Mizzou's depth at defensive end is beginning to thin.
Missouri football freshman edge rusher Jaylen Brown intends to enter the transfer portal, he confirmed to the Tribune on Wednesday. He is reportedly the second MU freshman edge rusher in as many days to make that decision, following Tuesday reports about Williams Nwaneri.
Both PFF and the Missouri athletics website show Brown as appearing in four games this season, which would mean he preserved a redshirt.
Brown, a Madison, Alabama, product, played 37 snaps, according to PFF, and recorded one tackle. He saw the most action in the second half of MU's season-opening games against Murray State and Buffalo, and made brief appearances against Alabama and South Carolina .
The defensive end, listed at 6-foot-5, 265 pounds, was a four-star commit in the Class of 2024. Per the recruiting service 247Sports, he was the No. 282-ranked prospect in his class in the country, and he was the No. 37-ranked defensive lineman.
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With Nwaneri and Brown exploring opportunities in the portal, Mizzou 's defensive end depth for its Dec. 30 bowl game — and beyond — is light.
After the Tigers play in the Music City Bowl against Iowa, senior defensive ends Johnny Walker Jr. and Joe Moore III will have exhausted their college eligibility.
That leaves Zion Young, Jakhai Lang, Eddie Kelly Jr. and Darris Smith as eligible returners. Mizzou also signed No. 42 overall national prospect Javion Hilson and four-star Hermann, Missouri, native Daeden Hopkins in the Class of 2025. Hilson is expected to be an early enrollee, meaning he will arrive on campus in January.
With a lack of returning depth, Mizzou is very likely to try to add an experienced defensive end out of the transfer portal. The Tigers recently made an offer to recent Kansas freshman defensive end Deshawn Warner, per a post to his X account.
With Nwaneri and Brown both expected to enter the portal, Mizzou is now on the verge of losing two of its top-three ranked recruits in the Class of 2024.
This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Jaylen Brown of Missouri football to enter transfer portal
