Evaluating Mizzou's Defensive Tackle Room After the Portal

Missouri's action, or lack thereof, in the transfer portal at defensive tackle showed the faith the coaching staff has in most of the returning players at the position to take a jump in development and a larger role. For some, that anticipated jump is significantly larger than others.

The Tigers made just one transfer addition at a position where both of their starters from 2025 graduated.

Missouri did make a run at the top player available at the position in Alabama transfer James Smith, reportedly hosting him on a visit. But he and his former teammate, linebacker Qua Russaw, both ended up at Ohio State.

The one addition Missouri made to the group was sophomore Donta Simpson, using the pull of former Miami linebackers coach Derek Nicholson, now in the same role at Missouri, to bring over the former Hurricane.

Though he's one of the younger ones of the group, Simpson stands out as someone who could quickly make his way near the top of the depth chart. In his true freshman season, the former three-star prospect took 105 defensive snaps across 10 appearances, according to Pro Football Focus.

The 6-foot-3, 300-pound Florida native appears to be one of the more well-balanced players in the group, with 64 of his snaps coming as a pass rusher and 41 as a run defender. He recorded three pressures and four total tackles on the year.

For the returners, Marquis Gracial will have to be a leader in the room. He took a jump from 2024 to 2025 from a rotational player to a well-rounded option as the top backup, taking 257 snaps in his redshirt senior season. The 6-foot-4, 322-pound St. Louis product improved his pass rushing while remaining a stout run defender through those two seasons.

In 2025, he recorded 16 total tackles, a pass deflection and a forced fumble. Out of all of the returners, Gracial is by far the most proven.

Behind Gracial is a handful of players who will be asked to take similar jumps that Gracial did into the 2025 season.

Specifically, Jalen Marshall will likely be tasked with developing from a depth option to possibly a starter, or one of the top players in the rotation. Marshall might have the chance to compete for a starting job alongside Gracial, having taken 310 defensive snaps over the last two years.

Over the first four years of his career, Missouri has held faith in Marshall to have the potential to take that jump.

“We really are challenging Jalen Marshall,” head coach Eli Drinkwitz said in a press conference during spring practices ahead of the 2025 season. “He’s got all the potential in the world to be a dominant football player, but he’s got to want it more every single day.”

Marshall recorded 18 total tackles in 2025, splitting time pretty evenly from defending the run and pass.

Oct 11, 2025; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Alabama Crimson Tide offensive lineman Kadyn Proctor (74) is stopped short of the end zone by Missouri Tigers defensive lineman Jalen Marshall (95) during the third quarter at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reese Strickland-Imagn Images | Reese Strickland-Imagn Images

Outside of the top three names in the group, the experience is few and far in between. But, there is some exciting potential that some competition at the position could push out. That runs from rising redshirt sophomore Elias Williams, a convert from the edge rusher position, redshirt freshman Jason Dowell and four-star incoming freshman Tajh Overton.

From the outside, there's certainly plenty of questions about this position group, needing to replace two starters with a group of players that doesn't have any starting experience outside of Gracial, who earned six starts in 2025.

But, an optimistic reading between the lines would say the coaching staff has a firm belief in the returning players to take big leaps in development that will prepare them to take on larger responsibilities.

Post Transfer Portal Position Evaluations:

Quarterback | Running back | Wide receiver | Offensive line

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