The defensive tackle position might be the one with the biggest question surrounding it heading into the 2026 season. Replacing an NFL draftee and solid leader like Chris McClellan isn't easy whatsoever and the Tigers will be asking a lot of multiple players at the spot this season.
That's the exact reason why No. 28 on Missouri On SI's rankings of Missouri's 30 most important players is Miami defensive tackle transfer Donta Simpson Jr.
Simpson has yet to prove himself as a valuable contributor on a roster in his short career. But, given what's on paper in Missouri's defensive tackle room, Simpson may need to be ready to play right away.
Read: The Biggest Question Facing Mizzou's Interior Defensive Line in 2026
The freshman recorded only four total tackles last season, appearing in eight games total. He also recorded 1.5 tackles for loss and one quarterback hurry. Simpson played against Bethune-Cookman, USF, Louisville , Stanford , SMU, Syracuse, North Carolina State and Virginia Tech .
Even if he's yet to produce at the college level, Simpson was a solid and productive high school defensive lineman. He recorded 45 total tackles, 11 tackles for loss and six sacks for Chaminade-Maddona High School in Hollywood, Florida. As a junior, Simpson logged 43 tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks.
The Lions went 13-2 and 14-0 in those seasons, respectively.
Simpson has the pedigree to be a productive college football player; he just hasn't had the opportunity to do it yet. Listed at 6-foot-3, 300 pounds, Simpson also has legitimate size and speed to match what's required at the position.
Who's in front of Simpson may be more intriguing. Senior Marquis Gracial appears to be the clear No. 1 at the defensive tackle spot, though he's yet to be uber-productive yet. Jalen Marshall also seems to be the guy right behind him and is in the same boat as Gracial.
Right now, Gracial appears to be the only surefire player in the group. Calling Simpson a surefire player wouldn't be accurate, but nothing's going to stop him from rising his way up the depth chart for the Tigers come the start of the season. In fact, the Tigers certainly need him to do so in order for more depth to grow at defensive tackle.
Even if Simpson isn't immediately productive for the Tigers in 2026, his sophomore season could be an important year of development for him. If Missouri can go into the 2027 season feeling confident with Simpson at the helm of the position group, that would be a success of sorts.
It seems likely that the Tigers will need something out of Simpson in 2026, however. There's not enough production coming into this year's roster not to expect something from Simpson, especially with him coming from a big program like Miami. He hasn't played in any big moments, but coming up alongside players like Rueben Bain, Akheem Mesidor and Ahmad Moten certainly couldn't have hurt his development.
Simpson isn't exactly a make-or-break player for the Missouri defense because there are other names that could take his spot, wherever that ends up being. He does seem to have some of the most upside in the position group, so his being productive and successful this season would likely lead to more success on defense compared to others.
30 Most Important Players Series: 30 | 29
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/missouri as Mizzou Football's Most Important Players: No. 28, Donta Simpson Jr. .
