Although the Missouri Tigers learned of the expected transfer of defensive end Jahkai Lang this week, the edge rusher room is stronger than it ever has been during coach Eliah Drinkwitz’s tenure.
“Anytime you add in the transfers and dynamic transfers and depth that we have, very, very confident, comfortable with our defensive scheme,” Drinkwitz said. “... Really, very exciting.:”
Even with the loss of Lang, who had 13 tackles and three sacks in 12 games last year, the Tigers return Zion Young, while adding transfers Damon Wilson, Nate Johnson and Langden Kitchen. They get Darris Smith returning from an injury that held him out for all of last season and they add Javion Hilson, the top-rated weak-side defensive end in the country coming out of high school.
“That is a group that has an incredible amount of depth, talent,” Drinkwitz said. “Got the ability to stop the run, rush the passer, really affect and influence the game at a really, really important level.”
Coming off a couple of seasons where the strong majority of the edge rusher production came from one player, having that level of depth will bring a new element to the Tiger defense.
In 2023, the Tigers were a three-man operation among the pass rushers with Darius Robinson leading the way with 43 tackles and 8.5 sacks to go with 14.0 tackles for loss. There was a step down in production to Johnny Walker Jr., who came onto the scene that year with 5.0 sacks and 9.5 tackles for loss, while Nyles Gaddy added four sacks and four tackles for loss.
But last season was almost all Walker.
He led the way with 9.5 sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss, Lang was next with three sacks and three tackles for loss.
The Tigers were missing Smith, who had been touted as one of the most impressive players in camp, while Young worked his way into the rotation after transferring from Michigan State.
Now, Young, Smith and Wilson, one of the top-ranked defensive players in the transfer portal this December, will lead a strong group that has a lot of new depth.
“Darris Smith, prior to his injury, was as impactful a defensive end as I’ve been around,” Drinkwitz said. “And now you get him back healthy with a guy who’s as dynamic and explosive a pass rusher in Damon Wilson. We know what Zion Young can do.”
Then you really get into the depth of the group with Johnson, a prior Freshman All-American at Appalachian State, Kitchen with a unique body type that allows him to create different opportunities, and Hilson.
“You’ve got Langden Kitchen, who is a really, really good football player,” Drinkwitz said. “Jayvion Hilson as a true freshman early enrollee has earned an opportunity to find a role, Nate Johnson is a Freshman All-American and just ran a 1.10 fly-10 split, which was fifth on the team. The only two (edge rushers) faster than him were Damon Wilson and Darris Smith.”
Add that all together and you could get something the Tigers haven’t had since 2017, multiple players with at least 6.0 sacks.
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