Missouri football is getting a Dawg at defensive end.
The Tigers landed a commitment from Georgia transfer edge rusher Damon Wilson II on Tuesday, the former Bulldog announced via his Instagram account. Wilson is the 17th player to commit to Mizzou in the winter transfer portal window, and among the most high-profile to date.
Wilson entered the transfer portal Jan. 6, shortly after the Bulldogs' College Football Playoff run ended. He immediately shot up into the upper-echelons of the best-available players in most national rankings.
On3's industry rankings place the edge rusher as the No. 5 player at any position in the portal in this window. The recruiting service also has him as the best defensive end in this cycle.
Wilson played in every game for Georgia this past season, recording three sacks and 5.5 tackles for loss. He also forced two fumbles and recorded a quarterback pressure in both the SEC Championship game against Texas and the CFP quarterfinal matchup against Notre Dame.
Per 247Sports' composite rankings, Wilson was a five-star prospect in the Class of 2023 out of Venice, Florida. He was the No. 17-overall player in his cycle.
Wilson, listed at 6 foot 4, 250 pounds, mostly played outside linebacker for the Bulldogs. He is likely to slot in at defensive end in Mizzou's 4-2-5 base formation.
The Tigers are set to lose starter and team captain Johnny Walker Jr. to the NFL Draft, and key role player Joe Moore III to eligibility. True freshmen Williams Nwaneri and Jaylen Brown transferred to Nebraska and South Carolina, respectively, after their rookie seasons.
Mizzou is able to return starter Zion Young and another former UGA transfer Darris Smith as players with immediate starting potential. The Tigers added top-50 national prospect Javion Hilson in this cycle, and secured a signature from Appalachian State transfer and former freshman All-American Nate Johnson out of the transfer portal.
Jakhai Lang and Eddie Kelly Jr. both played roles in the 2024 season, and will compete for reps in the spring.
But if Mizzou was looking for a player with instant starting potential out of the portal, it has found just that in Wilson.
More: A way-too-early, post-portal prediction at Missouri football's defensive depth chart in 2025
More: A way-too-early, post-portal prediction at Missouri football's offensive depth chart in 2025
Multiple reports indicated that Ohio State was in the running to sign Wilson. He reportedly visited both Mizzou and the Buckeyes , who are about to play for a national title.
The defensive end has ended up as a Tiger.
This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Missouri football lands highly ranked Georgia defensive end in portal
