, respected coach and some of the off-the-field stuff that happened on the campus, it’s not the easiest situation from a selling standpoint right now, but Odom has a fantastic reputation in the coaching community and understands what Mizzou is all about.

I anticipate he and his staff will make some noise when they have a full cycle to work it (2017) and when some of the transitional stuff and the campus stuff fades into the past. One thing to remember is that Odom, given his roots, has a good eye for evaluation, so as has been the case for some time with Missouri, you may be getting a great player and not even realize it based on the recruiting rankings.

What are the keys for Mizzou and Odom moving forward?

Year-in and year-out, the state of Missouri, and the St. Louis suburbs in Illinois, always have 10-20 Power 5-level prospects, many of them no-brainers. Just as is the key for any program in the SEC, no matter how large or small the in-state talent base is, it’s paramount to win your share of those recruiting battles.

I like that the current class has a presence from the state of Texas. If the Tigers can continue to spot-recruit Georgia and Florida and re-establish ties in the Lone Star State, that’s three of the top talent-producing states in the country to go make sound evaluations in and round out a class provided you have a solid group of in-state talent.