With three starting offensive linemen off to try for spots in the NFL and another on the shelf with an injury, the Missouri Tigers knew they had a lot of production to replace going into the 2025 season.
So they turned to the transfer portal and brought in four new options, three of whom were in Columbia in time for spring camp.
Graduate center Dominick Giudice had to jump right in during spring camp with three-year center Connor Tollison still recovering from an injury suffered late last season. And the 6-foot-3, 305-pounder received rave reviews from coaches on how quickly he picked up the offense and gelled with the guys while taking over full-time duties at center.
“He’s really been, you know, a good addition,” Missouri offensive line coach Brandon Jones said. “I think he’s done an unbelievable job of gelling with the guys and learning the offense. You see him up here countless hours every day, just really eager to learn.”
Giudice’s success even brought up the question of him competing with Tollison for the starting center spot or possibly moving into the open spot at right guard.
“Whenever Connor does get back, (we’ll be) seeing what gives us the best opportunity to win,” Jones said. “Who gives us the best five? That’s kind of what we’ll have to get through during fall camp.”
Graduate tackle Keagen Trost joined the Tigers from Wake Forest and the 6-4, 305-pounder with six years of college experience seemed to slot right into the open right tackle spot.
As the Tigers look to replace the experience and talent of seventh-overall NFL draft pick Armand Membou, Trost and the experience he brings has stood out.
“Keagan has been pretty steady,” Jones said. “Once again, it’s just getting accustomed to how we do things. I think just the way we practice and things of that nature have been a little bit tough on him at times, but he’s stepping in and he’s only going to continue to get better and better.”
Then there’s the talented upside addition of Johnny Williams, a redshirt sophomore coming from West Virginia. Williams was a highly-touted recruit coming out of high school, and standing at 6-6 and 320 pounds, is the second-biggest body on the line, behind only redshirt sophomore Logan Reichert, who stands at 6-6 and 350 pounds.
Williams has joined the competition to replace Marcus Bryant, a seventh-round draft pick by the New England Patriots, at left tackle.
“Johnny’s a guy that, you know, has a high ceiling,” Jones said. “You know, he just has to continue to change his body and continue to work on some things technically, but he’s doing well.”
The Tigers hit the portal again in the spring after camp to add redshirt junior Jaylen Early from Florida State. Early has begun to work in with the Tigers in the summer and likely works in as the backup right tackle behind Trost unless the coaching staff is impressed enough through fall to have him compete with Williams, Jayven Richardson and Reichert at left tackle.
“Ultimately, it really comes down to just developing that trust amongst each other,” Jones said.
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