Missouri’s 2026 defense is getting a noticeable boost from Miami, and the Tigers are betting on three different kinds of help from the same source.
Malik Bryant, Bobby Washington Jr. and Donta Simpson all arrive from the Hurricanes, giving Missouri three defensive transfers with different paths, different roles and different upside. Bryant can help off the edge, Washington brings size and special-teams experience to the linebacker group, and Simpson adds bulk to the interior of the defensive line.
Bryant is the most intriguing of the trio on paper. Listed as a three-star edge transfer, the 6-foot-2, 240-pound junior isn’t built like a classic heavy end.
Instead, he profiles as a hybrid pass rusher who can create pressure from the perimeter. He showed flashes in 2024, his true sophomore season, when he played in 12 games and posted 17 tackles and 1.5 sacks.
That year included five solo tackles and 12 assists. Last season, though, an injury wiped out most of his year.
Bryant appeared in only four games and finished with two tackles, one solo and one assist. If he gets back to full strength, he has the kind of athletic profile that could matter quickly for Missouri.
Washington’s role looks different, but it could still be important. The three-star linebacker spent most of his Miami career on special teams, and his best statistical season came as a true freshman in 2023.
He logged four tackles that year, along with a half-sack, before adding three tackles in 2024. He did not play in a game in 2025.
At 6-foot-3 and 225 pounds, Washington gives Missouri length and depth at linebacker, plus experience in the kicking game.
Simpson brings the most size of the group and the most runway. The three-star defensive line transfer is the youngest of the three Miami additions and has three years of eligibility left.
In his first season at Miami, he recorded four tackles, including one solo and three assists. At 6-foot-3 and 300 pounds, he gives Missouri a physical body inside and should help the Tigers against the run while adding depth to the front.
Missouri brought in 30 transfers for the 2026 season, and 15 of them are on defense. Among that group, these three Miami arrivals stand out because each fills a different need. Bryant offers edge juice, Washington adds linebacker depth and special-teams value, and Simpson gives the Tigers a bigger presence up front.
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