Missouri Football’s Safety Room Is Young, Talented - and Full of Questions Heading into Spring
Missouri’s safety group in 2026 is shaping up to be one of the most intriguing position battles on the roster - not because of who’s there, but because of who isn’t.
The Tigers lost all three of their starting safeties from Week 1 of last season. Veterans Daylan Carnell and Jalen Catalon have moved on after finishing their college careers, and Marvin Burks Jr. - a rising star many expected to anchor the secondary - surprised just about everyone when he hit the transfer portal in January and landed at Wisconsin.
That’s a massive hit in terms of experience and production. But instead of going all-in on the transfer market to fill those holes, Missouri is betting on its own pipeline. Yes, the Tigers brought in two transfer safeties, but the bulk of the 2026 rotation looks like it’ll be made up of returning underclassmen - guys who’ve been in the system, waiting for their shot.
With spring ball just around the corner, here’s a closer look at how the safety room stacks up - and what we’ll be watching as camp unfolds.
Projected Depth Chart at Safety
(*Transfers noted with an asterisk)
Starters
- Free Safety: Trajen Greco (Jr.)
- Rover: *Kensley Louidor-Faustin (Jr.)
- Star: Santana Banner (R-Jr.)
Primary Rotation
- Free Safety: Jackson Hancock (R-So.)
- Rover: *JaDon Blair (R-Fr.)
- Star: CJ Bass III (R-Fr.)
Reserves
- Jayden McGregory (Fr.)
- Carter Stewart (Fr.)
- Brody Jones (Fr.)
No seniors. Five freshmen.
And only one player in the group - Banner - who’s logged significant SEC snaps. This is a young room, no doubt about it, but there’s talent here.
It just hasn’t been tested yet.
The Starters: Who’s Leading the Way?
Let’s start with the known quantities. Santana Banner and Trajen Greco are the most experienced returners, and both are likely penciled in as starters heading into spring.
Banner, in particular, is the name to know. He quietly climbed the depth chart last fall, eventually overtaking Catalon by the end of the year.
At 6-foot-3, 210 pounds, he’s got the NFL frame and the physicality to match. According to PFF, he was the second-most-targeted safety in Mizzou’s secondary last season - but allowed the lowest catch percentage among the regulars.
That’s not just solid; that’s lockdown stuff.
Banner transferred in from Northern Illinois last year and made an immediate impact. Now, with a full offseason in the system and a clear path to a leadership role, he has a chance to become the tone-setter in the back end of this defense.
Greco, meanwhile, brings stability at free safety. He’s not flashy, but he’s been in the program long enough to know the system and should be a reliable presence on the back end.
The wildcard in the starting trio is Louidor-Faustin, the Auburn transfer. He brings SEC experience, which is valuable in a room that’s otherwise light on it. He’s expected to compete for the rover spot and should be in the mix for significant snaps right away.
The Rotation: High Upside, Low Experience
Behind the starters, the picture gets a little murkier.
CJ Bass III is back in the fold after briefly entering the transfer portal. That’s a win for Missouri - not just because of his potential, but because he’s already got a year in the system. At this point in the rebuild, continuity matters.
Then there’s JaDon Blair, a Notre Dame transfer who redshirted last season. He’s a big-bodied safety at 6-foot-5, and while he hasn’t played a down of SEC football yet, his size and athletic profile make him a fascinating developmental piece.
Jackson Hancock is another name to watch. He’s only appeared in two games over the past two seasons, but the coaching staff seems to be high on him. If he can put together a strong spring, he could carve out a real role in the rotation - or even push for a starting job.
All three of these players bring something different to the table. What they don’t bring, though, is experience.
Between them, they’ve logged just 62 total defensive snaps across five games. That’s not a lot to go on.
Freshmen and Flex Options
Don’t sleep on the true freshmen, either. Jayden McGregory, Carter Stewart, and Brody Jones are all new to the program, and while it’s rare for a freshman to make an immediate impact at safety in the SEC, the opportunity is there.
One name to keep an eye on is Keenan Harris. He’s listed as a linebacker/safety hybrid and played both spots at St.
Louis University High. His versatility could make him a fit for Missouri’s “Star” safety role - a hybrid position that demands both coverage and run support skills.
And then there’s Elijah Dotson, a transfer cornerback from Michigan. While he’s primarily a corner, there’s some chatter about him potentially sliding into a safety role if needed. He’s another versatile piece who could give the Tigers some flexibility as they figure out the best combinations.
What to Watch in Spring Camp
This is one of the most wide-open position groups on the roster. If you told us the Week 1 starters look completely different than the projections above, we’d believe it.
That’s not necessarily a bad thing - it just means competition is alive and well.
Spring camp will be all about separation. Who steps up?
Who seizes the opportunity? Can someone like Hancock or Bass make enough of a leap to lock down a starting job?
Can Blair’s size translate into real production? Does Louidor-Faustin bring the SEC-level play Missouri needs right now?
There’s a lot of potential here. But there’s also a lot of uncertainty.
The Bottom Line: Development or Bust
Missouri is taking a bit of a gamble here. Instead of flooding the room with transfers, the coaching staff is trusting its player development. That’s refreshing in today’s college football landscape - but it’s also risky.
Banner looks like a future pro. Greco and Louidor-Faustin provide a solid starting foundation.
But the depth? That’s where the questions live.
Can this group grow up fast enough to hold its own in the SEC? That’s the challenge. And it’s one Missouri’s coaching staff seems willing to take on.
The talent is there. Now it’s about turning promise into production.