Mizzou’s portal haul grows with Ole Miss corner’s commitment; Wilson picks Miami
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Mizzou adds Ole Miss cornerback Chris Graves Jr. via portal; brings SEC experience
- Graves totaled 61 tackles, seven passes defended and shined in CFP against Miami
- He joins a secondary overhaul as Mizzou's 26th portal add and likely starter
The portal commitments kept rolling for the Missouri Tigers football program with this week’s addition of former Ole Miss cornerback Chris Graves Jr.
Graves spent his last three years as a Rebel, totaling 61 total tackles, seven passes defended and two forced fumbles. His commitment to MU was announced on Tuesday.
In his last game, against Miami in the College Football Playoff, Graves totaled eight tackles and three passes defended. He was a massive part of the Ole Miss secondary this past season, playing in 12 of a possible 15 games.
The cornerback spent his true freshman year at Miami in 2022 but was redshirted and did not see any action. Graves is originally from Fort Myers, Florida and was rated as a four-star prospect out of Bishop Verot Catholic High.
He became the second player to jump ship from Oxford to Columbia, joining projected starting quarterback Austin Simmons on the Tigers’ roster.
A likely starter for the Tigers
Owing to his previous experience, Graves — a rising redshirt senior — is likely to leap to the top of Mizzou head coach Eli Drinkwitz’s depth chart for cornerbacks.
Graves is the latest addition to Missouri's secondary overhaul, as MU has now added a combined six cornerbacks and safeties in the transfer portal. With six of seven secondary players who played every regular-season game either graduated or in the transfer portal, it was a necessary push.
Graves is the 26th overall player that Mizzou has added this offseason via the portal. His experience in the Southeastern Conference could pay dividends as the SEC plays its first nine-game league schedule next season.
Damon Wilson II headed to Hurricanes
Former Missouri edge rusher Damon Wilson II is committing to Miami, per ESPN’s Pete Thamel.
Wilson is rated as ESPN’s No. 9 (overall) player in the transfer portal after earning second-team All-SEC honors in Columbia. His nine sacks ranked third in the conference and he also had a team-leading 12 QB Hurries for Drinktwitz and the Tigers.
Copyright 2026 Columbia Missourian
This story was originally published January 22, 2026 at 2:05 PM with the headline "Mizzou’s portal haul grows with Ole Miss corner’s commitment; Wilson picks Miami."