Marquis Gracial Ready to Be the 'Old Head' in Mizzou's Defensive Tackle Room

Missouri football is reshaping its defensive tackle room following the departures of both 2025 starters, Chris McClellan and Sterling Webb. This opens up a spot for 6-foot-4, 322-pound redshirt senior Marquis Gracial to take the step up as the leader of the group.

The former four-star prospect from St. Charles has worked his way up the depth chart over the years, becoming a vital rotational piece over the last two seasons.

Last year, he reached career highs in tackles (16), tackles for loss (eight), while also recording his first career pass breakup and forced fumble. Gracial and Jalen Marshall are the only two defensive tackles to take at least 50 snaps last season to return for the Tigers.

"I'm the old head in the room now," Gracial said when speaking to reporters Friday. "Showing that I can be who they want me to be, just being that leader in the room, leading the way for the other guys in the room."

Gracial will have big shoes to fill, as McClellan earned All-SEC honors after he ranked top five on the team in tackles (48), sacks (six) and sack yardage (40). Webb added 20 tackles and two sacks in his senior season at Missouri.

Now, the Tigers will look to Gracial and Marshall as the returning senior defensive tackles.

“I don't think there's any doubt of the defensive tackle position,” head coach Eli Drinkwitz said before spring practices began. “We feel really strongly about Marquis Gracial and Jalen Marshall. I think those two guys played well in their roles last year, and now it's an opportunity for their roles to really expand and be bigger.”

Gracial will channel the work ethic of those before him, he says, including McClellan,Darius Robinson and Kristian Williams.

"Now that I'm in their shoes, I'm in that position, (I'm) just leading by example and showing those younger guys how it's done here," Gracial said

McClellan himself has trust in Gracial and Marshall to take the reins of the group.

"The tackle group is in good hands with those two next year," McClellan said at the NFL Scouting Combine.

For a strong 2026 season, Gracial is focused on self-improvement, as well.

"I'm working, really, on my pass rush," Gracial said, "It's something that was kind of lackadaisical for me last year, just something I could get better at."

Paired alongside Marshall, the two will be essential toward the Tigers’ success, much like McClellan and Webb were last year.

"You need that core of guys that can actually lead by example," defensive coordinator Corey Batoon said about Gracial in a press conference Friday. "We rely on those veteran dudes to be able to do that for us."