COLUMBIA, Mo. — Brett Norfleet transformed over the course of his freshman season.
The 6-foot-7 tight end out of Francis Howell High had already physically transformed, but his debut campaign at Missouri required another evolution.
It went a little something like this: In the first game of the regular season, Norfleet ran just two routes. He caught his first collegiate pass in the second game. He started for the first time in Week 7 and, in the regular season finale, was doing the statistically improbable.
Norfleet, in that 48-14 blowout win over Arkansas, scored two touchdowns in six seconds of game time. He ran wide open through the middle of the field for his first score, then crossed the goal line again after the Razorbacks fumbled on a kickoff return.
How did he manage to account for 12 points in half as many ticks of the clock?
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“I just happened to be the guy both times,†Norfleet said.
His emergence earned him some freshman All-American accolades and means he’s the expected starter at tight end when the Mizzou offense returns for the 2024 season.
Norfleet, who initially enrolled at MU to play both football and baseball, decided to focus on just the former, going all-in on the gridiron ahead of his second season.
“We’ve always been supportive since the recruiting process, when he stepped foot on campus in June, in terms of supporting him playing two sports,†tight ends coach Erik Link said. “That was a decision he and his family came to. We’re just going to support whatever he decides.â€
Nonetheless, Norfleet’s decision has those in the football facility plenty excited.
As a tight end, he’s uniquely positioned in Missouri’s offense. There’s room for him to contribute to the passing game as a receiver, but the Tigers also need Norfleet to emerge as a blocker — for both the ground and aerial attacks.
“Continue to evolve physically, specifically in pass protection situations,†Link said of his priorities for Norfleet. “That was the one thing with him as a true freshman: You don’t see a lot of true freshmen be able to come into this league and physically match up the way he did in the box, in the core. That’s something that he did a really good job with.â€
The easy way to track Norfleet’s growth during his freshman season is in his receiving numbers. But he’s more keyed in on Link’s priorities.
“From my first game to the last game, the most I grew was blocking,†Norfleet said. “I’m not saying it’s where it needs to be, but it’s just a great foundation for me. I’m trying to work every day to get better at that, to sustain blocks, but then also learn how to base block a D-end.â€
That last bit — squaring up against the Southeastern Conference’s leanest and meanest pass rushers — sounds intimidating. Becoming comfortable with those assignments is an adjustment, even for players as physically gifted as Norfleet.
“It’s gonna take me a while,†he said. “I was really nervous, coming into it, of just not being strong enough and not knowing where I stood up against the guys. After that first game, I really realized that I can do it. That helped me build some confidence and build from there.â€
Norfleet allowed just two quarterback pressures in 36 pass-blocking situations, according to Pro Football Focus, a decent number given his role. More often, he’ll be asked to make himself available for a pass than block when Brady Cook is dropping back into the pocket.
There’s an emphasis on Norfleet’s growth in that area, too: yards after the catch. He posted 197 yards on 18 receptions during his freshman season. Of that total, 117 yards came after the catch — good for 6.5 extra yards per catch generated by his ability to move with the ball. That led to some shoulder-lowering and leaping highlights last year, actions that are indicative of Norfleet’s attitude toward advancing the ball.
“Our offensive coaches do a really great job of teaching ‘catch the ball and get what you can,’†Norfleet said. “If you start going side-to-side, you might lose a few yards, so every time that one of the guys catches one in practice, we’re always thinking dart and get what you can. You’d be surprised, more times than not, when you catch a ball and get what you can, that first guy might miss and you’re off to the races.â€
Most of the attention given to Mizzou’s passing game is directed toward Cook and a wide receiver corps headlined by Luther Burden III and Theo Wease Jr. But offseason work between Cook and Norfleet could lead to the tight end being a bigger factor in the fall.
“We had a great spring. It really shows how we grew and how he wants to, you know, maybe try to give me the ball more,†Norfleet laughed. “I’ve expressed that I would like the ball more, but you can’t force it.â€