College Football Team Loses 26 Players to Transfer Portal

Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers head coach Eli Drinkwitz talks to safety Santana Banner (15) during the second half against the Texas A&M Aggies at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

The mood around the Missouri Tigers entering the offseason was one of cautious optimism.

An 8–5 finish and a 4–4 mark in SEC play in 2025 gave head coach Eli Drinkwitz his third straight winning season and, on the surface, solid footing entering Year 7.

After drawing interest from outside programs, he signed an extension and publicly doubled down on his commitment to Missouri.

Then the tone shifted fast.

Missouri has seen a staggering 26 players enter the transfer portal this offseason, a mass exodus that reframes the Tigers’ offseason priorities overnight and raises real questions about roster continuity, depth, and scheme fit heading into spring ball.

The number is notable not just for its size but for the quality of players leaving.

The departures include some of Mizzou’s most important contributors. Edge rusher Damon Wilson II, a disruptive presence off the edge, has landed at the Miami Hurricanes; his 2025 production jump made him one of the Tigers’ top pass-rush options.

Wide receiver Marquis Johnson, a reliable intermediate target who finished the season with 28 catches for 340 yards and a pair of touchdowns, is headed to the Mississippi State Bulldogs. And quarterback Beau Pribula, who threw for 1,941 yards with 11 TDs and added a dangerous rushing element with 297 yards and six TDs on the ground, has moved on to Virginia.

Norman, Oklahoma, USA; Missouri Tigers quarterback Beau Pribula (9) warms up before the game against the Oklahoma Sooners at Gaylord Family-Oklahoma Memorial Stadium. | Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Putting those losses together makes this feel like more than routine offseason churn.

Missouri lost proven production at three premium positions: EDGE, wide receiver, and quarterback, all in the same transfer window.

That kind of turnover forces a staff to reassess its depth chart, fast-track evaluations of returning players, and prioritize plug-and-play additions over long-term development pieces.

It also invites broader questions about roster stability in the NIL era and whether players are seeking clearer paths to snaps or stronger marketplace opportunities elsewhere.

Drinkwitz and his staff have responded aggressively.

Missouri brought in 27 transfers, headlined by former Ole Miss quarterback Austin Simmons, fellow Ole Miss wideout Cayden Lee, and Auburn linebacker Robert Woodyard Jr.

The Tigers also signed more than a dozen incoming freshmen, including four-star prospects Tajh Overton (DL), Jaxson Gates (CB), JJ Bush (LB), and Demarcus Johnson (DL), players who have helped push the Tigers' 2026 class to rank No. 25 nationally, according to 247Sports.

Spring practice, and how quickly those newcomers acclimate, will determine whether this was a calculated roster reset or the early stages of a deeper rebuild.

Missouri Tigers head coach Eli Drinkwitz looks up at the video board against the Vanderbilt Commodores | Steve Roberts-Imagn Images