Missouri protecting its borders

Missouri isn't mentioned among the states that receive tons of recognition when discussing high school recruiting like Florida, Texas or California, but the Show-Me State has made noise in the recruiting world recently. It is home of the nation's top-ranked wide receiver of the 2012 class in Dorial Green-Beckham, who currently is preparing for his first game as a freshman for the Missouri Tigers, and the 2013 class is loaded with players who will join Green-Beckham at Missouri next year.

However, the top prospect in the 2013 class is headed to the Big Ten. ESPN 300 running back Ezekiel Elliott (St. Louis/John Burroughs) -- one of six four-star commits hailing from Missouri -- verbally committed to Ohio State at the beginning of April.

Of the state's top 20 players, nine are projected to play on the defensive side of the ball, and five of the 20 are listed as athletes, which could mean more defensive standouts starting in 2013.

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