Mizzou’s talent level has steadily increased since Eli Drinkwitz took over prior to the 2020 campaign, and there is no better example of that than seven of his players cracking the Panini Senior Bowl’s preseason top 300 list.
The annual senior showcase event is held in Mobile, Alabama prior to the NFL Draft, and a handful of Tigers may find themselves there in 2026.
The Missouri defense is expected to shoulder much of the burden early in the season due to its experience and depth, and thus it comes as no surprise that four Tigers found themselves on the watch list. Safety Daylan Carnell is the only defensive player who began his career in Columbia, and he’s coming off a 51-tackle showing in which he tacked on 7 pass breakups.
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The other defenders include two defensive linemen, former Florida transfer Chris McClellan and former Michigan State transfer Zion Young. Yet the final member of the defensive group one-ups them both, as safety Jalen Catalon has stops at Arkansas, Texas and UNLV on his résumé prior to landing with Mizzou.
As for the trio of offensive players, captain Connor Tollison returns at center and joins the versatile Cayden Green from the O-line room. Tollison has spent all four seasons with the Tigers, while Green transferred in from Oklahoma prior to the 2024 campaign in a much-publicized move.
Speaking of even more transfers, Kevin Coleman Jr. joins Catalon as the only players in this group who are joining the program this season. Fresh off a 932-yard, 6-touchdown campaign with Mississippi State, the dynamic wide receiver is expected to thrive in Drinkwitz and Kirby Moore’s creative scheme. Coleman began his career at Louisville in 2023.
Mizzou comes into the 2025 season looking to win 10 or more games in three-straight years for the first time in its history, and it appears to have the talent to make a strong run at that mark.
Current Missouri student entering my third year of covering Tiger football and basketball. Contributor to The Transfer Portal CFB and overall college athletics enthusiast.
