Missouri OT Johnny Williams IV to Enter Transfer Portal After Limited Role in 2025 Season
Missouri offensive tackle Johnny Williams IV is heading to the transfer portal, becoming the latest Tiger to explore a new opportunity after a season where he saw limited action. Williams confirmed the move via social media on Tuesday, marking the second depth offensive lineman and the 11th overall Missouri player to announce plans to transfer this offseason.
The portal officially opens on January 2 and runs through January 16, giving players like Williams a two-week window to find their next stop. At 6-foot-7 and 327 pounds, Williams brings intriguing size and physical tools that once made him a serious contender for a starting job in Columbia.
After transferring in from West Virginia last offseason, Williams was initially in the mix to take over the left tackle role. But that opportunity never fully materialized.
Early in fall camp, he found himself working behind Jayven Richardson at left tackle. When the coaching staff shifted Cayden Green from guard to left tackle, the path to a starting role narrowed even further.
By the time the season kicked off, Williams was slotted in as the backup right tackle behind veteran Keagen Trost. And Trost wasn’t just holding down the position - he was thriving.
The seventh-year senior earned third-team All-American honors from the Associated Press and was one of the highest-graded offensive tackles in the SEC, according to Pro Football Focus. He logged 891 snaps this year, the second-most on the team, and gave Missouri stability on the right side all season long.
With Trost playing at such a high level, Williams saw the field sparingly. He appeared in just three games - all nonconference matchups against Central Arkansas, Louisiana, and UMass - and totaled 52 snaps, all in cleanup duty.
Williams becomes the second reserve offensive lineman to hit the portal this offseason, joining backup guard/center Henry Fenuku. And his departure adds to a growing list of Tigers on the move. Among the 11 players expected to transfer are key contributors like starting quarterback Beau Pribula and wideouts Joshua Manning and Marquis Johnson.
Missouri wrapped up its 2025 campaign with an 8-5 record, ending the year with a Gator Bowl loss to Virginia. As the Tigers look ahead to 2026, the offensive line becomes a clear area of focus. With Trost out of eligibility and Williams now exiting, Missouri will enter the new year without its top two right tackles from this past season - a position that now moves to the top of the shopping list in the portal.
The Tigers are expected to be active in the coming weeks as they look to reload and reinforce a roster that’s seen its fair share of turnover. For Williams, the next chapter awaits - and for Missouri, the work to rebuild the trenches begins now.