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Preseason Preview: Secondary

Our penultimate preseason preview looks at Missouri's secondary, which has some familiar names and some not-so-familiar ones. Still, even with some turnover, the talent and experience appears to gel well for a strong season.

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Projected preseason depth chart
CB SS FS CB

SR Aarion Penton

RS JR Anthony Sherrils

SO Cam Hilton OR

RS FR TJ Warren

JR Logan Cheadle OR

RS SO Tavon Ross

JR Thomas Wilson

RS SR John Gibson

JR Anthony Hines

RS SO Greg Taylor

RS FR Ronnell Perkins

RS SO Finis Stribling

FR DeMarkus Acy

FR Christian Holmes

Two stars, and then a lot of potential

If Missouri is going to have another strong year on the back-end, Aarion Penton and Anthony Sherrils are going to have to up their play to the level many expect them to be. Neither had bad years in 2015 -- by any means -- but there is still room for both players to grow in what will certainly be Penton's last year, and could very well be Sherrils', too.

Sherrils had a very solid year in 2015, his first as a full-time starter. He finished with 64 tackles, four for loss, with six pass break-ups, an interception and a forced fumble. He showed flashes of brilliance, but the key for him is consistency. He's in the running for most athletic player on the team, and if he can put it all together this year (including turning some of those PBUs into interceptions), he could have an All-SEC type season.

Penton is a very physical, strong cornerback. This year, it seems like Greg Brown's desired scheme -- up-close-and-personal on the line of scrimmage -- could really play into Penton's hands. At the same time, with the other side relatively unproven, expect a lot of throws away from Penton. Because of that, expect DeMontie Cross to more aggressive using Penton on blitzes, as he could have a big year in run support and with quarterback pressure.

And as for the potential? Let's start with Cam Hilton, who has gone from safety to receiver and back to safety in his brief time in Columbia. Hilton and Thomas Wilson should be vying for that top spot opposite Sherrils, and both will most likely see plenty of playing time. Hilton has excellent ball skills, which could make him a real asset in coverage -- especially in support of Penton, should Cross get aggressive with him.

Cornerback TJ Warren was the surprise of the spring, getting the start in the spring game opposite Penton, and he has the newly-desired size for a cornerback. If he continues his strong play through the early season, he could rack up some stats as teams will most likely pick on him out of the gate.

This isn't even factoring in the newcomers like Greg Taylor, or the guys that have seen more playing time like John Gibson, Logan Cheadle and Anthony Hines. Missouri has the talent at the top and the potential through the middle to make the secondary just as strong as the defensive line this year.

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