How Mizzou football’s 2022 quarterback plan could be affected by Jack Abraham's commitment

Missouri head football coach Eli Drinkwitz has said all offseason he reserved the right to add a transfer quarterback to his team if the player could help the Tigers win.

Drinkwitz did that Monday.

Former Southern Miss and Mississippi State quarterback Jack Abraham committed to Missouri as a walk-on, with a chance to earn a scholarship. Abraham brings collegiate experience to the Tigers' quarterback room — six years of it, in fact.

"I'm so excited and honestly relieved just to finally have the chance," Abraham told the Tribune on Monday. "Now that I've been able to get another opportunity to play at the highest level of football, you can't really beat it."

Heading into the summer, Abraham brings an immediate shift to how Missouri could approach its competition at the position.

More: Mizzou football moves season opener vs. LA Tech to Thursday, Sept. 1

Abraham began his career at Louisiana Tech in 2016 as a three-star prospect out of Oxford, Mississippi. He redshirted and transferred to Southern Miss. He played in 27 games for the Golden Eagles, throwing for 41 touchdowns and 7,067 yards.

Abraham transferred to Mississippi State in December 2020 after injuries hampered his 2020 season. He was set to compete for the starting job in Mike Leach's offense, but he never got the opportunity. Abraham didn't play during the 2021 season as he recovered from post-concussion syndrome stemming from an accident over the summer, the Jackson Clarion-Ledger reported.

Abraham earned a medical hardship waiver in January 2021 and entered the portal, but didn't view guaranteed playing time as the No. 1 priority for his next destination, the Clarion-Ledger reported.

Abraham will compete at Missouri against Tyler Macon and Brady Cook.

Drinkwitz finally added a veteran quarterback after pursuing Jayden Daniels, JT Daniels and Gerry Bohanon, only to see all three choose other destinations.

Freshman Sam Horn will also vie to be Missouri's quarterback upon his summer arrival.

"We're very excited about Tyler and Brady, and both those guys have done an excellent job," Drinkwitz said during the athletic department's recent Come Home Tour stop in Columbia. "We look forward to Sam coming in here and competing."

Horn could sit and develop as the coaching staff can sparingly pick when he plays. The NCAA's redshirt rule allows players to participate in four games without exhausting a year of eligibility.

Missouri plays FCS-level Abilene Christian, Louisiana Tech and New Mexico State. LA Tech and NMSU won a combined five games last season.

Four-star 2023 quarterback Gabarri Johnson, meanwhile, recently committed to Missouri and could be a factor in the years to come.

More: Mizzou football lands commitment from top-15 quarterback prospect Gabarri Johnson

For this season, Cook and Macon appear to have a leg up, being in Columbia the longest and having both played in the spring game.

But Abraham is no stranger to big stages.

Abraham played the likes of Mississippi State, Auburn and Alabama on the road while at Southern Miss, and prepared in the spring at MSU.

He brings a different skill set to the Tigers' quarterback room as a pro-style signal caller. Cook and Macon are billed as dual-threat passers.

Abraham has a career completion percentage of 69.3. That accuracy runs parallel to his six rushing touchdowns in his full season as a starter in 2019. While he may not be a dual-threat quarterback, Abraham has shown he can move when he needs to.

If he can show that he can protect the football — Abraham has 29 career interceptions and six multi-interception games — he could find his way to challenging the room.

Chris Kwiecinski is the sports editor for the Columbia Daily Tribune, overseeing University of Missouri and Boone County sports coverage. Follow him on Twitter @OchoK_ and contact him at CKwiecinsk@gannett.com or 573-815-1857.

This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: How Jack Abraham's commitment can affect Mizzou's plan at quarterback