Mizzou Central

What Early Transfer Portal Departures Mean for Mizzou: The Buzz

Your daily briefing on what’s going on with Mizzou athletics, including full TV listings.
Michael Stamps|
Sept 27, 2025; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers wide receiver Joshua Manning Ines up for a play against UMass.
Sept 27, 2025; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers wide receiver Joshua Manning Ines up for a play against UMass. | Amber Winkler/MissouriOnSI

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Missouri Tigers

Watch the video above at Missouri On SI football reporter Michael Stamps breaks down the early transfer portal entrants and what it means for the future of their roster.

The Missouri Tigers have lost six players to the transfer portal before the season has even ended. The transfer portal window officially opens on Jan. 2, but players are quickly announcing their intention to enter once it's possible.

It's affecting the Tigers right away. Junior wide receiver Joshua Manning is the most notable of the names to do so, along with freshmen Javion Hilson, Marquise Davis and Brendon Haygood. Redshirt freshman wide receiver James Madison II and senior safety Caleb Flagg also entered.

Losing that crop of freshmen isn't good at all. They were all late additions in the class of 2025, joining head coach Eli Drinkwitz and his roster right before signing day. At a minimum, Hilson and Davis were expected to be future contributors. Down the road, there were going to be openings for both of them to move up the depth chart. Unfortunately for Drinkwitz's roster, that will no longer be the case.

The loss of Manning is also a big one. He was the fourth leading receiver by the end of the year, but was slowly moving up the depth chart. With Kevin Coleman Jr. graduating and Marquis Johnson's future up in the air, Manning easily could've been a top-two receiver for the Tigers next year. Losing Manning means the Tigers will have to add another wide receiver through the transfer portal.

Here's the buzz for Wednesday, December 17.

  1. Mizzou's Tuesday results
  2. MIzzou's Wednesday schedule
  3. Did you notice?
  4. Mizzou Quote of the Day:
  5. Read more Missouri Tigers news:

Mizzou's Tuesday results

Nothing from Tuesday.

MIzzou's Wednesday schedule

Nothing today.

Did you notice?

  • Jordan Clarkson, a former Missouri Tiger, recorded 15 points for the New York Knicks in the NBA Cup championship game. The Knicks walked away with a win.
  • Per On3, Missouri offered three-star running back D'Antae Sheffey. Sheffey is a member of the 2026 recruiting class and decommitted from Syracuse on Nov. 23.
  • The Missouri gymnastics squad has its highest preseason ranking ever, coming in at No. 7 in the Women's Collegiate Gymnastics Association.

Mizzou Quote of the Day:

“The best leader I’ve ever been around. From a work ethic standpoint, from a vocal standpoint — I think he was the heart and soul of our team. When he said something, everybody listened. We went as we went and that’s why you’ve seen him have the success he’s had.”
Cody Schrader on Darius Robinson

Read more Missouri Tigers news:

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Michael Stamps
MICHAEL STAMPS

Michael Stamps is attending the University of Missouri pursuing a degree in journalism. He joined Missouri Tigers On SI as a recruiting writer in 2023, but his beats have subsequently included football and basketball, plus recruiting. Michael is from Papillion, Neb.

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