Missouri Defense Preview 2025: The Tigers Rebuilt the Pass Rush

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2025 Missouri Preview
Missouri Offense Breakdown 
Keys to Season, Top 10 Players, Prediction 

- The defensive line has the players, depth, and size, but it needs to get into the backfield more. Leading sacker Johnny Walker is done, but Damon Wilson (Georgia) was among the nation’s most promising transfer signings. Nate Johnson (App State) would’ve been heralded more if it weren’t for the Wilson signing.

The new guys will be turned loose on one side, Zion Young is a good veteran on the other side, and the tackles made a good situation better with Bralen Henderson coming in from Ohio to work around Chris McClellan and Sterling Webb inside.

- Josiah Trotter will be a tackling machine in the middle of the linebacking corps. He made 92 stops as a freshman at West Virginia, and second-leading tackler Triston Newson has the versatility to work inside or out. The depth behind these two could use a little seasoning, but it isn’t a problem.

- The safety situation was already good with third and fourth-leading tacklers Marvin Burks Jr. and Daylan Carnell returning. Getting seventh-year veteran Jalen Catalon from UNLV made the unit among the team’s best.

The corners aren’t nearly as strong, but there are options. Dreyden Norwood is going into his fifth year in the Mizzou secondary, but the new star could be Stephen Hall, making 70 tackles with a pick in two years at Washington State. Toriano Pride will work into both spots as the likely top backup.

Keys to Season, Top 10 Players, Prediction
2025 Missouri Preview
Missouri Offense Breakdown