North Kansas City LB Kobe Rhymes commits to Mizzou

Missouri snagged its second linebacker commit from the western border. North Kansas City (Mo.) three-star Kobe Rhymes pledged to the Tigers, joining Lee’s Summit (Mo.) North three-star Caleb Green in the 2027 class.

Rhymes committed to Missouri during his official visit this past weekend. The Tigers offered the 48th-ranked linebacker in January 2025, while Rhymes kept much of his recruitment quiet across the ensuing year. Junior linebacker Jeremiah Beasley served as his player host this past weekend.

Although officially visiting Kansas, his presumed leader, at the beginning of May, Rhymes opted to stay in his home state. He also had scheduled official visits to Wisconsin (June 5-7), Kansas State (June 12-14) and Nebraska (June 19-21).

This past season, Rhymes attended two Missouri games: the Border War on Sept. 6 and Alabama contest Oct. 11. Second-year linebackers coach Derek Nicholson — who received a second title as co-defensive coordinator this offseason — steered his recruitment.

During his junior year, the 6-foot-1, 225-pound linebacker also wrestled and played volleyball. Former Missouri offensive lineman and North Kansas City product Jayson Palmgren now serves as one of Rhymes’ football coaches.

“Overall, he’s truly kind of what you consider to be an old-school type football player,” North Kansas City head coach Dan Joiner told JayhawkSlant earlier this month. “He’s very instinctual. Obviously has a lot of gifts from the physical aspect and things that are hereditary. But just how smart and savvy a football player he is, how he can decipher things.”

Missouri has official visits set with Green for June 19-21 and four-star linebacker Roman Igwebuike for this coming weekend. The Tigers also have continued to recruit Notre Dame commit Amarri Irvin, a source noted this past week.