Mizzou’s Luther Burden heads a list of five Tiger players that were named to Phil Steele’s All-SEC preseason football team. (Photo: Cedric Williams)

Led by junior wide receiver Luther Burden III — a first-team selection — junior offensive lineman Armand Membou and senior linebacker Triston Newson — both second-team choices, five University of Missouri football players received preseason All-SEC honors from the renowned Phil Steele College Football magazine and publication.

Defensive players Daylan Carnell — a junior safety — and Johnny Walker, Jr., — a senior defensive lineman — also made the team as fourth-team selections.

There’s not much to debate that Burden is perhaps the best returning pass-catcher in college football for next season. Last year, Burden finished second in the SEC in receptions with 86 and ninth in all of college football in receiving yards with 1,212. The 2023 All-SEC First Team member has realistic expectations of being a consensus or even a unanimous All-American for this upcoming season.

Membou started in all 13 games as Mizzou’s right tackle and played a pivotal role in building a front-five unit that was a semifinalist for the Joe Moore Award, honoring the most outstanding offensive line in the nation. Membou was part of a front-five that paved the way for five games of 200-plus rushing yards and reached triple digits in that category in all but one outing. The unit also helped create 500-plus yards of total offense in five contests as well.

Newson’s rise to notoriety started when former Mizzou standout and current Green Bay Packers rookie linebacker Ty’Ron Hopper suffered an injury late in the season.

In Newson’s first game filling in for Hopper, he recorded a career-high 15 tackles, including two for loss, and recovered two fumbles in the dominant 48-14 road victory over Arkansas. Newson was recognized as the SEC’s Co-Defensive Player of the Week for his efforts and finished last season with a total of 51 tackles, including seven for loss.

Carnell showed major improvements from 2022 throughout last season, as he finished fifth on the Tigers in tackles (51), tackles for loss (6) and sacks (3), while also returning an interception 38 yards to the house in Missouri’s 36-7 victory over then-No. 13 Tennessee.

His seven pass breakups only trailed former Mizzou standout and current Denver Broncos rookie cornerback Kris Abrams-Draine (13) for the team lead.

Walker’s placement on the Fourth Team might turn some heads as he finished second on the Tigers in sacks (5), only trailing former Mizzou standout and current Arizona Cardinals first-rounder Darius Robinson for the team lead.

Additionally, he was third on the team in tackles for loss (9.5) while also finishing with a team-high three forced fumbles. Perhaps most notably, Walker was named the 2023 Goodyear Cotton Bowl Classic Defensive MVP, after disrupting Ohio State all evening in the 14-3 victory.

The Tigers are a little more than two months away from opening the 2024 season. Mizzou will host Murray State at Faurot Field on August 29. Kickoff that evening is set for 7 p.m.

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