East St. Louis football star Charles Bass committed to play college ball at Missouri on Thursday. (Photo: Thomas Grove)

The University of Missouri football program landed another top priority target for its 2025 class on Thursday, when East St. Louis (IL) standout defensive back Charles Bass announced his plans to play for the Tigers.

Missouri now has five St. Louis-area prospects in its 2025 class, which now includes 17 total players.

Bass, a four-star prospect is rated the ninth-best safety in his class and is considered a Top 60 player by several recruiting services.

“It’s close to home, I got a good connection with coach Drink, (cornerbacks) coach (Al) Pogue, and coach (Corey) Batoon, he’s a good coach,” Bass said. “I watched film during my official visit. He seems like he develops guys and guys are having fun and tuning in to what he’s teaching.”

Missouri beat out the likes of Illinois and Arkansas for Bass, two other programs he took summer officials with. He also included Kansas State among his top schools. The 6-foot-2, 185-pound prospect also had other notable offers from LSU, Auburn, Nebraska, Louisville, Michigan, Ole Miss, Oregon and others.

“It was a crazy process, a long process,” he said. “I’m glad to finally pick a school and finish out my senior year with that stress off my shoulders.”

Bass plays safety for the Flyers, but Mizzou’s coaches believe he could play any spot in the defensive backfield.

“They like my versatility,” he said. “Right now they’ve got me as a STAR, a nickel, but they said I’ll have a chance to play all five defensive back positions.”

Bass becomes the 17th overall commitment for Missouri in their 2025 class and third pledge in the secondary, joining safety Dyllon Williams of Demopolis (Ala.) and cornerback Mark Manfred of Sprayberry (Ga.).

The East St. Louis (Ill.) product becomes the seventh Missouri commitment ranked within the Rivals250 and the fifth ranked within the Top100, joining Matt Zollers, Donovan Olugbode, Jayvan Boggs, and Lamont Rogers. He is also the Tigers’ ninth four-star in this class and boosts the Tigers to a No. 11 national ranking.

Bass said he plans to graduate early from East St. Louis and enroll at Missouri mid-year.

MISSOURI TIGERS 2024 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE

DateTimeAtOpponentLocationTVRadio
August 29, 2024 (Thursday)7 PMHomeMurray StateColumbia, Mo. / Faurot FieldSEC NetworkTiger Radio Network
September 7, 2024 (Saturday)6 PMHomeBuffaloColumbia, Mo. / Faurot FieldSECN+ / ESPN+Tiger Radio Network
September 14, 2024 (Saturday)11:45 AMHomeBoston CollegeColumbia, Mo. / Faurot FieldSEC NetworkTiger Radio Network
September 21, 2024 (Saturday)TBAHomeVanderbiltColumbia, Mo. / Faurot FieldTiger Radio Network
October 5, 2024 (Saturday)TBAAwayTexas A&MCollege Station, TexasTiger Radio Network
October 12, 2024 (Saturday)TBAAwayUMassAmherst, Mass.Tiger Radio Network
October 19, 2024 (Saturday)TBAHomeAuburnColumbia, Mo. / Faurot FieldTiger Radio Network
October 26, 2024 (Saturday)TBAAwayAlabamaTuscaloosa, Ala.Tiger Radio Network
November 9, 2024 (Saturday)TBAHomeOklahomaColumbia, Mo. / Faurot FieldTiger Radio Network
November 16, 2024 (Saturday)TBAAwaySouth CarolinaColumbia, S.C.Tiger Radio Network
November 23, 2024 (Saturday)TBAAwayMississippi StateStarkville, Miss.Tiger Radio Network
November 30, 2024 (Saturday)TBAHomeArkansasColumbia, Mo. / Faurot FieldTiger Radio Network