Simpson’s Time to Shine at Missouri

Missouri’s defense needs a big leap at tackle this year, and Donta Simpson Jr. is the key player poised to step up. Ranked 28th on SI’s list of the Tigers’ most important players, Simpson brings high school dominance and elite physical tools—6’3”, 300 lbs., with speed—to fill the void left by NFL-bound Chris McClellan. Though his college stats are modest (4 tackles, 1.5 TFL in 8 games), his senior year at Miami was explosive: 45 tackles, 11 for loss, 6 sacks. With seniors Marquis Gracial and Jalen Marshall underperforming, Simpson’s potential is the biggest hope for a turnaround. His success could be the spark Missouri needs to elevate its defense in 2026. 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/23733dbbc6f56343