Add a second to the secondary.
Missouri football landed a commitment from Virginia Tech transfer safety Mose Phillips III on Thursday, per a report from On3's Hayes Fawcett that the safety shared to his X account. Phillips is the second safety to commit to the Tigers in the December transfer portal window, and the seventh player overall.
Phillips, an Antioch, Tennessee native, has played 25 games with 13 starts for the Hokies since committing in the Class of 2023 as a three-star prospect.
He took over starting duties this season, 65 total tackles, four pass breakups, one interception, one sack, 3.5 tackles for loss and one forced fumble. He is listed at 6 foot 2, 193 pounds.
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The Tigers are making quick work plugging upcoming holes on the roster at safety.
After Mizzou's Music City Bowl game against Iowa on Dec. 30 in Nashville, Tennessee, three key players from the Tigers ' core rotation — Joseph Charleston, Tre'Vez Johnson and Sidney Williams Sr. — will exhaust their eligibility. Backup safety Phillip Roche also left the program in November and has entered the transfer portal.
That leaves Missouri with just two returning starters at safety, with Marvin Burks Jr. and hybrid 'star' linebacker/safety Daylan Carnell both currently expected to return. The Tigers are able to bring back a depth piece in Caleb Flagg and true freshmen Trajen Greco and Jackson Hancock. Mizzou signed one safety in its Class of 2025, as East St. Louis product Charles Bass III signed his letter of intent.
Now, Mizzou has two transfers joining the room: Phillips and Northern Illinois transfer Santana Banner.
Depending on the specific roles Missouri's staff tabs for each player, that gets the Tigers close to having two players with collegiate experience at each of its three safety positions. If Mizzou opts to ends its recruitment at the safety spot after Phillips' signing, then Greco likely will need to make the leap from a primarily special teams role to a key depth piece in the secondary.
Phillips — whose father played fullback at Tennessee — comes with some versatility, having lined up at multiple spots in the secondary for Virginia Tech. He has two remaining years of eligibility.
Missouri now has seven different players on board, including Phillips and Banner. The Tigers have signed running back Ahmad Hardy and wide receiver Kevin Coleman on offense, and they also have added linebackers Mikai Gbayor and Josiah Trotter and defensive end Langden Kitchen on defense.
This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Missouri football lands Virginia Tech safety Mose Phillips III
