Biggest Risers After Mizzou Football's Fall Camp

The media viewing window for Mizzou's fall camp is over, and the Tigers will conclude fall camp with a "Fast Friday" practice Friday and a closed scrimmage Saturday. After viewing portions of 10 different practices and speaking to players and coaches throughout camp, here's who the biggest risers are heading into the regular season.

Luke Work

Luke Work transferred to Missouri this offseason with a bit of a murky path to immediate playing time in front of him. He started eight games for Mississippi State in 2024, then just once in 2025 for a unit that ranked bottom-five in the Southeastern Conference in both pass-blocking and run-blocking, per Pro Football Focus.

When Work transferred to Missouri, the Tigers had three returning starters on the offensive line — Cayden Green at left tackle, Curtis Peagler at right guard and Dominick Giudice switching to center — an expected starter in veteran transfer Josh Atkins at right tackle and two suitable candidates to start at left guard in Zack Owens and Tristan Wilson. Work's most likely role seemed to be a swing tackle or a super-sub lineman who could fill in when needed.

But when Atkins suffered a leg injury in March and a setback to the injury in June, Missouri needed to turn to another option to start at right tackle. Enter Work, who according to Eli Drinkwitz at SEC Media Days, had "as good of an offseason as I've ever seen an offensive lineman have."

Work entered a competition for the starting gig with returning senior Logan Reichert, a tantalizing, 6-foot-6 lineman who'd struggled to remain healthy and carve a role in his first three seasons but had all the tools to compete for the job entering 2026. But on Saturday, Drinkwitz told reporters he feels "pretty good" about Work starting at right tackle, meaning Work has likely won the job barring a last-minute surge from Reichert or sophomore Jack Lange.

Tristan Wilson

Heading into the offseason, Wilson was fresh off of four seasons as a backup interior lineman for the Tigers, having playing just 206 snaps across the quartet of seasons. He competed with Peagler the offseason prior to be Missouri's starting right guard and lost the battle, but did fill in for Peagler in the Tigers' regular-season finale against Arkansas, playing 40 snaps at right guard and posting a 74.5 PFF offense grade.

Peagler was returning to start at right guard, and Giduice was transitioning from left guard to center, leaving the lone open interior spot to be left guard. Missouri brought in four-star transfer Zack Owens, who started 10 games on the interior for Mississippi State in 2025, through the portal. Standing at a towering 6'6, 330 with prior SEC starting experience, Owens projected as an enticing option for the position.

But it was Wilson who came out of the competition on top. In the viewing periods the media were allowed to observe, Wilson took every rep alongside Giudice and Green — a unit that can be presumed as the first team.

Oct 12, 2024; Amherst, Massachusetts, USA; Missouri Tigers offensive lineman Tristan Wilson (73) lines up against the Massachusetts Minutemen during the second half at Warren McGuirk Alumni Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Drinkwitz praised Wilson for his offseason Saturday.

"Tristan has developed himself into a starter in the SEC and really one of our most versatile players," Drinkwitz said. "With holding (Dominick Giudice) out today, we moved Tristan into the center position, and I mean he handled everything from cadence to snap count to identification. You know we didn't really miss a beat, so just impressed with his commitment. He's got a great routine."

Giudice, who played Wilson's position in 2025, seemed to be quite the fan of Wilson's game, too.

"He's a grinder, he's a dog," Giudice said Aug. 7. "He's super about his business, no-BS kind of guy, and love playing next to him. I mean, he's gonna get the job done — and you know it — every single time, and he pushes us, and we push him. So it's been it's been good to be able to grow with him these past couple years."

Elijah Dotson

Elijah Dotson transferred to Missouri after a true freshman campaign at Michigan in which he played 207 snaps, over half of which were on special teams. The former four-star prospect and four-star transfer entered a Missouri defensive back room that had lost six starters from the previous season, leaving plenty of opportunity for increased roles.

Despite undergoing surgery to repair a torn labrum in March, Dotson seems to be making the most of his opportunity, as he's been spotted taking reps with the first team at the STAR position at times throughout fall camp, as has Auburn transfer Kensley Louidor-Faustin. Dotson's athleticism has impressed his teammates throughout camp.

"He's another really good football player," safety Trajen Greco said Tuesday. "I want to translate some of his game into my game, not gonna lie. The way he flies around to the ball is like no other. He has so much energy on a daily basis, and he's gonna go out there and do do his job no matter what it takes."

Langden Kitchen

Kitchen was a surprise standout on the Tigers' loaded 2025 defense, playing the fourth-most snaps of any edge rusher on the team despite it being his first season competing in Division I. The Huntsville product spent the first two seasons of his career at Northwest Missouri State (DII) and started just three of his 20 games played.

Although Kitchen and fellow backups Darris Smith and Daeden Hopkins stuck around for the 2026 season, Missouri loaded up at edge rusher in the transfer portal, largely in wake of Zion Young and Damon Wilson II's departures. Amongst the portal additions were four-star sophomore Kamauryn Morgan, three-star sophomore CJ May, four-star juco product Demarcus Johnson, fifth-year Florida State edge Jaden Jones, Miami senior Malik Bryant and Houston senior Cavan Tuley.

Sep 6, 2025; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers defensive end Langden Kitchen (11) warms up prior to a game against the Kansas Jayhawks at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Of all the candidates, Kitchen seems to be the most poised to start alongside Smith in Week 1. He took more reps alongside Smith with the first team in fall camp than any other edge.

Drinkwitz mentioned Kitchen in a group of players that "haven't had a ton of playing time but have played, and now it's time for them to take the next step." Missouri edge coach Brian Early highlighted Kitchen as one of three players he believes could have a "breakout" season, the other two being Smith and Hopkins.

Kitchen has also taken steps in the leadership departmeht.

"Being a leader is just talking to everyone on the team, not belittling anyone, talking to walk-ons, talking anyone," Kitchen said Aug. 14. "Everyone's the same here, no matter what. Don't matter if you're one, no matter if you're five. Everyone's here as we're a brotherhood."

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