The Mizzou football positional breakdowns continue as the series steps over the defensive side of the ball.
Up next in the 2020 positional breakdown series is the defensive ends. Mizzou football has always produced great defensive linemen in the past, but this years group has some work to do to reach the status of past groups.
I will be breaking down the defensive side of the ball for the next few weeks, starting with the defensive end position.
DE1: Tre Wiliams- 6’5. 260 lbs (Sr.)
2019 Stats:
Games Played: 11
Total Tackles: 24
Sacks: 1
Williams got off to a fast start in his career as a Tiger. Williams made such a solid presence in his freshman year, that he was selected to the SEC All-Freshman Team. Williams’s 2018 year was cut short because of off the field issues, but he was able to bounce back last year.
Williams turned himself into a solid pass rusher last year. Williams had five QB hurries last year, which only trailed NFL draft pick, Jordan Elliot. I expect Williams to have a monster year and improve on his sack totals. Williams has the talent and size to be playing on Sundays for years to come.
DE1(B): Chris Turner- 6’4, 270 lbs (Sr.)
2019 Stats:
Games Played: 12
Total Tackles: 22
Sacks: 2
I project Turner to be on the opposite end of Williams. Turner is another experienced piece that is returning to a talented D-Line group.
Last year Turner’s best abilities were shown against the run. Turner is also an effective pass rusher depending on certain play calls by Ryan Walters. What makes Turner a good football player is his explosive first step. Turner uses his athleticism to win one on one matchups consistently.
DE3: Jatorian Hansford- 6’4, 255 lbs (Jr.)
2019 Stats:
Games Played: 11
Total Tackles: 16
Hansford has been a steady figure in the defensive line rotation in his first two years at Mizzou. He appeared in eight games as a freshman and last year appeared in eleven games, with three of those games earning a starting nod.
What sticks about Hansford is his physical attributes as a pass rusher. The ability to use his athleticism to get underneath the offensive lineman makes him extremely hard to block. Based on his production and talent that has been shown in the past two years, I expect Hansford to be an impact player in his final two years at Mizzou.
DE4: Sci Martin Jr.- 6’3, 250 lbs (Sr.)
Martin was a junior college transfer, so last year he was used sparingly to slowly ingratiate him into the system. The former LSU signee has the talent, but a knee injury in his first year in Baton Rouge has slowed down his impact on the field.
I believe that Martin will contribute much more this year after having another full offseason to learn the playbook. Martin will be used in situational packages or when the other top guys need a breather.