Major Shakeup in College Football Recruiting: Five-Star Twin Defensive Ends Darryll and Mandrell Desir Flip from Florida State to Missouri, Snubbing Top Powerhouses
In a stunning turn of events that has sent shockwaves throughout the college football recruiting landscape, five-star twin defensive ends Darryll and Mandrell Desir have decommitted from Florida State and announced their commitment to the Missouri Tigers. The Miami-born brothers had been heavily pursued by elite programs including Alabama, Nebraska, Georgia, and Texas, but ultimately chose to take their talents to Columbia, Missouri.
The Desir twins—ranked among the top 10 overall prospects in the nation—are widely considered generational defensive talents. Standing at 6-foot-5 and 250 pounds each, their combination of speed, strength, and football IQ has drawn comparisons to NFL greats. Both were projected starters by their freshman year at any Power Five school.
Missouri’s coup is a historic recruiting victory for head coach Eli Drinkwitz, marking a dramatic elevation in the program’s national recruiting profile. The Tigers had not previously landed a five-star prospect since 2024, let alone two in one cycle—let alone twin five-stars.
“This is a program-changing moment,” said recruiting analyst Jason Wiltz of 247Sports. “Missouri just rewrote the blueprint for how second-tier SEC programs can compete with the giants. Landing the Desirs sends a message to the entire country.”
Sources close to the family cite the Tigers’ developing NIL infrastructure, defensive scheme, and the twins’ desire to blaze their own trail as key factors in their decision. “They wanted to be the foundation, not just another brick in someone else’s wall,” one insider said.
Florida State, who had held the brothers’ verbal commitment since early 2024, is reportedly “blindsided and scrambling.” Alabama and Nebraska, both of whom had made late pushes, are likewise stunned by the sudden flip.
The impact of the Desirs’ commitment is already being felt beyond Columbia. Recruiting dominoes are expected to fall nationwide, with several top uncommitted defensive prospects now reconsidering Missouri. Analysts predict this could catapult the Tigers into a top-five national recruiting class—unheard of territory for the program.
Looking ahead to the 2027 season, expectations are now sky-high. “If these two develop as expected, Missouri will have one of the most feared pass rushes in the country,” said ESPN’s Matt Schick. “They’re not just recruits—they’re potential game-wreckers.”
For Missouri fans, this moment represents more than just a recruiting win—it’s a signal that the Tigers intend to be more than an SEC afterthought. As the college football world reels, one thing is clear: the Desir twins have changed the game.
Leave a Reply