Missouris First Depth Chart Just Raised New Questions Before The Opener

With the release of Missouri's Week 1 depth chart sparking both humor and anticipation, Coach Eli Drinkwitz sets the stage for the season opener against Arkansas-Pine Bluff.

Missouri’s first depth chart arrived with the kind of small surprise that only matters if you live and breathe fall camp: Eli Drinkwitz didn’t even seem totally interested in calling it a depth chart.

On Saturday morning, as he was opening a Diet Coke, he got asked about the Tigers’ first official two-deep. Drinkwitz answered with a joke before taking a sip.

"Do we have a depth chart?"

The answer was yes - tucked into the game notes, and put together by Missouri football’s lead sports information director, Josh, who was standing nearby.

"It was a good guess!" Josh said.

The chart was released Saturday, five days before No. 25 Missouri opens its 2026 season against FCS Arkansas-Pine Bluff next Thursday night, Sept. 3, at Faurot Field in Columbia.

Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. CT on SEC Network.

The biggest name at the top is Austin Simmons, who sits as the starter at quarterback ahead of Matt Zollers.

At running back, Jamal Roberts is listed first, with Malae Fonoti OR Xai'Shaun Edwards behind him.

Missouri’s receiver spots show a crowded mix. At X, Naeshaun Montgomery OR Caleb Goodie are listed alongside Kenric Lanier II.

Slot duties belong to Cayden Lee and Shaun Terry II. At Z, Donovan Olugbode and DaMarion Fowlkes are listed.

Tight end shows Brett Norfleet OR Jordon Harris at the top, followed by Jude James.

Up front, the offensive line comes out as Cayden Green and Jack Lange at left tackle, Tristan Wilson and Zack Owens at left guard, Dominick Giudice and Colin Sorensen at center, Curtis Peagler and Khalief Canty Jr. at right guard, and Luke Work and Whit Hafer at right tackle.

On defense, the line starts with Langden Kitchen and Daeden Hopkins at end, Marquis Gracial and Jason Dowell at nose tackle, Jalen Marshall and Sterling Webb at defensive tackle, and Darris Smith and Malik Bryant at jack.

At linebacker, Nicholas Rodriguez and Dante McClellan are listed at weakside linebacker, while Robert Woodyard Jr. is first at middle linebacker with Jeremiah Beasley OR Brian Huff behind him.

The secondary has its own share of ORs. Kensley Louidor-Faustin OR Elijah Dotson, along with CJ Bass III, are listed at star.

Santana Banner and Jayden McGregory are at rover. Trajen Greco leads at free safety, with JaDon Blair OR Jackson Hancock behind him.

At cornerback, Chris Graves Jr. OR Jahlil Florence, with Nick DeLoach Jr., are listed on one side, and Sione Laulea OR Jahlil Florence, with Cameron Keys, on the other.

Special teams were also included in the game notes, and the release set the table for the first look at how Missouri lines up heading into its opener.

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