Missouri revealed on Wednesday that Georgia transfer defensive end and one of the Tigers’ camp standouts, Darris Smith, tore his ACL and will miss the 2024 season.
Fortunately for Mizzou, it has a pretty deep EDGE room.
Another transfer defensive end who came to Mizzou from the state of Georgia this offseason is Eddie Kelly, who played at Georgia Tech last season after transferring from South Florida.
Kelly racked up 38 tackles, five tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and two pass deflections in 13 games for the Yellow Jackets last season before joining the Tigers in spring.
The former Yellow Jacket and Bull saw what the Tigers had brewing and a quick connection with head coach Eli Drinkwitz helped spring the move from Atlanta to Columbia.
"Ultimately, why it was Missouri, is because I believe in Coach Drink," Kelly said on Thursday. "I appreciated Coach Drink for taking a shot on me, and I understood about what the program did the year before. I just wanted to add my piece to the puzzle and just come to a great team. The team opened me with open arms and I've loved it since I've been here.
The team's pitch to him? Just to be himself and help the team get better.
"I come in, I bring myself," Kelly said. "The team welcomed me with open arms. So, I know I'm a fit in. I'm a talkative person. So, I know I can go to any of my teammates and just chat with them, but the locker room is amazing. I knew that wasn't going to be a problem because Coach Drink had already told me what he wanted and the team's already established. I'm just coming in, bringing in my little bit of sauce, just bringing my game and help the team out. That's all I'm doing."
Kelly has been competing for a spot in the rotation during fall camp, particularly a second-string role, and while he feels bad about Smith's injury, he knows it's next man up and believes the team has the depth to overcome the early adversity.
"We love Darris. He's a great individual. He's a great guy, a great energy guy," Kelly said. (The) competition has been great. It's all love. I can't really complain about it, but me, Zion, Joe (Moore), Jahkai (Lang), we're all going to get after it. We all got depth. So, we know what we need to do and we know who's going to be able to help us."
During Drinkwitz's first fall camp presser on Aug. 3, he talked about how pleased he was with the group and the strides they were making through the first week of camp. It appeared the team had a good idea of who the top six EDGEs would be.
"Yeah, I've been really proud of that entire group," Drinkwitz said. "I think Zion Young and Johnny Walker have elevated themselves along with Darris. I think those three guys kind of stand out as far as really understanding what we're doing down in, down out. I think Darris plays with an unbelievable motor, plays full speed. Zion Young had an incredible interception yesterday, tipped ball that he ended up picking himself so very impressed with the way those three guys are competing.
"Eddie Kelly, had a fumble recovery today that was really impressive off the pass rush move. Joe Moore's continuing to show up and be steady and steady. Jahkai Lang has also been a guy. Those six are really where they're at right now. And you know, the young guys, we're just trying to get them to understand how to play the game."
Walker, who was named a team captain earlier this week, will be the team's No. 1 EDGE after being second on the team in sacks (five) and third in tackles for loss (9.5) in 2023.
Young has been one of the better transfer additions for the Tigers in camp, and Smith's unfortunate injury all but guarantees the former Michigan State Spartan will start opposite of Walker.
"Of course, I want to be a starter," Young said during his Aug. 6 presser. "I do have specific stats I want to reach and I'm working on that. There's a standard I want to play to and I'm working on it right now."
For now, Kelly, Moore and Lang will round out the defensive end rotation behind Walker and Young, but a younger player Kelly said he likes is freshman Jaylen Brown.
"JB he's going to be a dog," Kelly said. "He comes after it every day. Something I can say (is) he's very powerful. So I know with anything that JB is going to bring his physicality and his mindset."
The team also has five-star Williams Nwaneri, who has immense potential according to his teammates and coaches. There shouldn't be any immense pressure on either freshman to have to play this year with the five players ahead of them on the depth chart.
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