Missouri is making a serious statement heading into the 2026 season.
Missouri has made a major statement in the transfer portal, landing a high impact defensive back to strengthen a Tigers team aiming for SEC dominance and a College Football Playoff run in 2026.
Head coach Eli Drinkwitz and his staff struck gold Tuesday, securing Chris Graves Jr., a starting cornerback from Ole Miss. Graves, known for his SEC experience and playoff tested performance, adds immediate depth and talent to a Missouri secondary that underwent significant turnover following the 2025 season.
Graves brings three seasons of high level experience in one of the nation’s toughest conferences. He started nine games for an Ole Miss squad that reached the CFP semifinals in 2025, recording 33 tackles, showcasing his ability to make plays in critical situations. Over his Ole Miss career, Graves tallied 61 tackles, seven pass breakups, and two forced fumbles, demonstrating both consistency and playmaking ability.
A highly regarded recruit out of high school, Graves was a four star prospect in the 2022 class, originally signing with Miami before transferring to Ole Miss in 2023. At 6-foot, he adds size and length to a Missouri secondary that already features tall, physical defensive backs like JaDon Blair (6-foot-5), Sione Laulea (6-foot-4), Jahlil Florence (6-foot-1), and Elijah Dotson (6-foot-1).
With Graves now in the fold, Missouri’s transfer class continues to climb nationally and brings experience, length, and versatility to a unit that finished among the nation’s top defenses last season. The Tigers now look poised to field a high powered secondary capable of matching up against the SEC’s elite offenses.
As Drinkwitz continues to leverage the transfer portal, Missouri is sending a clear message: the Tigers are reloading, retooling, and ready to compete for SEC supremacy in 2026.
