For the third time in roughly an hour, Missouri saw another player selected during a busy NFL Draft night, as Chris McClellan was picked by the Green Bay Packers.
McClellan emerged as a key force on Missouri’s defensive line in his senior season, starting every regular-season game and finishing with 48 tackles, six sacks, and eight tackles for loss. His impact helped transform the Tigers’ interior defense into one of the nation’s strongest against the run, with Missouri ranking among the top 15 teams in run defense.
A native of North Tulsa, Oklahoma, McClellan spent two seasons as a starter for Mizzou, earning significant playing time in 2024 when he recorded 39 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss, and 2.5 sacks across 13 appearances.
Before transferring to Missouri, he began his college career at Florida, where he played in 25 games over two seasons and made one start.
He was part of a productive group of transfer defensive tackles who elevated their play after arriving in Columbia, including Jayden Jernigan and Kristian Williams.
With his selection, McClellan becomes the first of that transfer group to be drafted into the NFL and also marks the first defensive tackle taken during the Eli Drinkwitz era at Missouri.
