Missouri Tigers working transfer portal to replace outgoing football players

With 22 players leaving through the transfer portal and 20 graduating seniors, the Missouri Tigers football program has significant talent to replace this offseason.

MU coach Eli Drinkwitz and company have quickly gotten to work by making offers and nailing down incoming visits.

Wide receiver is one of the biggest need for the Tigers. Down five members from last season (Kevin Coleman Jr., Marquis Johnson, Josh Manning, Daniel Blood and James Madison II), they are currently going after a number of options.

Mizzou has a scheduled visit with Cincinnati starting wide receiver Caleb Goodie on Monday, per a report from CBS Sports' Chris Hummer. The junior logged 29 receptions for 484 receiving yards and two touchdowns in 2025. He will also visit TCU on Wednesday.

Xavier Townsend, who spent three years with UCF and one with Iowa State, will also take a visit with Mizzou. He recorded 18 catches and 243 receiving yards with the Cyclones, and will also visit Florida State, Notre Dame and Purdue, per Hummer.

North Carolina wide receiver Chris Culliver received an offer from Mizzou, per his social media. He caught 12 balls for 276 yards and three touchdowns across three seasons at UNC. The junior returned five punts for 102 yards last season and had two kickoff return touchdowns in 2024.

The secondary is another group that the Tigers will target heavily, including Notre Dame safety JaDon Blair. The true freshman and former 4-star recruit will make a two-day visit starting Monday, per CBS Sports's Tom Loy.

PowerMizzou and CBS Sports reported that Oregon cornerback Jahlil Florence will visit Missouri, Texas A&M, Arizona State and potentially Kentucky. He notched 35 tackles, two interceptions and a sack between 2022-23, but missed the 2024 season from injury and did not record a stat last season.

Michigan cornerback Elijah Dotson will also make a visit to Mizzou, per Allen Trieu of 247Sports. The true freshman had 11 tackles an an interception in 12 games. He will have three years of eligibility remaining.

Other notable targets

• Auburn linebacker Robert Woodyard Jr.: Woodyard finished his junior season with 67 tackles, seven tackles for loss and two sacks. He will visit Missouri after a visit with Kentucky, along with possible trips to Texas, Baylor and FSU.
• Houston Christian running back Xai'Shuan Edwards: The Jerry Rice Award finalist (given to the FCS's top freshman) rushed for 1,010 yards and 12 touchdowns last season. He will visit Mizzou on Monday.
• South Dakota punter Tyler Ebel: Visiting later this week, Ebel averaged 45.8 yards per punt and his career-high is 66 yards.
• Houston offensive guard Derek Joiner: The former three-star recruit spent two seasons at Houston and took special teams snaps.

Mizzou adds more re-signings

Missouri announced another batch of re-signings on social media for the 2026 season Saturday.

The list includes: Offensive lineman Whit Hafer, offensive tackle Jack Lange, cornerback Cameron Keys, wide receiver Shaun Terry II, defensive tackle Sam Williams, linebacker Brian Huff.

While the transfer portal is pulling away young talent yet, the Tigers have managed to bring back some key pieces that could earn legitimate playing time next season.

Keys is one of the top pieces primed to earn a bigger role in the cornerback room. The redshirt freshman made 12 appearances last season and recorded two tackles, one pass breakup and one fumble recovery.

Lange and Terry, both from the class of 2025, are two players that could see action next season with lost depth on the offensive line and at wide receiver.

Copyright 2026 Columbia Missourian

This story was originally published January 4, 2026 at 12:46 PM with the headline "Missouri Tigers working transfer portal to replace outgoing football players."