How Mizzou Portal Departures, Targets are Performing in 2025-26 Season

The 2025 offseason was a unique one for the Missouri Tigers, especially in terms of who they obtained and who left in the transfer portal. So far during the 2025-26 season, multiple guys they've brought in have found ways to contribute.

For the most part, the players who've left have struggled to be major contributors, making the early success of the Tigers and the transfer portal players they brought in far more impressive.

After making a clear emphasis to obtain the best talent in the transfer portal, it's clear that head coach Eli Drinkwitz has a legitimately successful strategy in terms of acquiring talent in the portal. The early successes of running back Ahmad Hardy, quarterback Beau Pribula and linebacker Josiah Trotter are all proof of that.

Pribula wasn't always the guy at tge quarterback spot and it took missing on a few players to land with him. It may have been the best move in hindsight, but he wasn't exactly Missouri's first option.

Here's a look at how Missouri's transfer departures and former targets are performing so far this season.

Departures

Williams Nwaneri, Nebraska, EDGE: 10 tackles, 2 fumble recoveries, 1 pass deflection

Nwaneri was by far the most surprising portal entry for the Tigers last offseason, but he's found comfort and consistency in his new home in Lincoln, Nebraska. He's made multiple plays for the Cornhuskers so far and is continuously improving.

Even if Nwaneri wasn't going to see much time this season, there's always going to be a what-if factor to his departure. Even now, his potential and what he could have done for the Tigers is starting to flash.

Kewan Lacy, Ole Miss, RB: 445 rushing yards, 8 touchdowns, 102 carries

No one is surprised that Lacy is doing great things at a high level right now, even as a sophomore. There's no doubt that he could have done it for the Tigers, too, but he went in a different direction.

In some ways, Lacy is another developmental win for Missouri running backs coach Curtis Luper and the developmental program as a whole.

Jaylen Brown, South Carolina, EDGE:

Brown has not yet played for the Gamecocks. He suffered an unknown injury that kept him out of spring practices, which could have halted his rise up the depth chart.

Eddie Kelly Jr., West Virginia, EDGE: 11 tackles, 0.5 sacks, 2 passes deflected

Kelly really hasn't taken a step up or down for the Mountaineers to start the 2025-26 season, but he's still been impactful. Kelly is a larger guy off the edge and was always good at stopping the run with his size.

He's done exactly that for West Virginia, so far. That being said, with the pass rushers the Tigers have on their roster now, it remains unclear how he would have fit into that group.

Ja'Marion Wayne, Coastal Carolina, CB: 22 tackles, 5 pass deflections

The former receiver turned cornerback has been very productive for the Chanticleers this season. He's tied for 15th in the country in passes deflected and has emerged as one of their two top cornerbacks.

Jahkai Lang, SMU, EDGE: 8 tackles

Lang, coming off a three-sack season with the Tigers as a redshirt freshman, has yet to find the same production in terms of getting to the quarterback. He has found himself in a more frequent rotational spot and helps out more in the run game.

Courtney Crutchfield, Arkansas, WR:

Crutchfield has yet to catch a pass for the Razorbacks this season.

Drew Pyne, Bowling Green, QB: 830 yards, 4 touchdowns, 5 interceptions, 87=for-135 passing

Pyne's time with Missouri will be a chunk of games that many Tigers won't forget. Now, in the latter stages of his college football career, he's found some starting-caliber consistency with Bowling Green.

He's the only quarterback that's thrown a pass for the Falcons and he has struggled with turning the ball over. The Falcons are 2-3 to start the season.

Austyn Dendy, Bowling Green, RB:

Dendy has yet to see the field so far for Bowling Green.

Brayshawn Littlejohn, Appalachian State, LB: 10 tackles, 1 sack

Littlejohn is still a young player but is finally coming into his own with the Mountaineers. He's solidified himself as a depth player in the linebacking core for Appalachian State and has a chance to continue to rise up the ranks.

Mekhi Miller, Tulsa, WR: 9 receptions, 58 yards

Miller has been a depth piece for the Golden Hurricanes so far. He's the fourth-leading receiver on the team and has yet to find himself in the endzone.

Talan Chandler, Northwestern, C:

Chandler is not seeing the field for Northwestern.

Mikai Gbayor, North Carolina, LB: 16 tackles, 1 forced fumble, 1 fumble recovery

The saga of Gbayor was short-lived and not memorable, but he's quickly found an opportunity to be successful in the ACC. Gbayor transferred again out of the program in the spring and has emerged as a defensive leader for the Tar Heels.

Grayson Cutchlow, Missouri State, EDGE: 1 tackle

Cutchlow was a walk-on for the Tigers and a Columbia native. He's yet to do anything eye-catching for the Bears, who are in their first season at the FBS level.

Aiden Glover, Northwest Mississippi Community College, QB:

Glover entered the portal and mysteriously never appeared at another Division 1 school. He's now at the Junior College ranks and will look to work his way back up to higher levels of football.

Targets

Miller Moss, Louisville, QB: 1,029 passing yards, 5 touchdowns, 3 interceptions, 86-for-131 passing

Moss was the first quarterback target the Tigers zeroed in on to open the portal cycle and, so far, Pribula looks like the far better pick up. The Tigers are scoring far more points per game and Pribula has led the Tigers to the end zone four more times.

Moss hasn't been bad and there are still many games to be played, but Pribula looks like the better addition so far.

Maalik Murphy, Oregon State, QB: 1,165 passing yards, 7 touchdowns, 5 interceptions, 102-for-176 passing

Murphy was another target at the quarterback spot and he's underperformed so far for the Beavers. He's had a hard time keeping the ball out of the defense's hands and has also struggled with short-range accuracy.

The deep ball was always going to be intriguing with Murphy and it's flashed with Oregon State so far. That could've opened up an exciting part of the Missouri offense, but his lack of accuracy would have been a major concern.

Elias Rudolph, UNLV, EDGE: 2 tackles

If the Tigers had taken Rudolph from Miami, it would've been a move for the future. Based on the talent at the position group right now, it's probably not the worst thing that they didn't make a bigger move for him.

Logan George, Ohio State, EDGE:

George has played sparingly for the Buckeyes so far this season, recording only one tackle to date. The junior is buried on the depth chart at the moment and that isn't changing any time soon.

Chris Murray, Auburn, EDGE: 7 tackles, 1.5 sacks

The former Sam Houston State pass rusher has been productive so far for Auburn, becoming one of multiple players to record a sack for them. Their pass-rushing core is very impressive, so Murray doesn't exactly have a star role, but he's still made a difference behind Keldric Faulk and Keyron Crawford.

Kanye Udoh, Arizona State, RB: 156 rushing yards, 1 touchdown

Udoh is splitting a backfield with Raleek Brown for the Sundevils and is second in line behind him. Udoh has 39 carries this season, while Brown is up to 77, which leads the team. In hindsight, any running back the Tigers missed on is probably a good thing.

Elijah Culp, James Madison, CB: 9 tackles, 3 pass deflections

Culp was likely never a super serious candidate to land with the Tigers, but they did extend an offer. He's been one of the more productive corners for the Dukes so far, so it's possible he could've done the same for Missouri.

Kam Dewberry, Alabama, OG:

Dewberry is the starting left guard for the Crimson Tide. He beat out redshirt freshman William Sanders to win the job.

DJ Warner, SMU, EDGE: 1 tackle, 1 pass deflection

Warner, a former four-star recruit and Kansas Jayhawk, was nearly an early take for Drinkwitz and the staff. He's yet to truly crack the rotation for the Mustangs.

Jahlil Hurley, Kansas, CB: 1 pass deflection

Hurley was expected to contribute right away for the Jayhawks after leaving Tuscaloosa. He simply hasn't done that so far and has not touched the levels of production that Jalen Todd or Austin Alexander have.

Jaylon Braxton, Ole Miss, CB: 2 tackles

Braxton, like Hurley, hasn't reached the levels of production that he was expected to so far. There are at least two corners ahead of him on the roster at the moment.

Miles McVay, North Carolina, RT:

McVay is the backup right tackle for the Tarheels at the moment behind South Carolina transfer Jakai Moore.

Horace Lockett, UCF, DT: 12 tackles, 1 sack, 2 pass deflections

The interest in Lockett may have gone under the radar, but he's actually been very good for the Golden Knights so far this season. He's been their most impactful interior defensive lineman so far and earned himself a starting role.

He's yet to make a huge impact in the backfield and against opposing quarterbacks, but he's been a great run-stuffer. Based on some of the additions the Tigers made, like Bralen Henderson, this may have been a miss that Drinkwitz and his staff would want back.

Matthew McDoom, Cincinnati, CB: 12 tackles

McDoom was a legitimate candidate to land with the Tigers before committing to Cincinnati. He's up to 12 total tackles on the season, including a five-tackle performance against Nebraska to open the season.

Departures

Targets

Read more Missouri Tigers News: