Storylines to Watch for Every Mizzou Tiger at the NFL Scouting Combine

Six former Missouri players will have their shot at boosting their NFL draft stock over the week in Indianapolis at the NFL Scouting Combine.

Since the end of the college football season, multiple of these Tigers have shot up draft boards due to their performances in pre-draft all-star practices and games.

Here's a rundown of the top storyline to watch for each Missouri prospect that could play a significant factor in determining their draft stock.

WR, Kevin Coleman Jr.

Sep 6, 2025; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers wide receiver Kevin Coleman Jr. celebrates a catch that he ran to the 2-yard line against Kansas | Amber Winkler/MissouriOnSI

Current projection: 4-6th round pick

Storyline: Where does his speed show up?

One of Coleman's best traits is his twitchiness and quickness at the top of routes. Though that might now show up in straight-line speed, he should shine in testing events where he's able to utilize his quick movements and burst. Coleman started the pre-draft process by earning notoriety during the week of Senior Bowl practices with his route running, and that trait should catch eyes in Indianapolis, too.

Kevin Coleman Jr. constantly makes nuanced plays like this one.

Easy out route/extends hands to the ball/secures it & then the wiggle and slide inside to pick up the first down.

Many WRs would step out or try to go through the DB, but this nuanced side step is a chefs kiss. pic.twitter.com/Kxa2ArF7kJ
— Jeremy (@Popes_FF) February 17, 2026

OL, Keagen Trost

Sept 27, 2025; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers offensive lineman Keagan Trost (79) lines up in a game against UMass at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. | Amber Winkler/MissouriOnSI

Current projection: 4-6th round pick

Storyline: Will age be a concern for teams looking at him?

Trost turns 25 eight days before the first day of the NFL Draft. That's likely not ideal for a prospect who only has two seasons of experience as a starter at the Power 4 level. In theory, if teams viewed Trost as a potential starter, they wouldn't get many healthy and fresh seasons out of him. He's fundamental, smart and nuanced for the tackle position, but the age absolutely will be a concern. His size may throw some teams off as well, with the potential to kick inside to the guard position

Keagen Trost is my highest graded OL at the Shrine Bowl (Late 3rd, along with Diego Pounds). Probably an NFL guard, but has some swing tackle versatility with 2,700+ career snaps at left (649) and right (2,077) tackle.

Technician in pass pro with a sturdy anchor. Punch is… pic.twitter.com/bCP2My1JeE
— James Foster (@NoFlagsFilm) January 22, 2026

EDGE, Zion Young

American defensive end Zion Young (9) of Missouri works in a drill during American Senior Bowl practice at Hancock Whitney Stadium. | Vasha Hunt-Imagn Images

Current projection: Mid-first - early-second round

Storyline: Can he eliminate any doubts about his quickness in pursuit?

Arguably no player earned more from the Senior Bowl than Zion Young, who quickly started to generate talk as a first-round possibility after the impressive week in Alabama. At the end of the week, he was named the game's Defensive MVP. He'll now have the chance to back that up and potentially build on it.

Young's strength and power should easily show up in testing. Some draft analysts, however, question his quickness once he gets past the line of scrimmage, with Lance Zierlein of NFL.com listing Young's "pursuit burst and top-end speed" as average and a weakness for Young.

Not all Combine drills have an easy or clear transition to actual play. But there should be plenty of opportunities for Young to be tested on his pursuit ability. If he can prove to be efficient there, he could had another positive trait to his already elevated draft stock.

DL, Chris McClellan

Current projection: 4-7th round pick

Storyline: Is his pass rush arsenal explosive and consistent enough?

McClellan has the strength, hands and motor to be, at a minimum, an effective backup in the NFL. He truly never stops running and is powerful at the line of scrimmage. However, his first step might be a tad slow for a defensive tackle who could be more physically dominant.

Lance Zurlein of NFL.com listed McClellan's explosiveness as a weakness but his power as a strength, saying, "His first step is average and his pass rush isn’t overly explosive, but McClellan can pry open edges with strong hands."

He did record 8.5 sacks in his final two seasons of college with Missouri and he earned every single one of them. At the same time, it's fair to question how explosive an athlete he truly is. There will be no better time than NFL Combine week to prove that he is quick.

Evaluating Mizzou DT Chris McClellan 🔥

6'4 323lb beast with relentless swarm mentality. And he’s 22. Balled out in 2025 with 6 sacks, 8 TFLs, 48 tackles.

Disruptor who rushes the passer & shuts down the run, just how DeMeco likes his DTs.

pic.twitter.com/JT4FAk96pK
— big ounce (@_bigounce) February 22, 2026

LB, Josiah Trotter

Sep 6, 2025; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers linebacker Josiah Trotter (40) celebrates a tackle in the first quarter of the Border War against the Kansas Jayhawks at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium | Amber Winkler/MissouriOnSI

Current projection: Early to late Day 2 selection

Storyline: Is he consistent enough in coverage?

Trotter exploded onto the scene for the Tigers, recording 84 tackles and two sacks this past season. He was great at defending the run and getting into the backfield when needed, but there are still questions floating about his ability in coverage. Those questions don't revolve around his athleticism, but more about his ability to diagnose plays and make decisions.

"Coverage is the concern, with spotty zone awareness/spacing and the risk of being mismatched in man," Zurlein of NFL.com said. Trotter’s wiring and disruptive qualities make him easy to project as a productive, long-time starter in the middle but a defense might need to protect him in coverage."

Trotter may very well be good enough to get by with his pure skill outside of coverage, but it's going to be a concern nonetheless. His age will be a positive for him, however, and will also leave room for him to improve as a pass defender in the following years.

CB, Toriano Pride Jr.

Sep 6, 2025; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers cornerback Toriano Pride Jr. (2) celebrates after the Tigers' 42-31 victory in the Border War against the Kansas Jayhawks at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. | Matt Guzman/MissouriOnSI

Current projection: Undrafted free agent

Storyline: Can his athleticism make him stand out?

Pride boosted his NFL chances by improving throughout the 2025 season, fully establishing himself as a reliable in the final two-thirds of the season.

One thing that could make Pride really stand out in a crowded pool of potential undrafted free agents is his track-level athleticism that made him a highly-touted, composite four-star prospect out of East St. Louis High School.

Even if he might have technique to work on, his speed and fluidity could lead to teams viewing him as an exciting development project.