Eli Drinkwitz’s program has picked up its first commitment of the 2022 recruiting cycle and the coach’s fingerprints are all over this recruitment.

Missouri’s first pledge for the upcoming recruiting cycle comes from in-state tight end, Max Whisner.

The 6-foot-6, 240-pound Whisner plays for Lee’s Summit High School in Lee’s Summit, Mo., and while he still has two seasons remaining at the prep level, the big tight end already holds scholarship offers from Arkansas, Kansas, Kansas State and Iowa State.

Whisner is currently rated as a three-star prospect and the nation’s No. 24 tight end recruit in the 2022 recruiting cycle by 247Sports Composite Rankings.

Drinkwitz was hired to elevate Missouri’s offense and with early, in-state pickups like this one, the Tigers are already setting the tone for the 2022 recruiting cycle in Columbia with a solid offensive prospect to build around in the 2022 recruiting cycle.

Keeping an in-state prospect home should also help Drinkwitz build good faith with the high school coaches from around the state, which is always critical for a first-year coach.

You can view Whisner’s commitment video below

To get an idea of Whisner’s potential on the gridiron, check out his freshman season highlight reel: