Projecting Mizzou Football's Defensive Depth Chart on the 'All Things Mizzou' Podcast

KCSN's beat writers predict how the Tigers' defensive unit will look in the 2026 season.

Depth Chart Projections | Graphic: KC Sports Network. Photo of Nicholas Rodriguez: Mizzou Athletics

The Missouri Tigers defensive unit will look drastically different than it did in 2025. Missouri will not return any players that started more than three contests on defense last year, resulting in a heavy reliance on transfers and strong rotational returners.

Following last week's episode on the "All Things Mizzou" podcast, where Missouri football reporters Killian Wright and Zach Knox-Doyle predicted the offensive depth chart, this week, the pair projected how the defense will look in 2026. The two also discussed former Tigers that recently signed NBA contracts and reported nonconference basketball games in the Tigers' upcoming season.

You can watch the full episode using the YouTube, or through Apple, Spotify, and other podcast platforms.

Projecting Mizzou's defensive depth chart

Aug. 28, 2025; Columbia, MO, USA; Missouri Tigers safety Santana Banner completes a tackle against Central Arkansas with construction of the new Faurot Field North end zone behind him. | Sam Simon/MissouriOnSI

Our two reporters differed on two starting spots in a unit that could see multiple positional battles in the 2026 season. While positions like defensive tackle and linebacker look relatively secure — though not confirmed — Wright and Knox-Doyle think different players could secure a starting position at edge rusher and cornerback.

Wright's starters

DE: Darris Smith
DE: Langden Kitchen
DT: Marquis Gracial
DT: Jalen Marshall
LB: Nicholas Rodriguez
LB: Robert Woodyard
CB: Chris Graves Jr.
CB: Nick DeLoach
S: Santana Banner
S: Trajen Greco
STAR: Kensley Louidor-Faustin

Knox-Doyle's starters

DE: Darris Smith
DE: Kamauryn Morgan
DT: Marquis Gracial
DT: Jalen Marshall
LB: Nicholas Rodriguez
LB: Robert Woodyard
CB: Chris Graves Jr.
CB: Sione Laulea
S: Santana Banner
S: Trajen Greco
STAR: Kensley Louidor-Faustin

The battle for the second edge rusher spot, alongside Smith, could be lengthy due to a plethora of players around the same caliber. Wright and Knox-Doyle provided a total of eight players that they could see working their way up to a starting spot, ranging from Morgan and Kitchen to redshirt freshman Daeden Hopkins and Florida State transfer Jaden Jones.

Who is in Mizzou football's 2027 recruiting class?

With Tuesday's commitment of three-star wide receiver Charles "Tre" Britton III, Missouri has 19 commits in its 2027 class, which now ranks 26th in the nation and 10th in the SEC. Here's the full list of pledges.

1. QB Braylen Warren, 6-foot-1, 205 lbs. - Omaha, Nebraska (Committed 12/4/2025)
2. S Jabarri Lofton, 6-foot-3, 200 lbs. - East St. Louis, Illinois (Committed 3/7/2026)
3. IOL Lual Aleu, 6-foot-5, 300 lbs. - Cincinnati (Committed 3/7/2026)
4. TE Jack Brown, 6-foot-5, 215 lbs. - St. Charles, Missouri (Committed 3/17/2026)
5. WR Chris Harris Jr., 6-foot, 175 lbs. - Lee's Summit, Missouri (Committed 3/17/2026)
6. P Dane Olmstead, 6-foot-2, 204 lbs. - Freeburg, Illinois (Committed 3/19/2026)
7. S Keiran Govan, 6-foot-1, 200 lbs. - Republic, Missouri (Committed 4/25/2026)
8. IOL Luke Injaychock, 6-foot-5, 285 lbs. - La Grange Park, Illinois (Committed 5/1/2026)
9. DL Dami Sowunmi, 6-foot-4, 260 lbs. - Brownsburg, Indiana (Committed 5/27/2026)
10. LB Kobe Rhymes, 6-foot-1, 220 lbs. - Kansas City, Missouri (Committed 6/1/2026)
11. OT Jack Marquard, 6-foot-5, 275 lbs. - Lakewood, Ohio (Committed 6/2/2026)
12. EDGE Chris Kasky, 6-foot-4.5, 225 lbs. - La Grange Park, Illinois (Committed 6/5/2026)
13. IOL Tristan Dare, 6-foot-3.5, 290 lbs. - Southlake, Texas (Committed 6/9/2026)
14. WR Lawrence Britt, 6-foot-1, 178 lbs. - Memphis, Tennessee (Committed 6/11/2026)
15. CB T'ari Miller, 6-foot-4, 180 lbs. - Miami, Florida (Committed 6/21/2026)
16. OT Jaylen Hill, 6-foot-5, 295 lbs. - Lanett, Alabama (Committed 6/21/2026)
17. IOL Kyler Kuhn, 6-foot-3, 280 lbs. - Kansas City, Missouri (Committed 6/22/2026)
18. RB Kingston Miles, 6-foot, 195 lbs. - St. Louis, Missouri (Committed 6/22/2026)
19. WR Charles "Tre" Britton III, 5-foot-11, 170 lbs. - Belleville, MI (Committed 6/30/2026)

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