Observations from Mizzou's Defensive Snap Counts in Nonconference Play

Mizzou football has wrapped up nonconference play and enters a nine-game Southeastern-Conference schedule featuring a plethora of ranked opponents. In those games, the Tigers' new-look defense has looked valiant as ever in a few areas while faltering in others.

Here's observations and takeaways from the snap counts, per Pro Football Focus, and what it means for Mizzou's defense going forward.

Safeties

Multiple times in the offseason, freshman safety Jayden McGregory was tabbed as someone who could potentialy play a rotational role this season despite his age and inexperience.

Drinkwitz said he looked forward to McGregory being a "guy that can play for us early" in the summer. McGregory played 29 snaps against Arkansas-Pine Bluff, logging two tackles and being targeted zero times. He then played zero snaps against Kansas and Troy.

The reason? Missouri seems to have its four-man safety room largely figured out, turning to a quartet of veterans to fill the spot. Trajen Greco (170) and Santana Banner (148) lead the defense in snaps across the season, while Elijah Dotson played 63 snaps — the third-most on the team — against Troy and Kensley Louidor-Faustin has played 30 or more snaps against Kansas and Troy.

McGregory could still be the next man up, should Missouri opt to or be forced to make a change in the safety rotation, but his snap count throughout the three-game nonconference slate doesn't indicate he'll be a major player in SEC play.

Cornerbacks

Missouri's cornerback room is the most solidified on the defense, with Chris Graves Jr., Jahlil Florence and Sione Laulea being the only boundary corners to play snaps against Kansas or Troy. Laulea leads the pack with 142 snaps, with Graves close behind at 129 and Florence next up at 80.

Unlike other positions, it feels unlikely to see much rotation sprinkled into the corner group during conference play. Backup options include true freshman Jaxson Gates, former starter Nick DeLoach — who's primarily played special teams the past two seasons — and sophomore Cameron Keys.

Defensive line

Missouri seems to have its edge rotation largely solidified heading into conference play. Sophomore Daeden Hopkins has played by far the most snaps among Missouri edge rushers, logging 120 snaps while leading the team in pressures and sacks. Langden Kitchen is next up at 85 snaps, six pressures and two sacks, and Darris Smith, who suffered an injury against Troy and is now questionable against Mississippi State, is next up at 84 snaps, although he would likely be second if not for his injuries against the Trojans.

During the offseason, edge coach Brian Early said it would be interesting to see who can "make the biggest jump and become our top four guys." Through three games, Jaden Jones seems to have claimed that fourth spot, playing 48 snaps and appearing in all three games. He joins Smith, Kitchen and Hopkins as the only edge rushers to play in all three games.

Sep 3, 2026; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers defensive tackle Sterling Webb (90) is seen prior to the game against the Arkansas-Pine Bluff Golden Lions at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

As for the interior, many thought heading into the season that the defensive tackle room would be headlined by upperclassmen. Fifth-year seniors Jalen Marshall, Marquis Gracial and Sterling Webb all played in 200 or more snaps in 2025. However, through three games, its sophomore Jason Dowell leading the pack at 77 snaps. Marshall is next up with 73, followed by Webb at 71, Gracial at 70 and Donta Simpson at 57.

There's been rotation throughout the games, as Dowell led the count against UAPB and Troy, but Webb led against Kansas with Dowell ranking fourth. In contrary to 2025, when Chris McClellan was at the helm, Missouri's defensive line room projects to be a much more even split snap-wise this season.

Linebackers

Nicholas Rodriguez (145) and Robert Woodyard Jr. (122) leading the linebackers in snaps was pretty predictable. So was Jeremiah Beasley stepping into a larger role and playing the third-most snaps of the position (56).

The most interesting count of the bunch is from sophomore linebacker Dante McClellan, who's logged the fourth-most snaps (46) at the position despite playing zero against Kansas. He played 26 against UAPB — most of which when the game was already out of hand — but played a meaningful role against Troy with 20 snaps.

Last season, four Missouri linebackers played 250 or more snaps. Should the unit hold a similar pattern in 2026, McClellan seems like an early candidate for the last spot, beating out veterans Brian Huff and Bobby Washington Jr. for the gig.

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