2025 Mizzou Position Preview: Defensive Line

Chris McClellan is both the most experienced, and most familiar player in this group.

McClellan is one of seven returning starters on the defense, recording 39 total tackles and 2.5 sacks last year after transferring from Florida. The 6-foot-4, 323-pounder is a mauler in the run game, but also has surprising speed, allowing him to contribute as a pass rusher too.

Alongside McClellan is where some competition could create some change. If the Tigers lean on experience, it will be Sterling Webb as the second defensive tackle. Webb transferred to Missouri from New Mexico State ahead of 2024. He made three starts last year, recording 18 tackles on the season. At 285 pounds, Webb is one of the lighter defensive tackles on the roster, providing more agility.

But, redshirt junior Marquis Gracial is expected to take a significant step to build off a productive 2024 as a role player. He could have the chance to overtake Webb in the lineup. The top goal the Missouri coaching staff set for Gracial entering this season is to develop his pass rushing skills in order to become more than just a run stuffer.

"Obviously, he's a big guy," Davis said of the 6-4, 322-pound Gracial. "He's going to be a first, second-down player for us, but he showed us some pass rush through this spring camp, and that's what we needed out of him. We needed him to show us he can play first, second and third-down."

The Rotation

Behind the starters is where things get interesting for this group. It features four returners who are expected to take significant steps forward.

"The biggest thing is the development of the guys that been in the room already," Davis said in the spring. "So right now, you got some guys that aren't as experienced as you'd like them to be, but we've seen that development come along."

Missouri will need that development to happen in order to run as deep of a rotation as it ran last season. Here's a look at how playing time was distributed between defensive tackles last year for the Tigers, according to Pro Football Focus.

On top of the returners, Missouri also added Ohio transfer Bralen Henderson in the spring. At the very least Henderson, who has taken over 750 snaps over the last two years, provides insurance if the second half of the depth chart doesn't develop the way the coaching staff is hoping.

Jalen Marshall is perhaps the most interesting of the rest of the bunch. The former three-star prospect has impressive athleticism, but is yet to break thorough.

"We really are challenging Jalen Marshall," Drinkwitz said in the spring. "He's got all the potential in the world to be a dominant football player, but he's got to want it more every single day. And so we're challenging him to do that."

One of the more unique cases in this group is Elias Williams, who entered Missouri as an edge rusher ahead of last season. After his frame developed a bit more, MU decided to move him to the interior. He's a guy to watch in fall camp to see how he plays after the position switch.

"Elias is a young man that we think very highly of, he's showing some stuff in the pass rush game, gotta fine tune him in the run game," Davis said.

Who’s next up? 

Missouri has been in a three-star defensive tackle in each of the past two classes, starting with Justin Bodford in 2023, then Jason Dowell in 2024. Bodford was high school teammates with wider receiver James Madison II and linebacker Nicholas Rodriguez at Saint Thomas Aquinas, while Dowell is a local prospect from Althoff Catholic High School in Illinois just outside of St. Louis.

This is the final year of eligibility for three players in the room, so much more opportunities should open up for Bodford and Dowell if they choose to stick around next year.

Biggest question in fall camp:Can Marquis Gracial take the leap he's expected to?