College football is, for just a moment, entering a brief period of relative calm.
Most teams — Missouri football included — appear to have conducted the bulk of their business in the transfer portal and have set their rosters for spring camp, which is likely a little more than a month away.
That doesn’t mean there won’t be a newcomer or two in the coming days. Missouri did, after all, make a major portal splash Tuesday by landing a commitment from Georgia transfer defensive end Damon Wilson II.
But, the portal, in most instances, is closed to new entrants. There are exceptions, including any team that makes a head coaching change, which would spark a 30-day window for that team’s players to enter the portal, and any teams still playing a in a bowl game, which would spark a five-day window.
Missouri is not expected to fall into the first category and has passed the second, meaning the players on the roster are likely staying on the roster. The Tigers have added 17 players via the portal and are expected to lose 16 players, though six who entered the portal database are yet to commit to a new school.
Here is where Mizzou lost notable players to the transfer portal, and how that is likely to impact the 2025 team:
Two rookie Missouri football defensive ends left. How has Mizzou replenished?
Lost to the portal: Jaylen Brown (South Carolina); Williams Nwaneri (Nebraska)
Signed from the portal: Damon Wilson II (Georgia); Nate Johnson (Appalachian State); Langden Kitchen (Northwest Missouri State)
Brown was the only player among two outgoing rookies who carved out a reserve role in 2024, playing in five games and burning a redshirt. Nwaneri appeared in four games and preserved four years of eligibility.
More: These 10 incoming Missouri football freshman will enroll early, participate in spring camp
Mizzou has been active at restoring depth in the room, as team captain Johnny Walker Jr. is a likely 2025 NFL Draft pick and rotation player Joe Moore III is out of eligibility.
It’s possible Brown and Nwaneri could have cracked the rotation, but Mizzou doesn’t appear to be too much worse without them — at least immediately.
Missouri’s two-deep likely now includes returners Zion Young and former Georgia transfer Darris Smith and newcomers Wilson and Johnson. Top-50 Class of 2025 prospect Javion Hilson and returners Eddie Kelly Jr. and Jakhai Lang also will compete for reps.
Wilson was a contributor for the Bulldogs in his two seasons, registering 25 appearances. Johnson was a freshman All-American for the Mountaineers in 2023 and has 10-career sacks.
In terms of production and experience, that’s a net gain for Mizzou, although it will be tough to tell until Brown and Nwaneri get playing opportunities at their new schools.
Wide receivers
Lost to the portal: Mekhi Miller (Tulsa); Courtney Crutchfield (Arkansas)
Signed from the portal: Kevin Coleman Jr. (Mississippi State)
Neither Miller nor Crutchfield played major roles in 2024 for Mizzou. Miller played mostly as a backup behind Luther Burden III in the slot, and Crutchfield played in two games — both noncon blowouts as a late-game reserve.
Coleman was a third-team All-SEC selection for Mississippi State, and should start in the slot. He caught 74 passes for 932 yards and six touchdowns last season.
That’s a tried and tested starter with SEC experience, which is hard to come by and soon-to-be lacking in MU’s receivers room, with three starters moving on. The ceiling for Crutchfield and Miller in 2025 appeared to be as reserves.
Running back
Lost to the portal: Kewan Lacy (Ole Miss)
Signed from the portal: Ahmad Hardy (Louisiana-Monroe)
One promising freshman out, one All-American freshman in.
From a numbers perspective, Hardy is a more accomplished collegiate tailback than Lacy after a year.
He rushed for 1,351 yards and 13 touchdowns as a rookie in the Sun Belt Conference, and did most of his damage on yards after contact and in zone looks — something that will suit Mizzou’s scheme. Lacy took 24 carries for 104 yards, mostly as the No. 4 running back on the depth chart.
Lacy looked like he was ready to step into at least a two-headed backfield with returner Jamal Roberts. He may take that next step in Oxford, but in terms of clear collegiate production, Missouri should feel pretty good about its running back room entering 2025.
Defensive backs
Lost to the portal: Jaren Sensabaugh (NC State); Phillip Roche (Undecided)
Signed from the portal: Jalen Catalon (UNLV); Mose Phillips III (Virginia Tech); Santana Banner (Northern Illinois); Stephen Hall (Washington State)
More: Missouri football live transfer portal news: Tracking who joins, leaves Mizzou in portal
Neither Sensabaugh, who just finished his true freshman season, nor Roche, who was a seldom-used backup, appeared likely to crack the rotation, even with multiple starters and key members of the secondary leaving.
All four of Missouri’s transfers, which comprises three safeties and one cornerback, should compete for starting and reserve opportunities. They all bring starting experience from their previous schools, and Catalon was a third-team AP All-American last season.
This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: How Missouri football’s portal losses will, or won’t, impact ’25 team
