Mizzou is focused on defensive tackle development

The Missouri Tigers added a lot of talent in the transfer portal for the 2025 season, but there was just one non-specialist position the Tigers didn’t make a single move.

Defensive tackle.

But it wasn’t a failure to make a move according to Missouri defensive line coach Al Davis.

“The biggest thing is the development of the guys that have been in the room already,” Davis said. “So right now, you got some guys that aren’t as experienced as you would like them to be, but we’ve seen a development come along. So that’s why we didn’t feel like we needed to get in the portal at the time.”

The Tigers lost graduate Kristian Williams to eligibility, but return a room led senior Chris McClellan as well as senior Sterling Webb, redshirt juniors Marquis Gracial and Jalen Marshall, redshirt sophomore Sam Williams and redshirt freshmen Justin Bodford and Elias Williams.

“We had to flip the room two years ago,” Davis said. “So we had some transfer portal guys that gave us a bridge, that kind of gave us a break for Marquis and Jalen, Elias who’s a young guy, to come along. So now those guys are out of the room, it’s these guys’ time to kind of rise to the top. And we’ve been able to do that.”

Davis said that developmental focus has come in the weight room as well as on the practice fields, developing not just extra strength but a focus on fundamentals and techniques.

He said he expects Webb, Marshall and Gracial to take big steps forward when they get on the field more regularly this season.

“They’ve built the foundation,” Davis said. “They’ve started to compound on that foundation and then now is their time to kind of sprout out and spring out.”

He added the Tigers have big expectations and hopes for Elias Williams after moving him inside from edge rusher last season.

“Inititally it was his weight, he was heavy, right?” Davis said of why the Tigers moved Elias Williams to the interior of the line. “Our field ends aren’t going to be 290-pound guys. Now, he’s lost weight since, but he’s able to show us that he can handle it, staying inside.”

“He first got here, obviously he got here a couple weeks, he got two weeks late, right?” Davis added. “For him, he was so far behind the group, we really had to cardio him a lot. He was doing a lot of running, playing D-end and we moved him inside. So it was a lot for the kid initially, but in the weight room, it was really about cutting fat and building muscle. And he did it, like, phenomenally.”

And now that group will be led by McClellan and Webb. Davis said both have fully stepped in as the heads of the room through spring ball.

“Best thing about that is I aint have to tell him,” Davis said of McClellan taking the role. “I think him and Sterling both have took it upon themselves to be the new Kristian. Obviously Kristian was a very unique human being, he did a great job pouring energy into those guys. So now they understand, like, it’s my time now, now I’m the upper classman. It’s my turn to lead the room.”

And with all that development within the room, Davis said there was no need to hit the transfer portal to add a defensive tackle.

“I think the kids always tell us what we need, right?” Davis said. “So, if the guys that we have here are showing us we don’t need a guy, then we don’t want to go to the portal. Those guys aren’t working out there, we have to go to the portal. We gotta do … whatever is best for the football team.”

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