2024 Missouri Tigers Position Preview: Defensive Tackle

An early look at the Missouri Tigers' interior defensive lineman room ahead of fall camp for the 2024 season.

Nov 11, 2023; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Joe Milton III (7) pitches the ball as he is hit by Missouri Tigers defensive lineman Kristian Williams (5) during the second half at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports / Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports

Games in the SEC are usually won or lost at the line of scrimmage. Eli Drinkwitz realizes this.

"In this league," Drinkwitz said at this year's SEC Media Days, "in order to be successful, you have to win in the trenches."

Its why the Missouri Tigers replenished the group through the transfer portal this offseason after losing multiple consistent contributors in Realus George Jr., Josh Landry and Jay Jernigan. The Tigers added three transfers who could all be important pieces along the defensive line.

Additionally, two redshirt sophomores have reportedly made big strides over the past two seasons and could emerge on to the scene this season. The mix of transfers and developing young players has created competition for opportunities this fall.

"With Kristian (Williams) returning, you got experience," defensive line coach Al Davis said Sunday ahead of fall practices. "But really the other kids are all inexperienced. So through camp, we're going to find out who those guys are. ... At the end of the day, those guys gotta go put it on film and show what they're capable of doing and it's a healthy competition for us."

Here's an early look at the 2024 Missouri defensive tackle room.

Projected Depth Chart:

1. Kristian Williams
2. Chris McClellan
3. Sterling Webb
4. Marquis Gracial
5. Jalen Marshall
6. Justin Bodford

2024 Missouri Defensive Tackles

Kristian Williams | Sr. | 6-2 | 314

Kristian Williams was one of the most important leaders on the Missouri defense and is expected to emerge as even more of a leader this season with the loss of edge rusher Darius Robinson on the front seven.

"A big brother type of guy," Williams said when asked what role he expects himself to have as a leader this season. "Just being able to accommodate and help everybody if they're going through something in football or if its just life because both of them correlate."

Williams is the only consistent contributor returning at defensive tackle and he hopes to also bring the transfers and younger guys along schematically.

"There's a lot of learning that we've got to do. We're not where we want to be at." Williams said. "Everybody's bought in, and everybody is investing to improve the standard and raising the standard. This fall camp is just to be able to help us establish our role."

For Williams himself, he'll again play a crucial role in holding the defensive line down. In 2023, Williams recorded 25 total tackles, including five that were for loss. He brings elite strength to the line of scrimmage that allows him to power through offensive linemen, becoming a disruptor in both the run a n

Chris McClellan | Sr. | 6-3 | 320

Transferring in after two productive seasons as a rotational piece at Florida, Chris McClellan should instantly be a key contributor on the interior defensive line alongside Williams.

He is a tough body to move around but also has enough athleticism to be an effective pass rusher. McClellan received playing time in 25 games over his two seasons with the Gators and started in one. He recorded 46 tackles and 3.5 tackles for loss in those 25 games.

Sterling Webb | Jr. | 6-2 | 295

Webb, a St. Louis native, is coming off a season with New Mexico State where he landed a spot on the 2023 First Team All-Conference USA .

In the 2023 regular season, Webb recorded 28 total tackles and 4.5 sacks. With only two years under his belt, Webb already has recorded a tackle in 19 games.

"He's a young guy that has some experience at an early age out in New Mexico," Davis said during spring practices. "Here, we didn't have those guys. All our guys that played were the older guys. Our young guys didn't get that same experience."

His experience, a rarity in this position group, could earn him some playing time early and often. Webb can chase quarterbacks and running backs down the backfield with his speed and can lay some punishing hits.

Marquis Gracial | So. | 6-4 | 323

As the fourth ranked prospect in Missouri's 2022 class, Marquis Gracial feels like an untapped well of potential. He could earn his moment this season after appearing in two games in 2023.

Gracial has impressive burst from the snap and overwhelmed offensive linemen in high school with his quickness. The next step for Gracial will be pairing that quickness with the fundamentals needed to compete in the college game.

Jalen Marshall | So. | 6-4 | 312

Jalen Marshall was a three-star prospect, in the same 2022 class with Gracial. He was a three-star prospect but has only apperared in two games thus far. Marshall is a fluid athlete with patience and vision and like Gracial, could step into a consistent role this season.

"Those kids have been in the incubator for two years," Davis said of Marshall and Gracial. "They know what the team expectation is. I think those kids are very locked in on what they got to do for themselves to get themselves to the field. So they've done a great job of turning it in their bodies, getting faster, getting stronger. Now they got to put it all together and go earn the right to be out there."

Justin Bodford | Fr. | 6-1 | 295

Justin Bodford, like Marshall and many others on the Missouri roster, is a product of St. Thomas Acquinas High School. Bodford was a three-star prospect with impressive size. Like McClellan, Bodford is a tough body to move and fills a lot of space along the defensive line. Outside of goal line situations, he likely won't see much playing time early in his career but could grow into an important piece for the Tigers.

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