The start of the college football season is just around the corner, with each team holding roughly a dozen practices during fall camp ahead of the season. Mizzou will host its own collection of practices starting Aug. 3.
One of the biggest questions that Mizzou faces ahead of the season is its secondary. The Tigers lost nine players across the cornerback and secondary rooms, combining for roughly 3,000 snaps last season.
The production from these departures will have to be replaced from a combination of returners, transfers and freshmen. Among the freshmen, MU coach Eli Drinkwitz mentioned both safety Jayden McGregory and cornerback Jaxson Gates as players who could see the field in some capacity this season. But it’s hard to give younger players significant time in a league as physical and talented as the Southeastern Conference.
Here are the other options across the secondary who will be looked upon to lead the MU pass defense.
Returners
The top returner from the 2025-26 roster is safety Santana Banner, who played in all 12 regular season games and was on the field for 482 snaps. He recorded 59 tackles, three passes defended and one interception in his first year as a Tiger.
He transferred in from Northern Illinois after a stellar freshman season where he piled up 54 tackles, four passes defended, one forced fumble and one interception.
“We've always been a developmental program, meaning guys who have earned the opportunity to have their star shine, it's their turn,” Drinkwitz said during SEC Media Days on July 20.
Another safety to watch ahead of the 2026 season is junior Trajen Greco. He has played in every game each of the last two seasons, recording a total of nine tackles, two of which were for a loss. He and Banner will likely be the starting safeties heading into the first game of the season due to their combination of experience and familiarity with the program.
The top returners in the cornerback room are Nick DeLoach Jr. and Cameron Keys. Both played a relatively small role last year, playing in under 100 snaps and recording a combined 10 tackles. DeLoach was a bigger contributor during the 2024 season, racking up 23 tackles and four passes defended. However, they will have to compete with several new transfers if they wish to fall into a legitimate starting role.
Transfers
MU added several cornerbacks during the transfer portal cycle in the spring, headlined by former Ole Miss starter Chris Graves Jr. He spent three years with the Rebels, collecting 61 tackles and defending seven passes. He will likely be seen as the leader in the cornerback room and be tasked with the opponent's top receiving threat.
“Cornerback was a position of need for us last year. We went out and got a guy with a ton of experience. Chris Graves Jr. played more snaps than anybody at the corner position,” Drinkwitz said.
Another major addition to the position group is Oregon transfer Jahlil Florence. He has seen relatively limited action in the past two seasons, starting with a meniscus injury that caused him to miss the 2024 season. Florence was healthy in 2025 but struggled to find playing time. As a result, he entered the transfer portal before the season concluded. His best season was back in 2023, where he ended the year with 27 tackles plus a sack and an interception.
The Tigers also added former Michigan safety Elijah Dotson during the offseason. Dotson played his freshman year with the Wolverines, ending the season with 11 tackles and one interception in seven games played. Dotson suffered a torn labrum during spring practices and is expected to be available to play by the start of the season.
MU target RB Williams-Callis commits to Texas
Five-star running back Landen Williams-Callis committed to Texas over Mizzou and several other schools on Saturday. He is from Richmond, Texas, and considered the No. 29 overall prospect in the country as well as the third-best running back, according to 247Sports composite rankings.
His other finalists besides the Longhorns and the Tigers included Texas A&M, SMU and Houston. Williams-Callis visited Mizzou back on June 5. The Tigers still have one running back in the class of 2027 in Kingston Miles from St. Louis.
Mizzou has the No. 28 recruiting class in the nation and No. 11 in the SEC according to 247 Sports. Texas is ranked No. 6 in the nation and No. 3 in the conference.