One of the strongest groups of Missouri's elite defense in 2025 was its linebackers. 

Khalil Jacobs had a bounce-back season after missing most of 2024 with an arm injury, racking up 40 tackles, two passes defended and three sacks in his return. Graduate Triston Newson made a surprise return to the team following the NCAA JUCO ruling that gave him an additional year of eligibility, logging 37 tackles and two passes defended. Even redshirt sophomore Nicholas Rodriguez came into his own, tallying 46 tackles, six passes defended and 1.5 sacks. 

At the head of the group was West Virginia transfer Josiah Trotter, who made first team All-SEC in his debut season with the Tigers. The redshirt sophomore led the Tigers with 84 tackles, while also logging two sacks and one pass defended. 

Newson and Jacobs exhausted their final seasons of eligibility, while Trotter has a decision to weigh for his status in the 2026 NFL Draft. This leaves Rodriguez as the only member of the high-status quartet with a high chance of returning for the 2026 season, and the rest of the linebacker room with little experience. 

If the cards fall in such a way, Missouri will need to address the position in the transfer portal by bringing in veteran talent with on-field experience to replace the departing members. Here's a list of players the Tigers could target. 

When searching for veteran experience, look no further than Thomas. Thomas began his career as a redshirted defensive back for West Virginia in 2022, honing in on pass defense skills before transferring down to Northeast Mississippi Community College, where he tallied 107 tackles, 10 tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks en route to making First Team NJCAA All-American. 

Thomas' stellar season got him many Division I offers , including one from now-Missouri defensive coordinator Corey Batoon, who recruited Thomas to play for him at South Alabama. Despite the interest, Thomas opted to commit to Baylor, where he combined for 205 tackles, three passes defended, 3.5 sacks and two interceptions between his 2024 and 2025 seasons. 

Now, the 6-foot-2, 229-pound, experienced linebacker enters the transfer portal in search for a new home. Perhaps Missouri's ability to turn the position pro — Nick Bolton, Ty'Ron Hopper and Jaylon Carlies all being drafted this decade — and a second effort in recruiting from Corey Batoon could get Thomas to spend his final season as a Tiger. 

McKinzie is another experienced name, having spent the first four seasons of his career at Oklahoma. He'll have one season of eligibility remaining, and could remain in the SEC should he choose to come to Missouri — a program that originally offered him in his 2021 recruitment. 

McKinzie was primarily a rotational linebacker throughout his tenure as a Sooner, splitting snaps with the starters to play a complementary role rather than a full-time starter. Missouri gives him a chance to compete for a full-time starting gig if Trotter leaves, or the option to keep his role as a flexible and high-usage substitute should Trotter stay, similar to Jacobs and Newson in 2025. 

He'd be a talented addition to Missouri's linebacker room, given his potential to turn pro, athleticism and experience. 

Romaine enters the portal as the No. 11-ranked player and the top-ranked linebacker as of 1:30 p.m., Dec. 23, per On3's transfer portal ranking. He ranked second among Wildcats with 66 tackles in 2025, despite playing just nine games. In his fully-healthy 2024 season, however, Romaine racked up a monster 96 tackles, two sacks, three forced-fumbles and two passes defended – solidifying his status as one of the top linebackers in the nation. 

While he has no ties to Missouri's program in terms of prior recruitment, he was an in-state prospect, having lived in Hillsboro, Mo. 

The Tigers landing Romaine would be a major addition to the room, and if Trotter stays, the pair could form one of the best linebacker duos in the Southeastern Conference. 

Coney enters the portal fresh off of a breakout season at Tulsa, where he ranked No. 7 in the nation with 128 tackles. The 6-foot-2, 240-pound junior also tacked on two sacks, two passes defended, one forced fumble and one interception for his stellar campaign. Coney earned First Team All-American-Conference Honors for his 2025 efforts. 

Prior to his stint at Tulsa, Coney suited up for East Tennessee State for two seasons, racking up 97 tackles and five sacks across 21 games for the FCS Buccaneers. He's excelled in one major leap between the two schools, and could well be prepared for a second jump from the American Conference to the SEC, should he come to Missouri.  

Woodyard logged 67 tackles, seven TFL's and two sacks in 2025 en route to PFF's first-team All-SEC, but decided a change of scenery was in store anyway. He spent the first four seasons of his career at Auburn, but didn't play more than 200 snaps until 2025. 

Missouri wasn't in on Woodyard's recruitment cycle, but both Drinkwitz and Batoon got clear looks at the impact he can make when Woodyard tallied a season-high 11 tackles in Auburn's double-overtime defeat to Missouri.

Like Romaine, getting Woodyard may be a lofty goal, but with the Tigers' recent history of elite linebacker talent, they have as good a pitch as any SEC program when it comes to attracting talent at the position. 

Howard, originally a four-star prospect Missouri offered in the class of 2023, played his first season at South Carolina before spending his next two at Florida. In his true sophomore 2024 season, Howard started 11 games, logging 37 tackles, one pass defended, one forced fumble and one sack. His 2025 season, however, was hampered with injury, and he played just three games, keeping his redshirt and two full seasons of eligibility. 

Howard would be the tallest member of Missouri's linebacker room, standing at 6-foot-4, 236 pounds, should he join the Tigers, and could provide a burst of athleticism to the group. He also has the three aforementioned seasons of SEC experience under his belt, which is more than any returning member of Missouri's linebacker group. 

Howard checks multiple boxes when looking for a rotational addition to the position group, and would be an under-the-radar pickup for the Tigers.

Bridgeman, a former four-star recruit, has bounced around for much of his football career — high school and college included. He flipped between a trio of Pennsylvania high schools before, reaching the Class 6 2023 PIAA State Championship with Imhotep, while now-Missouri linebacker Trotter reached the Class 5 PIAA State Championship — the two grew up on similar paths. 

Bridgeman then committed to Michigan, where he redshirted his freshman season before flipping to Michigan State. He still hasn't quite found his footing, playing primarily on special teams and sparingly on defense, leading him to enter the portal once more, this time as a three-star prospect with little experience and two seasons of eligibility remaining. 

Perhaps a bit of recruitment from Trotter could go a way in bringing the once-highly-regarded prospect to Missouri, where Bridgeman could unlock his potential under Batoon and linebackers coach Derek Nicholson.