Now, the fun begins. PowerMizzou.com's positional previews shift to the defensive side of the ball. The defensive line is, at least on paper, Missouri's deepest and most talented group.
Let's dive right in.
What improvement can we expect?
There's a lot of talent across Missouri's defensive line, but the crazy thing is that there's so much for it to grow. Among the top eight on the projected depth chart, none have been majority starters for more than one year.
There will be an ebb and flow to this development. If Charles Harris is going to live up to all the lofty projections he seems destined for, he's going to need Walter Brady to improve likewise, thus easing the burden on each of them. If a healthy Terry Beckner, Jr., is going to become the star he's destined to be, he's going to need Josh Augusta to stay on the field next to him.
That's the best part about the talent on Missouri's line. For all the talent they've had in past years, they've rarely had guys mature both on the interior line and on the ends at the same time. When Sheldon Richardson was dominant in 2012, he had guys around him -- Michael Sam, Kony Ealy, etc., -- who weren't quite fully developed yet. When Markus Golden and Shane Ray tore things up in 2014, the interior line was solid but not spectacular.
This year? They have bona-fide stars at tackle and on the edge.
This could be something really special. And even more when you consider...
The return of Harold Brantley
I have no idea what to expect from Harold Brantley. Barry Odom said he's up to 270 pounds -- which is incredible, considering he was close to 200 pounds at some point after the accident. But Odom also said Brantley is re-teaching himself to run and move athletically. His teammates were not specific about what they've seen out of Brantley in work outs.
With this line, Brantley's return is more about leadership and motivation than stats. But what if Brantley does come back to (at least) close to the level he played at in 2014?
Suddenly, this defensive line goes from loaded to perhaps the best, top-to-bottom, in recent Missouri history.
We'll see. But it's going to be an incredible experience for Missouri's coaches, players and fans to see Brantley back on the field. And, let me be the first to say, even if he's not atop the depth chart by the second game -- Brantley needs to be announced as a starter for that game on Sep. 10, for the home opener.
