Gary Pinkel landed arguably his best-ever recruiting class at Missouri on Wednesday, highlighted by five-star DT Terry Beckner Jr.’s signing day decision to play for the Tigers.

Breaking out an old-school gold Tigers pennant, Beckner Jr. signed with the Tigers as a few dozen family members crowded a stage in East St. Louis, Ill. Tears streamed down Beckner Jr.’s face as he chose to become a member of the team’s infamous #DLZou, which sends players into the NFL draft on an annual basis.

Beckner Jr. highlighted a day in which the team received 24 letters of intent. As of Wednesday afternoon, 247Sports’ composite team rankings slotted Missouri at No. 21, just ahead of Arkansas and 10th in the SEC.

“The job Pinkel and his staff have done so far is amazing,” ESPNU analyst Desmond Howard said on the air. “The perception of the Missouri Tigers is starting to change.”

Pinkel has landed high-profile recruits before, and depending on which recruiting service you trust, this class is within the top range of Missouri’s typical classes, on par with the team’s 2010 class.

But following back-to-back SEC East titles, it’s a good sign to see the Tigers lock up a five-star prospect just two hours from campus. The team also snagged four-star QB Drew Lock and a pair of four-star RBs in Natereace Strong and Chase Abbington. Pinkel also snagged three-star OLB Terez Hall as a Wednesday addition.

With Pinkel’s track record of player development, starting out with this level of talent bodes well for the next few seasons.

It wasn’t all sunshine for Mizzou on Wednesday.

Three-star DT DaQuan Hawkins signed with Georgia over Missouri and Auburn as expected. Hawkins didn’t make a scheduled official visit to Columbia, Mo., last weekend, in part because his father had surgery, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

The biggest bruise, though, came from 6-foot-5 WR Brandon Martin, rated the fifth-best Missouri commitment entering Wednesday.

Reports indicate that Martin was struggling to qualify academically. A member of Deion Sanders’ Prime Prep Academy charter school, which the Texas Education Agency shut down last week due to financial mismanagement, Martin probably would’ve needed to go to junior college first. Now LSU will try to get him qualified.

STACKING UP ON WRs

Despite missing on Martin, the team should inherit five receivers in the 2015 class. That’s big for a team that returns virtually nothing at the position, as the team’s three starters were all seniors. Two others are no longer with the team, leaving several unproven and inexperienced options.

Needless to say, the best one or two from the group of Emanuel Hall, Justin Smith, Richaud Floyd, Jonathan Johnson and Ronnell Perkins should get playing time in 2015. (Perkins also could play defensive back.)

This offseason represents the second consecutive season Mizzou lost its top three receivers, and departing senior Marcus Murphy also was one of the team’s top pass-catchers.

MAKING INROADS IN ST. LOUIS

Beckner is the third East St. Louis player to commit to or sign with Missouri in the last two years.

Strong already is enrolled at Hinds (Miss.) Community College to get academically qualified. S Greg Taylor, a member of the Tigers’ 2014 class, is enrolled at Hinds as well.

Both are expected to transfer to Missouri in 2016.

TIGERS SIGN MIGHTY TALL CLASS

Sixteen of the 24 signees are 6-foot-2 or taller.

There are some giants within the 2015 class. The team said Wednesday that 6-foot-8 OT Tyler Howell, a junior college transfer, could bulk up his 302-pound frame to 335 and remain pretty muscular.

Justin Smith is a 6-foot-7, 220-pound WR, two inches taller and 16 pounds lighter than Calvin Johnson.

TE Josh Moore and DE Nate Howard are 6-foot-5. Beckner Jr., Lock, G A.J. Harris and Marcell Frazier are 6-foot-4.

MISSOURI’S 2015 RECRUITING CLASS

  • National Rank: 21
  • SEC Rank: 10
  • No. of Commitments: 24
  • Rating: 1 five-star, 3 four-star, 19 three-star, 1 two-star

Top incoming offensive players: QB Drew Lock, RB Natereace Strong, RB Chase Abbington
Top incoming defensive players: DT Terry Beckner Jr., DE Marcell Frazier, DE Nate Howard, DE Josh Moore

SIGNED LETTER OF INTENT

  • Terry Beckner Jr., DT, Five-star
  • Drew Lock, QB, Four-star
  • Natereace Strong, RB, Four-star
  • Chase Abbington, RB, Four-star
  • A.J. Harris, OG, Three-star
  • Tyler Howell, OT, Three-star
  • Marquise Doherty, ATH, Three-star
  • Marcell Frazier, DE, Three-star
  • Jonathan Johnson, ATH, Three-star
  • Nate Howard, DT, Three-star
  • Ryan Williams, RB, Three-star
  • Cameron Hilton, S, Three-star
  • Ronnell Perkins, ATH, Three-star
  • Josh Moore, TE, Three-star
  • Emanuel Hall, WR, Three-star
  • Justin Smith, WR, Three-star
  • Richaud Floyd, WR, Three-star
  • Tyrell Jacobs, DT, Three-star
  • T.J. Warren, CB, Three-star
  • Franklin Agbasimere, OLB, Three-star
  • Malik Cuellar, OT, Three-star
  • Tanner Owen, OT, Three-star
  • Terez Hall, LB, Three-star
  • Corey Fatony, P, Two-star