Missouri Tigers' Defense: Thin and Transfers

Missouris Tigers face a challenging 2026 season with a thin defense, returning only 65.9% of snaps, 19.2% of tackles, and 14.9% of tackles for loss. Only linebacker Nick Rodriguez is a true returning starter, with 15 defensive transfers joining the team. Top returners like Chris Graves Jr. lead with 683 snaps, but most are from other schools. Corners Sione Laulea and Jahlil Florence are set to step in, but both are fifth-year seniors. The team lost five of their top six players and 12 of the top 14, dropping from 18 guys with 20+ tackles to just 8. The risk is high, as transfers often need a full year to mesh, and the team lost nearly half of their tackles for loss. Corey Batoon has his work cut out blending these new players into a strong unit. Support the show:Get a discount at https://solipillow.com/discount/dnn. Advertise on DNN:[email protected] This is an automated, high-level news summary based on public reporting.Report issues to [email protected]. View sources & latest updates:https://sources.thednn.ai/fe352cc701c1a6d8