Key takeaways from Missouri Tigers’ first preseason depth chart

Mizzou has released its first fall depth chart. What should we take away from it?

The Missouri Tigers released their initial depth chart in advance of fall camp on Monday, and the St. Louis Post-Dispatch‘s Dave Matter posted in in full over at STLToday.com. There weren’t a whole lot of surprises, as the Tigers are mainly hoping that the young group Barry Odom began his rebuilding efforts with last year will progress after a full season of action in the SEC.

Here are a few of the notable takeaways from the first depth chart of the season:

• Redshirt sophomore Jack Lowary, who transferred from Long Beach City College before last season, has the early edge to be the backup to Drew Lock at quarterback. He’ll be pushed by Micah Wilson, who redshirted in his first season with the Tigers last fall.
• Sophomore Damarea Crockett, who has a chance to be Mizzou’s most dynamic running back in years, is listed as even with senior Ish Witter. Both backs are likely to get plenty of time, but it should be interesting to see just how much of a timeshare the two talented runners are engaged in.
• The offensive line looks a bit different than it did last season. Redshirt sophomore Jonah Dubinski, who started Mizzou’s final two games at center last season, is listed as the starter at that position heading into the fall. Senior Alec Abeln, who has started nine games over the past two seasons, seeing action at both guard and center, is listed as the No. 2 left guard behind Kevin Pendleton. Samson Bailey, who started nine of the Tigers’ 12 games at center last season, isn’t even listed on the depth chart.
• St. Louis native Adam Ploudre, who went from being a walk-on to being arguably the Tigers’ most impactful offensive lineman during 2016, holds onto a starting spot heading into camp. He’s listed as the starter at right guard.
• J’Mon Moore, Johnathon Johnson, and Dimetrios Mason are listed as the early starters at wide receiver, with Dominic Collins, Richaud Floyd, and Emanuel Hall backing them up. Nate Brown and Ray Wingo are among the notable receivers not listed on the depth chart, but with fewer scholarship receivers on the roster than usual, they’re still likely to get chances throughout the course of the year.
• With Charles Harris gone to the NFL and Nate Howard suspended as he faces felony drug charges, former walk-on Jordan Harold settles back into a starting spot at defensive end. Harold started two games in 2016.
• With linebackers Donavin Newsom and Michael Scherer having graduated, the starting spots heading into camp will be taken over by Terez Hall, Eric Beisel, and Kansas State transfer Kaleb Prewett. That group is rather different from the one Mizzou used over the latter part of 2016, when Joey Burkett (six starts), Brandon Lee (four starts), Cale Garrett (two starts), and TJ Warren received opportunities. Burkett, Lee, and Garrett are listed as the backups on the depth chart with Warren, who was briefly suspended this spring, not listed.
• Long snapper James Workman, a San Jose State transfer, has the early edge at taking over for the departed Jake Hurrell. He’ll battle during camp with Parkway Central High School product Harley Whitehouse.

Next: Texas transfer Jordan Elliott commits to Mizzou

Obviously, there’s plenty of room for change with all of these things as fall camp begins next month, but the early depth chart provides a little bit of insight into what the coaching staff is thinking as they head into the new season.