What the Commitment of 3-Star DL DeMarcus Johnson Means for Mizzou

The commitment of Johnson is an interesting one for the Tigers.

Hutchinson Community College defensive lineman DeMarcus Johnson on his official visit to the University of Missouri. | via @demarcusjj05 on Twitter, Mizzou Athletics

Missouri on SI football reporter Michael Stamps breaks down the recent commitment for Mizzou football and what it could mean for the program moving forward.

Welcome to Missouri Tigers On SI's "Extra Point," a video series featuring the site's Missouri beat writers. Multiple times a week, the writers provide analysis on a topic concerning the Tigers or the landscape of college sports.

The Missouri Tigers added a very unique player to their 2026 recruiting class on Thursday in three-star JUCO defensive end DeMarcus Johnson. Johnson stands at a monstrous 6-foot-8, 260-pounds and has fascinating speed and strength.

One of the first things that stands out about the top-ranked Junior College prospect in the country is the power with which he rushes the passer. He doesn't have many tools in his bag in that department, but he's certainly strong enough to run tackles over.

He will need to develop more pass-rushing tools as he matures as a player. That being said, it doesn't look like getting to the quarterback is his top specialty.

Johnson's ability to stuff the run, especially for a player on the outside, is really impressive. His big arms and again, pure strength make it really easy to wrap up and shed blocks. He has good instincts in the run game as well, knowing when and where to go. He swallows up a lot of space in the gaps, too, making it hard for running backs to slip through.

The commitment may have come as a surprise at this exact moment, but it felt like Missouri may have been in the lead for this commitment for a while. Given he's the first one in the class to commit on the defensive line, Johnson's announcement is that much more important.

2026 Football Commitments

1. QB Gavin Sidwar, 6-foot-3, 190 lbs. - Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania (Committed 04/18/2025)
2. LB Keenan Harris, 6-foot-1, 210 lbs. - St. Louis (Committed 05/23/25)
3. WR Jabari Brady, 6-foot-1, 205 lbs - Pompano Beach, Florida (Committed 06/07/2025)
4. TE Isaac Jensen, 6-foot-6, 230 lbs - Omaha, Nebraska (Committed 06/09/2025)
5. RB Maxwell Warner, 5-foot-10, 185 lbs - Chicago (Committed 06/23/2025)
6. OL Khalief Canty, 6-foot-5, 305 lbs - Detroit (Committed 6/24/2025)
7. WR Devyon Hill-Lomax, 6-foot-4, 180 lbs. - Edwardsville, Illinois (Committed 06/25/2025)
8. OL Brandon Anderson, 6-foot-3, 326 lbs, - Kennesaw, Georgia (Committed 06/29/2025)
9. IOL Braylon Ellison, 6-foot-4, 285 lbs. - Boonville, Missouri (Committed 07/01/25)
10. S Tony Forney Jr., 5-foot-11, 180 lbs. - Marietta, Georgia (Committed 07/04/25)
11. DL DeMarcus Johnson, 6-foot-8, 260 lbs. - Missouri City, Texas (Committed 09/25/25)

Check out the Missouri football recruiting tracker to stay up to date with the 2026 recruiting class and beyond.