The Missouri Tigers have a lot of momentum after finishing the regular season with an 8-4 record, riding the strength of a 4-game winning streak into the Liberty Bowl at the end of the month.

Coach Barry Odom has already been rewarded with a raise and an extension, so that, combined with the on-field success, needs to lead to more success on the recruiting trails.

In every year as the Mizzou head coach, Odom has been (shockingly) consistent, landing the No. 43 recruiting class in the nation and the No. 13 class in the SEC. This class is following suit.

However, that needs to improve if the Tigers are going to be consistently good (and not just when they have an incredible talent like Drew Lock at quarterback). That said, Odom and his staff do a great job of developing the players they get, so several 2019 commits should be able to play right away.

Here are five current Mizzou commits who we could see playing big roles for the team in 2019 (and beyond):

1. Jalani Williams, S

Rank: 4-stars

Why he’ll play immediately: Williams is one of the better recruits the Tigers have landed under Odom. Add in the fact that current starting S Cam Hilton is graduating, and the defense will need some guys to step up.

Williams can be one of those guys, and it’ll be interesting to see how DC Ryan Walters handles the talented incoming freshman.

2. Ishmael Burdine, S

Rank: 3-stars

Why he’ll play immediately: Though the Mizzou secondary improved quite a bit as the season wore on, the unit still needs a lot more depth. Burdine likely won’t compete for a starting job like Williams will next fall, but he could get some important reps as a backup if he plays well throughout the preseason.

3. Shemar Pearl, WDE

Rank: 3-stars

Why he’ll play immediately: The Tigers finished the 2018 regular season with only 25 sacks — good for only a tie for ninth in the SEC. Those were their lowest finishes since their first year in the SEC in 2012.

The Tigers return most of their defensive ends next fall, but if they aren’t getting the job done in the absence of star interior linemen like Terry Beckner Jr. and Walter Palmore, Pearl could get a look from the coaching staff.

4. Jack Buford, OG

Rank: 3-stars

Why he’ll play immediately: The Tigers are losing longtime starter Kevin Pendleton, so there will be an opening at the guard position. With backup Sam Bailey also graduating, there will be some playing time to go around. Buford is 6-3 and nearly 330 pounds, so he’s a very interesting prospect along the interior of the offensive line.

5. Connor Bazelak, QB

Rank: 3-stars

Why he’ll play immediately: The coaching staff apparently really likes Bazelak, and he could be the quarterback of the future. Kelly Bryant is the guy in 2019, but Bazelak should see some action in up to four games. That way, he can preserve his redshirt while still getting some valuable reps backing up Bryant.