Mizzou Football's Most Important Players, No. 15: Marquis Gracial

Missouri's defensive tackle room lost both of its starting seniors to the NFL over the offseason, as Chris McClellan and Sterling Webb landed with the Green Bay Packers and Buffalo Bills, respectively.

The Tigers opted not to bring in a veteran at the position in the transfer portal — the lone addition being sophomore Donta Simpson, who played sparingly at Miami last season — meaning the unit will need collective improvement to replace the production lost from McClellan and Webb.

Perhaps tasked with the most responsibility of filling those shoes is rising redshirt senior Marquis Gracial, who's been steadily climbing up the depth chart over the course of his career with the Tigers.

Initially a four-star prospect out of the St. Louis area, Gracial committed to Missouri for his 2022 freshman season as a long-term project. He played less than 100 snaps in both of his first two seasons, learning the ropes and adjusting to play at the collegiate level before playing 119 defensive snaps in his 2024 redshirt sophomore campaign. He logged two pressures, two hurries and five tackles.

His promising play warranted an increase in playing time for the 2025 season, as Gracial served as the third-string defensive tackle behind Webb and McClellan. Per Pro Football Focus, Gracial posted a run defense grade of 86.8, trailing only now-Tampa Bay Buccanneer Josiah Trotter and proving to be an impactful player in limited action. He logged 13 stops, one pass batted and three hurries on the season.

The biggest challenge for Gracial in 2026 will be maintaining his high-quality play when his usage goes up. As a third-stringer in 2025, Gracial was able to provide energetic bursts in short periods as a fill-in for McClellan and Webb. Standing at 6-foot-4, 322 pounds, he'll now need to possess a consistent stamina that allows him to play at a high level for 400-500 snaps in a season as a starter in the unit.

As did McClellan and Webb before him, Gracial will have quality support behind him in the depth chart, and the Tigers will certainly rotate players on and off the field throughout the game regardless. The aforementioned Simpson, along with promising youngsters like Jason Dowell, Tajh Overton and Elias Wiliams could be capable options next season. Fellow redshirt senior Jalen Marshall is also projected to contend for a starting job alongside Gracial.

Gracial's ability to morph into a high-quality starter will be a pivotal piece to Missouri's run defense. He's got the tools to do so, but only time will tell if the senior puts it all together in his final season at Missouri.

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