Two Hidden Gems On Mizzou's Defense: The Read Option

Watch the video below as Missouri On SI reporter Killian Wright breaks down the high potential he sees in two redshirt freshman on Mizzou's defense.

Welcome to "The Read Option," a series featuring Missouri On SI's beat reporters providing analysis or intel on the Tigers.

Missouri's defense has been pillared by stars over the last few seasons, with plenty of big names earning all-conference honors, making national award watchlists and reaching the NFL.

In 2025, defensive standouts like Zion Young, Josiah Trotter and Damon Wilson II were at the forefront of Missouri's defense, making big-time plays week in and week out. While those three and a few others helmed as stars of the unit, plenty of others shined on the margins, flashing potential for bigger roles in seasons down the line.

One of those promising youngsters was true freshman defensive end Daeden Hopkins, who flashed an abundance of talent across his four apperances in 2025. Head coach Eli Drinkwitz worked to keep Hopkins to four games in order to preserve his redshirt and utilize Hopkins heavier in future seasons.

In four games, Hopkins logged seven tackles, one tackle for loss and 0.5 sacks. His best performance came against Mississippi State, when the freshman racked up five stops in 21 snaps.

"He really loves his craft," Drinkwitz said in the days following the performance. "He works on his craft. He's got a really bright future."

Prior to his time with the Tigers, Hopkins was rated a four-star prospect and racked up nine sacks in his junior season at Hermann High School. The main drawback with Hopkins was his weight, as he measures in at 6-foot-6, 237 pounds. While certainly not the heaviest pass-rusher, he uses his size to his advantage, exploding by linemen and finishing the play with his long arms.

Drinkwitz said he and his staff were "impressed" by Hopkins in spring ball, and that his next step is to bulk up a little more. If Hopkins continues to grow into his frame, he'll undoubtedly be a problem for opposing linemen in future seasons and will become a regular face in Missouri's edge rotation in 2026.

JaDon Blair

Blair, a redshirt freshman safety, shares similar qualities with Hopkins, as each possess unique positional athleticism and frames. But unlike Hopkins, Blair hasn't spent a season developing at Missouri — he spent his freshman campaign at Notre Dame.

The former four-star prospect out of North Carolina stands at 6'5, 205 and brings an uber-athletic profile to Missouri's safety room. Blair pairs explosive athleticism with some pre-snap reads to burst into backfields and stop plays early. Throwing a tall, athletic safety like Blair in the box is quite the fun addition to a defense like Missouri's.

He may not be ready for a heavy workload in 2026, as he played just 19 total snaps for Notre Dame in his true freshman season, but Blair could make for a fun gadget piece down the line.

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