Mizzou closed the book on its 2026 fall camp with a scrimmage under the lights at Faurot, and when the dust settled, Eli Drinkwitz, Donovan Olugbode and Chris Graves Jr. all stepped to the microphone with a clearer picture of where this team stands.
For Olugbode, a young returner, camp was about broadening the toolbox. For Graves, a veteran transfer, the focus was sharper and more refined: keep tightening the things he already does well while building chemistry with the secondary. Both came away feeling like they took steps forward.
Olugbode said his goals were centered on becoming a more complete receiver.
“My contested catching, my run after the catch ability, getting more explosive after the catch,” Olugbode listed as areas of improvement.
Graves took a different route in his assessment, leaning into the details that separate a good defensive back from a trusted one.
“My man-to-man coverage has been really good, and just communicating with the safeties,” Graves said.
That communication matters in a safety room that looks unusually balanced. Santana Banner and Trajen Greco are back, while Kensley Louidor-Faustin arrived from Auburn and seems to have already locked down the STAR role.
At 5-foot-11 and 185 pounds, he’s not the biggest safety on the field, but the athleticism shows up fast. He also picked off a pass in the scrimmage, and Graves made sure to make the play sound larger than life.
“He had a cover 2 drop, and he jumped probably 10 feet in the air to get it,” Graves said.
That kind of play has helped make the entire secondary a tougher test for Mizzou’s receivers all camp long. The wideouts have had to deal with different body types, different styles and different kinds of pressure every day. Olugbode said Graves has been especially valuable because he gives him a real challenge against man coverage, while other defensive backs make life hard in different ways.
Sione Laulea is one of those problems. The Oregon transfer, who came in alongside Jahlil Florence, brings a rare frame to cornerback at 6-foot-4 and 195 pounds.
“Sione’s a good corner. I like the competition, and his length definitely helps him a lot,” Olugbode said.
Drinkwitz only singled out Jamal Roberts as a confirmed captain for the upcoming season, but Olugbode and Graves both look like they’re in the conversation. With all the moving pieces on the roster, it’s still early to lock anything in, but those two are making strong cases to be central figures for Mizzou on offense and defense.
Now the attention shifts to the regular-season opener against Arkansas-Pine Bluff on Sept. 3 at Memorial Stadium. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m., and Olugbode and Graves appear poised to be key pieces when the Tigers finally line up for real.
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Drinkwitz Addresses Mizzou Injury Concerns As Opener Nears
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