The portal is closed, and spring practices are in the books. All that stands between the present and the 2025 college football season is time.
The next couple months are as close as college football gets to an offseason, so it’s as good a time as any to start making some predictions.
Missouri football looks close to finished with its transfer portal haul, with perhaps just one or two more additions on the horizon. Barring any late surprises, no additional Mizzou players are expected to leave the program.
So, now that MU’s roster is more or less set, how’s it all going to shake out?
Here’s our post-portal, post-spring projection for how Mizzou’s defensive depth chart may look in the fall. Every scholarship player and notable walk-on is listed. All transfers have been marked with an asterisk (*):
Defensive ends
The starters: Field: Zion Young, sr.; Boundary: *Damon Wilson II, jr.
Main rotation: Darris Smith, jr.; *Nate Johnson, jr.; Javion Hilson, fr.; *Langden Kitchen, jr.
The reserves: Daeden Hopkins, fr.
This is perhaps the deepest room on the Missouri roster, even with multiple outgoing transfers between the two portal windows.
Wilson, the Tigers’ headline transfer of the offseason from Georgia, has the tools to be Mizzou’s primary edge rusher. Young should retain his starting spot at the field end position after a strong debut year in Columbia.
Smith, who looks set to return from an injury that kept him out of the 2024 campaign, will have the feel of a new transfer. Hilson, a top-50 Class of 2025 recruit, looks like a candidate to burn a redshirt in his rookie year.
Johnson is an Appalachian State transfer and former freshman All-American. The staff has made positive comments about Kitchen, a Northwest Missouri State transfer.
That’s a lot of players with the potential to see significant playing time.
Defensive tackles
The starters: Chris McClellan, sr.; Sterling Webb, sr.
Main rotation: Marquis Gracial, r-jr.; Jalen Marshall, r-jr.; *Bralen Henderson, gr.
The reserves: Sam Williams, r-so.; Elias Williams, r-fr.; Justin Bodford, r-fr.; Jason Dowell, fr.
Mizzou made its first transfer portal addition at defensive tackle this offseason with Henderson, a grad transfer from Ohio. He’ll likely slot into the lineup as a reserve or rotational piece.
McClellan will start up front, and it would not be a surprise to see Gracial or Marshall make a push for the second starting role. Webb, for now, is the projected second starter with the experience that he brings.
Linebackers
The starters: Middle: *Josiah Trotter, r-so.; Will: Triston Newson, sr.
Main rotation: Nicholas Rodriguez, so.; Khalil Jacobs, sr.; Jeremiah Beasley, so.
The reserves: Brian Huff, r-fr.; Dante McClellan, fr.; Jason King, fr.
The return of Newson — courtesy of an NCAA waiver for former junior college players — has changed the scope of this room. He’ll slot back in as the starter at MU’s weakside linebacker spot. Jacobs is expected to return from an injury that caused him to miss half of 2024, and he’ll rotate in and out with Newson.
Trotter, a West Virginia transfer and former freshman All-American, is the likely starter at middle linebacker. Returning underclassmen Rodriguez and Beasley ought to find a path to reps as sophomores.
Cornerbacks
The starters: Dreyden Norwood, sr.; *Stephen Hall, gr.
Main rotation: Toriano Pride Jr., sr.; Nicholas DeLoach Jr., r-so.;
The reserves: Shamar McNeil, r-so.; Cameron Keys, r-fr.; Mark Manfred III, fr.
The only certain starter here is Norwood. After him, it’s likely between Pride and Hall for the next starting position.
This is one of the positions Missouri may, if the right option becomes available, look to add another depth player from the remaining players in the transfer portal. If that doesn’t happen, the Tigers will rely on either Pride to take a significant step forward or Hall, an offseason Washington State transfer, to immediately fit in as a starter.
Because of some inconsistency at the position last season, we’re predicting Hall will win the starting job, but it’s open to change as the season approaches.
Safeties
The starters: Free: *Jalen Catalon, gr.; Strong: Marvin Burks Jr., jr.; Star: Daylan Carnell, sr.
Main rotation: *Santana Banner, r-so.; *Mose Phillips III, jr.; Caleb Flagg, sr.; Trajen Greco, so.
The reserves: Jackson Hancock, r-fr.; CJ Bass III, fr.
The Tigers recruited heavily at safety in the winter, and the depth looks promising as a result.
Catalon could very well be the headliner in the secondary this season, while returners Burks and Carnell complete an encouraging starting trio at safety.
How the reserve and rotational reps get divided after that will be an open competition in the fall. Both Banner and Phillips were productive at their previous stops, and the coaching staff has been high on Greco since he arrived on campus last season.
Special teams
Kicker: Blake Craig, r-so.
Punter: *Connor Weselman, gr.
Long snapper: Brett Le Blanc, jr.
There isn’t much need for depth projections here, as each of the players listed above are currently the only scholarship options at their respective positions.
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