Rock M Roundtable: A Pre-Portal Roster Evaluation

The transportation portal opens this week. And if we cognize thing astir Mizzou’s staff, we cognize they’ll beryllium active.

Mizzou conscionable wrapped up a somewhat disappointing 8-5 season, and they’ll suffer immoderate cardinal members that sewage them to those 8 wins. But there’s besides a beardown civilization and roster level successful place, and Mizzou’s moves will chiefly beryllium made pinch an oculus connected winning successful 2026.

Ahead of nan portal’s opening, we asked our shot unit their thoughts connected really nan squad should attack nan portal this clip around:

Josh Matejka, Deputy Site Manager: Mine is benignant of boring because it could use to immoderate portal window, but I deliberation it’s particularly honing successful connected this postseason: Be flexible. Mizzou has a fewer different ways it could spell successful nan adjacent fewer weeks, specified arsenic grabbing a prima QB and investing a batch successful high-end pass-catchers. Or it could fortify defensively and successful nan trenches and stake connected Zollers processing pinch a fewer young, little costly receivers. Obviously nan unit will person Plans A, B, C, D, etc. But don’t beryllium acrophobic to mix-and-match arsenic opportunities coming themselves.

True Deck, Football Writer: This is simply a reliable 1 because I could spot Drinkwitz and institution going galore different routes erstwhile it comes to wherever they are spending their money. Here’s my take: Show decisiveness and assurance pinch wherever nan money is going. There are plentifulness of holes to capable wrong nan roster and I don’t spot nan Tigers having capable successful nan fund to capable each of them pinch a 1A player. So pinch that said, Missouri needs to beryllium assured that nan positions it decides to bargain successful connected are nan correct ones. Whether that’s quarterback, wide receiver aliases connected nan protect broadside of nan ball.

Sammy Stava, Staff Writer: I’d opportunity money guidance connected nan roster. Mizzou wasted an elite defense this play because $1.5 cardinal went to nan astir important position connected nan squad and Beau Pribula underperformed. That’s not a sound connected Pribula, but if you’re paying $1.5 cardinal NIL woody connected nan QB — he simply needs to beryllium elite. Overall, Eli Drinkwitz and nan unit request to find nan correct backmost this offseason.

Matthew Gustafson, Football Beat Writer: Maximize your resources. That’s thing nan Tigers grounded to do past season, bringing successful immoderate awesome transfers (Hardy, Trotter et al.) but besides signaling a large plaything and a miss on nan violative line, pinch nan notable objection of Keagen Trost. Mizzou has shown that its NIL resources and wide shot finance are strong, but they’re not beardown capable that Drinkwitz tin simply return nan Lane Kiffin astatine Ole Miss attack and driblet an absurd magnitude of money to practically guarantee success. If nan unit wants to return nan adjacent measurement successful 2026, they request to deed connected their apical transfers astatine each position group.

Nathan Hurst, Football Writer: Rebuild nan starting portion apical to bottom. Starting pinch nan top, they person to find a backmost who will elevate nan offense, because that is thing Drinkwitz really hasn’t been capable to do successful six years. Beyond that, they are going to person to rebuild some lines and accomplishment position groups. They’ll request to bring successful astatine slightest 10 starting-caliber players, if not more, if this squad is going to compete successful nan SEC adjacent year.

Josh Matejka: I’m connected nan grounds complete astatine Rock M+: If you can’t get nan perfect fit, build astir Zollers. I wasn’t happy pinch Zollers’ capacity successful nan Gator Bowl, but you tin easy spot what made him specified a tantalizing imaginable coming retired of precocious school. He’s sewage a large limb and a knack for making clutch throws; he conscionable needs to study really to negociate nan crippled and beryllium much consistent. That comes pinch coaching and a bully support system, some of which Mizzou tin offer. So if guys for illustration Sorsby, Leavitt, and Mestemaker person already punched their tickets elsewhere, walk your money supporting nan feline you chose to develop.

True Deck: The aureate question. I deliberation nan Tigers request to springiness Zollers 1 much year. I deliberation nan axenic talent is there, but he needs much clip to polish it. Adding a feline for 1 year, past ideally sending that backmost to nan draft, would springiness Zollers different twelvemonth to sharpen up, and moreover get immoderate improvement tips from different quarterback. Either way, I deliberation Drinkwitz and Lindsey will make nan correct determination for what nan squad needs to beryllium successful adjacent season.

Sammy Stava: Matt Zollers isn’t rather fresh yet — and that’s good considering he’s conscionable a existent freshman. He has shown glimpses of potential, but nan consistency conscionable isn’t there. If Mizzou wants to compete astatine precocious level successful nan SEC, they must upgrade astatine nan backmost position ideally pinch personification who has 1 twelvemonth of eligibility. Find a prima QB successful nan portal this offseason, past you tin create Zollers successful nan early because that was astir apt nan scheme each on if Pribula panned retired — which shouldn’t consequence Zollers transferring.

Matthew Gustafson: This year’s portal backmost people is fantabulous — and apt to beryllium highly expensive. Unless nan Tigers find personification they cognize tin play astatine an all-conference level and beryllium an Ahmad Hardy-level location tally addition, they should instrumentality pinch nan feline they’ve dubbed their backmost of nan future. Zollers has nan limb talent to beryllium that level of effect quarterback; bid of nan discourtesy and pouch beingness travel pinch development, and there’s plentifulness of imaginable for a sizable sophomore leap. Mizzou should still bring successful extent astatine nan position (and let’s besides support a adjacent oculus connected if Sam Horn returns), but nan important finance that would beryllium needed astatine backmost could spell a agelong measurement for nan squad if it’s dispersed retired complete aggregate effect additions instead.

Nathan Hurst: They 100% request to get astatine slightest one, if not two, quarterbacks to compete for nan starting job. Matt Zollers intelligibly isn’t fresh to compete successful nan SEC correct now. Will he beryllium fresh adjacent fall? It’s unknown, and that’s an chartless nan unit can’t spend to beryllium OK with. They request to bring successful a feline who is expected to start. If Zollers thumps him out? Great! That’s improbable astatine this point, but it if it happens, past you’ve sewage nan champion of some worlds.

Josh Matejka: As of correct now, I’m astir concerned astir nan protect line. Mizzou’s defense was fantabulous successful 2025 and it each started pinch a statement that was bursting pinch some top-of-the-line talent and depth. Their excellence up beforehand allowed nan secondary to settee into a hit by nan extremity of nan season, and they’ll request that benignant of support again adjacent season. You’ve sewage immoderate beardown pieces connected nan extent floor plan and a bully corps of young linebackers to thief out, but Corey Batoon needs a batch of talent to play pinch successful nan trenches. Give it to him.

True Deck: I do really for illustration Josh’s consequence successful nan protect line. Losing Zion Young and apt Damon Wilson successful 1 offseason is brutal. That being said I take an violative position successful receiver. With Marquis Johnson and Joshua Manning expected to deed nan portal, Donovan Olugbode and Shaun Terry are really nan only salient receivers near connected nan team. Missouri adds a fewer successful nan 2026 recruiting people but it’s ne'er easy to trust connected freshman play.

Sammy Stava: Whether it’s nan violative statement aliases protect statement — you tin ne'er person capable talent and extent astatine that position because games are won successful nan trenches. You tin person a prima quarterback, moving back, and wide receiver, but a strong, cohesive violative statement is what makes things work. Beef up nan OL because they are losing immoderate cardinal contributors astatine that position.

Second privilege should beryllium wide receiver because losing Joshua Manning and Marquis Johnson evidently hurts nan depth. Finding immoderate prima WRs successful nan portal correct distant could pull a prima QB.

Matthew Gustafson: I alluded to nan violative statement position successful my first answer, and I deliberation it’s besides nan position connected discourtesy Mizzou needs to target astir heavily. The Tigers needed amended play astatine nan backmost position, to beryllium sure. But nan team’s discourtesy is predicated connected nan tally game, and erstwhile Mizzou was incapable to get its moving backs room this season, nan discourtesy put up performances for illustration nan 1 seen successful Jacksonville. Hardy put up grounds numbers pinch a statement that was, excessively often, fishy this season. Imagine what he, and nan Tigers offense, could do pinch an violative statement for illustration nan 1 they had successful 2023.

The protect privilege should beryllium cornerback, wherever nan squad loses Drey Norwood, Toriano Pride Jr. and Stephen Hall. MU has immoderate talented young corners, including Cameron Keys, but nonaccomplishment to bolster nan position group pinch aggregate high-level transfers could beryllium awesome problem for adjacent year’s defense.

Nathan Hurst: Two groups: 1) nan cornerbacks. The only 3 guys who played immoderate snaps astatine each are each gone. Nick DeLoach, Jr. had immoderate playing clip past year, but hardly saw nan section successful 2025. So astatine nan very least, they will request to bring successful 2 high-quality starters astatine cornerback if this defense is going to beryllium anyplace adjacent arsenic bully this past year.

Second, they request to attraction connected nan violative line. They will suffer astatine slightest two, if not three, starters disconnected a portion that wasn’t awesome to statesman with. They request to target astatine slightest 1 starting tackle arsenic good arsenic 2 interior linemen. That will let them to play Guidice wherever he feels astir comfortable. If they tin bring successful 2 bully tackles they could move Green wrong wherever he is champion (assuming he returns adjacent year.)

Josh Matejka: I person to beryllium honorable and opportunity it was a existent rustle to suffer Joshua Manning. I’ve been connected his hype train for years now, and I thought he turned a area successful 2025. Did he get arsenic galore targets arsenic he should have? No, and that’s acknowledgment to Kirby Moore. I was hoping that Moore’s departure would springiness Manning immoderate dream that he could supply nan yin to Donovan Olugbode’s yang adjacent year.

True Deck: I’ll spell pinch Henry Fenuku. In a position wherever years of experience, particularly pinch a circumstantial team, really salary disconnected successful nan agelong run, I deliberation Missouri is losing retired connected a imaginable cardinal subordinate successful a fewer years. Fenuku was a 4 prima talent retired of precocious schoolhouse and chose nan Tigers complete schools for illustration Ohio State and Ole Miss. The Tigers violative statement shouldn’t beryllium excessively shabby this upcoming season, but that’s a position wherever you don’t want your freshman transferring out.

Sammy Stava: Javion Hilson because he while he wasn’t going to play this play pinch Damon Wilson and Zion Young connected nan protect statement — he had nan five-star imaginable to beryllium a facet coming into adjacent season.

Matthew Gustafson: He was improbable to spot nan section overmuch adjacent year, but Marquise Davis showed superstar imaginable successful constricted action. He whitethorn not person nan aforesaid contiguous effect arsenic Kewan Lacy did astatine Ole Miss (though I wouldn’t wholly norm it out), but Davis is apt going to extremity up being very bully wherever he goes. If Drinkwitz (and RB coach Curtis Luper) person shown thing during their clip astatine Mizzou, it’s that they’ll beryllium conscionable good astatine moving backmost contempt immoderate awesome talents coming and going. Davis looked for illustration he could person been nan adjacent 1 of those awesome talents astatine nan position to ray up Faurot Field, though.

Nathan Hurst: A mates guys wounded to lose, but since nary of them really saw nan section much, it really doesn’t wounded arsenic bad arsenic it could. I’d opportunity losing Marquis Davis and Javion Hilson wounded nan astir because it was clear some had high-level SEC athleticism. Both will play a batch and play good successful their careers. I conscionable wish it was going to beryllium for Mizzou.

Josh Matejka: It’s easy to prime a prima QB, but I’m much concerned astir nan deficiency of extent successful nan wide receiver room. So I’ll opt for 1 of nan galore big-time wide receivers that person already hopped successful nan portal. Anyone deliberation St. Louis autochthonal Chase Hendricks has immoderate liking successful coming backmost home?

On defense, I’ll return to my pressing interest astir a request for walk rushers. Florida is bleeding players correct now, galore pinch heaps of eligibility. I’ve sewage my oculus connected Jayden Woods specifically, a feline who popped correct distant successful Gainesville and will person 3 years of eligibility remaining.

True Deck: On nan violative broadside of nan ball, I’ll spell pinch Iowa State receiver Zay Robinson. There person already been lobbying efforts by Mizzou perpetrate Jayden McGregory calling connected his erstwhile teammate to reunite successful Columbia, but too that, Robinson is legit. He didn’t play overmuch astatine Iowa State during his freshman season, but coming retired of precocious school, he was a top-10 subordinate successful nan authorities of Iowa by each awesome recruiting outlets. If Robinson is fixed an opportunity, he could beryllium a stud.

As for nan defense, I’ll spell pinch Auburn separator Amaris Williams. The sophomore vanished his 2025 run pinch 2 sacks and could beryllium a beardown replacement aft losing personification for illustration Zion Young. Williams held an connection from Mizzou arsenic a 5 prima separator retired of precocious school.

Sammy Stava: St. Louis autochthonal and Ohio transportation WR Chase Hendricks sounds for illustration a logical landing spot for Mizzou considering he’s Jamal Roberts’ erstwhile teammate.

On nan protect broadside let’s spell pinch Kansas City autochthonal Marcus Neal Jr. — a highly rated information from Iowa State.

Never count retired Drinkwitz landing immoderate effect in-state transfers arsenic Cayden Green and Toriano Pride Jr. are caller examples.

Matthew Gustafson: This would beryllium a costly addition, but adding near tackle Xavier Chaplin from Auburn could spell a agelong measurement to fixing Mizzou’s violative statement troubles. The move would besides let nan squad to displacement Cayden Green (pending his determination connected whether to participate nan draft) backmost to near guard, his strongest position, if he returns. Drinkwitz said that nan Tigers had liking successful adding a fewer players past twelvemonth that yet ended up astatine Auburn, 1 of whom appeared to beryllium Chaplin. We’ll spot if Mizzou tin make it hap this offseason instead.

Defensively, let’s instrumentality pinch Auburn transfers and opportunity cornerback Jay Crawford. The sophomore tied for nan squad lead successful walk breakups this play and was an SEC All-Freshman Team honoree successful 2024, giving him plentifulness of high-level acquisition alongside aggregate years of eligibility. Crawford would beryllium a bona fide apical cornerback for Mizzou, thing it desperately needs to adhd this offseason.

Nathan Hurst: Starting pinch quarterback, I would emotion if nan unit could someway onshore Cincinnati transportation Brendan Sorsby. He’s by acold nan champion passer successful nan existent transportation portal and could really elevate nan Tigers’ passing game. Unfortunately, he will astir apt propulsion successful apical dollar from a bluish humor and value retired nan Tigers for his services.

Second, I’d spell erstwhile Auburn cornerback Jay Crawford. He has acquisition successful nan SEC arsenic a portion of a really nasty protect unit. He could measurement successful connected time 1 and fastener down a full broadside of nan section successful nan passing game, opening up Batoon to beryllium imaginative pinch really he uses nan remainder of his secondary.