Mizzou Football's Most Important Players: No. 19, Nick DeLoach Jr.

On Jan. 6, 2026, a message from Missouri football's Instagram account announced the return of Nick DeLoach Jr. The graphic read "At Mizzou, the new way is staying. Developing. Finishing what you started."

While DeLoach's underutilized 2025 season signaled that he could've transferred in search of larger opportunities, the post indicated otherwise: it was a message that DeLoach is dedicated to the program and coming back to be a Tiger.

DeLoach has walked quite the unique path during his time at Missouri. After redshirting his 2023 freshman season and not playing a single snap, DeLoach was thrust into a heavy workload the next season, playing all 13 games and starting in seven while logging 495 snaps. Then, as a redshirt sophomore in 2025, his playing time was reduced dramatically. He was passed by Washington State transfer Stephen Hall and slid down the depth chart as a reserve, playing in 13 games with zero starts and eight total tackles.

Losing playing time between your freshman and sophomore year isn't incredibly unique, although somewhat unusual, but choosing to return to a team that substantially cut your production is outside of the norm. DeLoach's return makes him one of the most intriguing and important Tigers this season.

The cornerback depth chart is far from set, and it is certainly not guaranteed that DeLoach will receive starting snaps this season, but considering his importance as a returning Tiger that has been on the team for three years — and on the field for two — it is a strong possibility.

DeLoach is one of three returning cornerbacks for Missouri and the only one that has recorded more than two tackles, having tallied 31 in the last two years. Nasir Pogue is the only other returner at the position that has played three seasons, but has recorded just one tackle. Cameron Keys provides some youth as a redshirt sophomore, but was behind DeLoach last year and has much less on-field experience.

Other players vying for a starting position or heavy rotational snaps will all be new to the team: transfers Chris Graves Jr., Jahlil Florence, Sione Laulea and freshman Jaxson Gates. Graves is the most-experienced of the bunch by far, but outside of the Ole Miss transfer, DeLoach may offers more recent experience than the others.

Gates, although a strong prospect, is just a freshman, Florence has played two games in the last two years and Laulea recorded 10 tackles in two years with Oregon. It is certainly possible that Florence or Laulea can work their way into a starting position, but it is undeniable that DeLoach entered the offseason with the most familiarity with the Tigers' cornerback system.

DeLoach also brings an elevated level of athleticism to the Tigers' cornerback rotation. In high school he was a successful two-way football player and excelled in track and field, competing in high jump, long jump and triple jump.

His athleticism and experience will make him a must-watch in the 2026 season and a potential starter. If given the starting position back, the Tigers' Instagram caption that stated DeLoach was "finishing what he started" would certainly ring true.

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