2025 Mizzou Position Preview: Linebackers

Arguably one of the biggest losses for Missouri this offseason was linebackers coach DJ Smith leaving to be the defensive coordinator at Appalachian, his alma mater. He was on the Missouri coaching staff since 2019, and was one of the staff’s most important recruiters. 

To replace him, Missouri hired Derek Nicholson, who previously held the same role at Miami over the last two seasons. Nicholson has also built a reputation as an elite recruiter over his 12-year coaching career. 

"Great guy, love him," linebacker Triston Newson said of Nicholson in a press conference in the spring. "Keeps high energy. I feel like we get better with him every day."

The Starters

Missouri lost its two starters at middle linebacker, with both Corey Flagg and Chuck Hicks graduating. 

Enter West Virginia transfer Josiah Trotter. The 6-foot-2, 237-pound redshirt sophomore is a steady force over the middle of the field. He’s a physical, patient run defender, and has surprising quickness to drop back in pass coverage. Last season with West Virginia, he recorded 92 total tackles, including four for a loss, along with two pass breakups.  

“His physicality jumps out, his ability to communicate,” defensive coordinator Corey Batoon said of Trotter in the spring. “A guy that has played a lot of snaps as a relatively young player, and that experience shows.”

Newson is a rangy, every-down defender with great vision. He can track down a running back as if he has a GPS marking on the runner’s path, and also can hunt down a quarterback on off-ball blitzes. Last year, he recorded 71 total tackles, and created a game-winning strip sack against Oklahoma. 

In the Rotation 

Behind Trotter and Newson are a trio of players with less starting experience under their belt, but still plenty of potential.

Khalil Jacobs is the most experienced out of this second group, entering his senior season, and second with Missouri after transferring from South Alabama ahead of 2024. His season was cut short last year after he suffered a season-ending injury in Game 6. He made the most out of that time in rehab.

“(Jacobs) really utilized that injury as an opportunity for him to grow,” Drinkwitz said in the spring. “Not only with his knowledge of the game but also his off-the-field nutrition and strength and conditioning. Explosive.”

When healthy, Jacobs is a speedy player that is especially useful as a pass rusher. He was often involved in Missouri’s third-down package last year as a blitzer.

Also with Jacobs at weakside linebacker is Nicholas Rodriguez. No true freshman played more snaps from scrimmage for Missouri last year than Rodriguez. The St. Thomas Aquinas product worked his way into the rotation, primarily on third downs, especially in the second-half of the season. 

Though he’s by far the smallest linebacker under scholarship at 211 pounds, he’s not afraid to hit. You can tell he also wrestled in high school just from the physicality of his play on the football field. Like Jacobs, expect Rodriguez to primarily be used as a blitzer and run defender.

“His playmaking ability at the linebacker position was remarkable throughout spring, really challenging to block,” Drinkwitz said at the end of spring practices. “His instinctual play, physicality, has been remarkable to watch.”

Drinkwitz mentioned Beasley as another player that has “really taken that next step.” in the spring. He appeared in 12 career games last year, primarily on special teams. A former four-star recruit, Beasley has the tools to be one of the most-rounded players in the linebacker room. Also playing at running back in high school, Beasley is quick and physical. 

Who’s next up? 

Brian Huff only saw the field for eight snaps in his first season, but that could very well change in his second. The three/four-star prospect fits the prototype Missouri has recruited under Drinkwitz: very quick when moving horizontally, best in run defense.

Both true freshmen in the group — Dante McClellan and Jason King — have similar backgrounds. Both played on the edge and dropped back in coverage in high school, and likely will be tasked with putting on more size. In the future, both could be versatile pieces.

Biggest question in fall camp: How many opportunities will Rodriguez and Beasley earn? 

The duo has undoubtedly earned themselves some playing time this year, but how significant of a role they will earn is a mystery. 

This story is a part of a series from Missouri On SI taking a deep dive into each position on the Missouri Tigers’ 2025 season: Running back | Next up: edge rushers