Dive into Chris McClellan's tape. Will the Missouri defensive tackle add the missing punch to the Buccaneers' interior line?
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers have a solid interior defensive line when healthy, but could look to add depth to the defensive tackle position in this year's draft.
In the meantime, Bucs Roundtable will take a closer look at a range of prospects headed for the 2026 draft that might jell with Tampa Bay's current roster, coaching staff, and the team's X's and O's strategies.
Bucs Roundtable has been studying the tape on top defensive talent that might interest the Buccaneers, including defensive ends Cashius Howell from Texas A&M and Miami Hurricane Akheem Mesidor, as well as elite linebackers like Indiana's Aiden Fisher and Georgia's CJ Allen. As the Bucs add depth in their secondary, available star prospects include cornerbacks Davison Igbinosun out of Ohio State, Arizona's Treydan Stukes, South Carolina safety Jalon Kilgore, Texas Tech linebacker Jacob Rodriguez, Missouri linebacker Josiah Trotter and Clemson defensive end T.J. Parker.
Offensive role players will also be a focal point for Tampa Bay, and our draft profiles feature offensive linemen like Penn State's Vega Ioane, as well as center Trey Zuhn III out of Texas A&M; tight end Kenyon Sadiq out of Oregon; and Georgia State receiver Ted Hurst.
Here, we take a closer look at Missouri defensive tackle Chris McClellan.
Missouri DT Chris McCllelan sacks Arkansas QB Tyler Green on Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025. (Nelson Chenault/Imagn Images)Size Matters
The first thing that sticks out about McClellan is his physique. At 6-foot-4 and 323 pounds, McClellan is bigger than the average NFL DT and has used that size to effectively defend the run, with his 8.2-percent run-stop rate ranking in the 78th percentile, according to Pro Football Focus.
Missouri DT Chris McClellan and his Tigers teammates warm up before a game against UMass on Sept. 27 2025. (Eric Canha/Imagn Images)Background
McClellan played his entire college career in the SEC, but not just at Missouri.
McClellan spent his first two seasons at Florida (2022 and 2023), mainly in a reserve role. He started the 2023 season finale against Florida State, which ended up being the last game he'd play for the Gators.
In two seasons in Gainesville, McClellan totaled 46 tackles, 3.5 tackles for loss and two sacks.
Citing a desire to play for a program that "had it figured out," according to a report at the time in the Columbia Daily Tribune, McClellan transferred to Missouri.
In 2024, McClellan played in all 13 games for the Tigers, starting nine, and ending the year with 39 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, two pass breakups, three QB pressures and a forced fumble.
This past season, McClellan again started all of Mizzou's games and improved across the board. He ended the season with 48 tackles (15 solo), six sacks, eight tackles for loss and six quarterback hurries.
Chris McCllelan spent time at both Florida and Missouri. Here he is chasing down Missouri QB Brady Cook in the Tigers' 33-31 win Nov. 18, 2023. (Denny Medley/Imagn Images)On-Field Strengths
McClellan's six sacks in 2025 ranked first among SEC defensive tackles, showing that he can get after the quarterback, along with his ability to stop the run.
This success is possible because of McClellan's quick first step, which allows him to beat offensive linemen. He's also been praised for his high motor, which allowed him to play 550 snaps in 2025 (up 91 from the year before).
Missouri DT Chris McClellan goes through skills drills at the NFL combine on Feb. 26, 2026, at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. (Kirby Lee/Imagn Images) Areas for Improvement
Something NFL.com noted in its scouting reports of McClellan was that he allows offensive linemen to maintain their blocks too long to be as effective as he could be in stopping the run or getting to the opposing QB.
McClellan also struggles with bending his knees, which could cause trouble against double teams. Additionally, McClellan's punch lacks the consistency that some scouts would like.
Combine Performance
At February's NFL combine in Indianapolis, McClellan ran the 40-yard dash in 5.05 seconds, roughly the league average for a defensive tackle. McClellan also benched press 25 times (225 pounds), and had a vertical jump of 29.5 inches, also league averages for the position. NFL.com gave McClellan a total combine score of 67, which ranked 14th.
Prospect Draft Position
The Mock Draft Database has McClellan as the 113th-ranked player overall, and projects him to go in the fourth round.
Bucs coach Todd Bowles likes big defensive tackles, which is essential for his basic 3-4 scheme. Vita Vea, at 347 pounds, is an example of Tampa's preference for beefy d-linemen, and McClellan has a size advantage over the 280-pound Calijah Kancey, who has had trouble staying healthy throughout his three seasons in Tampa.
Style-wise, McClellan fits what the Bucs want to do. It's just a matter of how much the organization likes his game.
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