Memphis started spring practice earlier this week, so it’s a good time to get familiar with the roster ahead of the 2026 season. After hiring Charles Huff, the Tigers’ roster has been overhauled by the new staff, bringing in more than 70 new players.
After looking at the quarterbacks, running backs, wide receivers and offensive line, it’s time to take a look at the defensive side of the ball and what the front line will look like. Huff stressed the importance of having big and physical guys in the trenches, and he brought in a lot of new pieces to fit that mold in the new season.
Taylor Burton
Burton joined the program ahead of the 2025 season after spending two seasons at UT-Martin. The junior recorded 12 tackles and one sack in 12 games, including a pair of starts.
JaQuentin Madison
Madison signed with Memphis as a three-star recruit and picked the Tigers over offers from Arkansas, Georgia Tech and Kansas. Madison used a redshirt last season, and it’ll be interesting to see how much playing time he sees under Huff.
Jacari Gatling
Gatling signed in the class of 2025 as a three-star recruit and chose Memphis over offers from Boston College, West Virginia and Temple. The Maryland native didn’t see any playing time as a true freshman, and he’s added some size going into his redshirt freshman season.
Jaden McKinney
McKinney followed Huff and the staff from Southern Miss after his lone season with the Golden Eagles. In one season at Southern Miss, McKinney played in 13 games, and he recorded 27 tackles, two tackles for loss and 0.5 sacks.
The Collierville native started his career at Austin Peay, where he recorded 15 tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss over two seasons.
Elijah Kinsler
Kinsler is another former Golden Eagle on the Tigers roster, and this is his third school in three years. Kinsler started his career at West Virginia.
He served a redshirt but played in three games, including the Frisco Bowl matchup against Memphis.
Last season, Kinsler played in five games, but he didn’t record a tackle.
Chris Stokes
Stokes is another player to follow the coaching staff, but he has been with Huff at both Marshall and Southern Miss. Stokes only appeared in one game as a redshirt freshman.
Amir Leonard-Jean Charles
Charles signed with West Virginia out of high school but transferred to Southern Miss after the spring. Charles didn’t see any action during his freshman season.
Xavier Miles
Miles started his career at Syracuse before transferring to Charlotte for his redshirt sophomore season. Miles played in 14 games, including four starts, and he recorded 29 tackles and recovered a pair of fumbles.
KJ Miles
KJ Miles, the older brother of Xavier, signed with Georgia Tech out of high school, but he has spent the last three years at Temple. In the last two seasons, Miles recorded 36 total tackles and 2.5 tackles for loss.
Devan Lowe
Lowe transfers in after spending his junior season at Georgia Southern. The 6-foot-2 and 360-pound defensive lineman started his career at Hutchinson Community College and recorded 21 tackles in 11 games last season with the Eagles.
Joseph Head
Head spent three seasons at Mississippi State before entering the transfer portal. Head appeared in 23 games for the Bulldogs and recorded 18 tackles, a tackle for loss and 0.5 sacks.
J’Mond Tapp
Tapp was a huge addition for the Tigers this offseason, and he received a ton of Power Five interest after entering the transfer portal. Tapp recorded 70 tackles, 12 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks in 13 games last season at Southern Miss, and he had the best defensive grade on the team, according to Pro Football Focus.
Stone Chaney
Chaney spent the first two seasons of his career at Michigan State before joining the Tigers. The Michigan native only appeared in one game and recorded two tackles and 1.5 tackles for loss.
Eric Thomas
Thomas spent his true freshman season at Syracuse, appearing in two games against Colgate and Miami, but he didn’t record any stats.
Justin Wallace
Wallace spent four seasons at Western Carolina and will finish his collegiate career at Memphis. The defensive end recorded 30 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and four sacks in 2025.
Jabari Ishmael
Ishmael is another player who has spent a lot of time with Huff. He started his career at Miami and has spent time at Marshall and Southern Miss.
In 2025, Ishmael recorded 21 tackles, two tackles for loss, 0.5 sacks and two deflections in 11 games.
Gary Green
Green joins the Tigers after spending time at Central Georgia Tech, a junior college. Last season, Green recorded 35 tackles, 13.5 tackles for loss and 22 sacks, which led JUCO.
DeAngelo Thompson
Thompson signed with Syracuse as a three-star recruit out of Miami, and he appeared in four games before taking a redshirt.
Marshall Smith
Smith signed with Memphis on December 3 as a three-star recruit. The local product, who played at Collierville, chose the Tigers over offers from UNLV, Mississippi State, among others, and he was recruited by Huff’s staff at Southern Miss.
Evan Harvey
Harvey signed with Memphis as a three-star recruit and chose the Tigers over offers from Duke, Georgia Tech, Indiana and Kansas.