Mizzou’s receiving corps highlighted by key returner and bevy of impact transfers

COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Mizzou receiving corps is a group that faced heavy turnover following the 2025 season, however, the revamped unit is now garnering quite a bit of excitement ahead of the 2026 campaign.

Following the 2025 season, head coach Eli Drinkwitz and company lost top target Kevin Coleman Jr. to graduation, alongside fellow wideouts Marquis Johnson and Joshua Manning, who both entered the transfer portal. But, Coach Drinkwitz wasted no time in replenishing that lost production in the offseason, bringing in some of the top transfers available in the portal, while also returning a key piece in rising sophomore Donovan Olugbode.

The addition of wide receivers Cayden Lee and Caleb Goodie, especially, got Tiger fans excited, as that duo will look to make an instant impact in Columbia.

Lee came to Mizzou from Ole Miss, who was a College Football Playoff team in 2025. The rest of the guys on his unit emphasized how big that 'big-game' experience will be for this offense.

"It's going to help to help the group a lot," Olugbode said. "Just him being a big situations, especially last year Ole Miss, so it definitely helps our group because he's been in that experience before."

You can watch the full press conference with Olugbode in the video player below.

Although Goodie doesn't come in with Southeastern Conference experience, he does bring in an ability to help stretch the field and command some major snaps around the perimeter.

The Cincinnati transfer played in 12 games for the Bearcats in 2025, catching 29 passes for 484 yards and four touchdowns. He quickly became known for his speed, as he comes to Columbia with the reputation of being one of the fastest players in all of college football...even if his NCAA 26 speed rating doesn't say so.

"[I'm at] like 92 speed," Goodie said, when asked about what his speed was in the college football video game. "[It should be] like 95+, at least.'

You can watch the full press conference with Goodie in the video player below.

"His speed helps the offense a lot," Olugbode said. "Just being able to get him downfield, [he's a] fast guy, good hands, so his his speed definitely helps offense a lot."

That speed will prove critical, as Coach Drinkwitz has challenged first-year offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey to get the vertical passing game going, this season...something the Tigers have faced some inconsistencies with over the years.

However, with all those new faces, the returning talent is more important than ever.

Olugbode headlined that list of returners, this offseason, coming off of a true freshman campaign where he dazzled fans with some stunning catches. All-in-all, he saw action in 13 games last year, hauling in 30 catches for 401 yards and a pair of touchdowns. The 6-foot-2, 210-pound receiver became just the eighth freshman in program history to go for at least 400 yards in his debut season.

"My overall just knowledge for the game, being in the SEC and in college football for one year, getting my feet wet, just picking up all the keys and things that defense are doing and how the offenses ran in college," Olugbode said, when asked where he's grown the most since his freshman season. "So, just picking up everything from the year...I'm just going to go out there and stay ready and be open to every opportunity I'm given and just if the ball comes my way, I make the play."

Although Olugbode is the returner that saw the most game-action in 2025, he's not the only impact player back for another season under Coach Drinkwitz. In fact, redshirt freshman Shaun Terry II is looking to work into a more regular rotation in this offense, as well.

"Shaun Terry, he's explosive after the catch, for sure. [He has] good hands reliable, reliable target, catches the ball downfield very good, so it's lots of good stuff say about Shaun," Olugbode said.

At this point in the offseason, perhaps nobody knows that Mizzou receiving corps better than the Tiger secondary. Cornerback Chris Graves Jr. had his picks on who have been the toughest guys to go against in fall camp, so far.

"I'd probably say [DaMarion Fowlkes] or [Caleb Goodie]," Graves Jr. said. "They're more quicker guys, but you know, they give me work, so it's been good."

You can watch the full press conference with Graves Jr. in the video player below.

Graves Jr. has a ton of experience with one receiver, specifically: fellow Ole Miss transfer Cayden Lee. The duo both played for the Rebels in 2025, along with quarterback Austin Simmons, and bring in a ton of big-game experience, following a College Football Playoff run.

Players and coaches, alike, said that kind of experience is a big benefit for the Tigers, this season.

"Like we do situations, so when we do situations, I just try to tell the team, imagine that we're in the game instead of practice," Graves Jr. said, when asked how his big-game experience can help his new team.

Up next - Mizzou will continue on with fall camp, ahead of the season opener on Thursday, Sept. 3.