On Sunday, March 3, Missouri will begin its march toward the 2019 football season with its first spring practice. Each day until then, we will preview the 2019 roster, one position at a time. Today, we take a look at the defensive ends.
The starters: Entering spring practices, defensive end is almost certainly the biggest position of mystery, and need, on Missouri’s roster. By the end of last season, Akial Byers and Tre Williams served as the team’s two most productive players on the edge. Both could be gone from the position this year. Williams was arrested in December on suspicion of domestic assault. While he is listed still on the Tigers’ roster, his status with the team appears to be up in the air. As we mentioned yesterday, there has been some speculation that Byers could shift to defensive tackle, which would appear to be a more natural fit for him. If that is the case, that leaves only Chris Turner and Trajan Jeffcoat as players that recorded a sack at defensive end last season who are back on the roster. Turner started all 13 games and recorded 24 tackles and two sacks a year ago, but he was prone to disappear for long stretches at a time. Jeffcoat was thrust into action as a true freshman due to a lack of depth at the position, and he showed a few flashes of his athletic potential but was, for the most part, ineffective. Missouri will hope he is able to make strides during the offseason.
The backups: Like Jeffcoat, Jatorian Hansford used up his first year of eligibility last season, and the coaching staff will hope he can add some size and take a step forward during the offseason. Billed as an elite athlete coming out of high school, Hansford certainly has the potential to start if he can display enough consistency during spring practices. Darius Robinson is another young prospect who could factor into the mix. The true freshman is already on campus after signing with Missouri in December, and he could use the spring to work his way into regular playing time this season. Finally, senior Franklin Agbasimere could compete for regular time while the young players behind him develop.
Potential storylines: The storyline at defensive end is simple: Who will step up and show the ability to pressure an opposing quarterback? Pass rush, or a lack thereof, was Missouri’s biggest area of weakness a season ago, and the Tigers didn’t do much to address the situation during the offseason. Everyone on the roster should get a chance to show he can generate pressure off the edge during spring ball, and whoever does so best will likely get the first chance at doing so when the games start next fall.
Help on the way: The Tigers added two defensive ends in addition to Robinson in the late signing period. Junior college transfer Sci Martin won’t arrive on campus until the summer, but he should have a chance to compete for playing time right away. Martin signed with LSU out of high school but ended up at East Mississippi Community College before choosing Missouri this time around. Incoming freshman Z’Core Brooks is more likely to take a redshirt year and develop further.
Spring prediction: Turner is a safe pick to remain at the top of the depth chart through spring practice, but he will have his work cut out to keep playing a large share of snaps. Byers is our pick to man the other starting spot, though if he slides to tackle that position would likely become Jeffcoat’s. Either way, expect Jeffcoat and Hansford to be given every opportunity to play their way into the regular rotation during the spring.
