Missouri football has taken its first significant step toward reshaping its roster for the 2026 season by securing a key addition through the transfer portal. According to a Monday report from Cody Goodwin of 247Sports, the Tigers have landed former Oregon cornerback Jahlil Florence, marking Missouri’s first portal commitment for the 2026 cycle. The move represents both an important individual pickup and a broader signal of how aggressively Missouri plans to address its looming needs in the secondary.
Florence arrived at Oregon as one of the more highly regarded defensive backs in the 2022 recruiting class. A standout at Lincoln High School in San Diego, California, he was rated as a four-star prospect and ranked as the No. 83 overall player nationally in his class. His talent and upside were widely recognized during the recruiting process, drawing scholarship offers from several of college football’s premier programs, including Michigan, Miami, LSU, and USC, among others. Ultimately, Florence chose Oregon, where he quickly became part of the Ducks’ defensive rotation.
Now, after several seasons in Eugene, Florence is set to continue his collegiate career in Columbia. He brings with him valuable experience at the Power Five level, along with two remaining years of eligibility—an important factor for a Missouri program looking to stabilize and rebuild its cornerback depth heading into 2026.
Florence’s career, however, has not followed a perfectly smooth trajectory. After showing promise early on, his development was interrupted by a significant leg injury suffered in November of the 2023 season. That injury ultimately sidelined him for the entirety of the 2024 campaign, forcing him to miss a full year of live action. While injuries are an unfortunate reality of football, the timing was especially challenging for Florence, as he had just established himself as a starter for Oregon.
Despite the setback, Florence returned to the field in 2025. He appeared in the Ducks’ first two games of the season, offering a glimpse of his recovery and readiness to play. However, on Nov. 3, he announced his decision to enter the transfer portal, signaling his intent to seek a fresh start elsewhere. Missouri emerged as the landing spot, giving Florence an opportunity to reestablish himself and potentially play a significant role in a new defensive system.
Before his injury, Florence had already built a respectable résumé at Oregon. During the 2023 season, his true sophomore year, he earned a starting role in the Ducks’ secondary. That season, he totaled 27 tackles, added a pass breakup, recorded a sack, and intercepted one pass. His versatility and physicality were evident, as he contributed both in coverage and in run support. Even earlier, as a true freshman, Florence managed to make an impact, recording an interception while adjusting to the speed and complexity of the college game.
Advanced metrics further underscore his effectiveness when healthy. Across his freshman and sophomore seasons, Florence allowed 33 receptions on 57 targets for a total of 396 yards, according to Pro Football Focus. Those numbers suggest a corner capable of holding his own against high-level competition, particularly given his youth during those seasons. For Missouri, adding a player with that kind of experience and statistical profile is a meaningful step, especially considering the state of the roster at the position.
Florence’s arrival, however, is far from the end of Missouri’s work in the transfer portal. In fact, it may only be the beginning. The Tigers are facing a major transition at cornerback heading into the 2026 season, with significant departures expected. Missouri will return just two scholarship cornerbacks from its 2025 roster, and neither of them were starters last season. True freshman Cam Keys and redshirt sophomore Nick DeLoach are currently the only returning scholarship players at the position, leaving the depth chart thin and largely unproven.
Compounding the issue is the loss of Missouri’s entire starting cornerback trio. Drey Norwood, Toriano Pride Jr., and Stephen Hall are all set to exhaust their eligibility, leaving sizable voids in experience, leadership, and on-field production. Replacing three starters at once is a difficult task under any circumstances, and it becomes even more challenging when the remaining roster options are limited.
To help address that shortage, Missouri will welcome two incoming freshmen as part of its 2026 recruiting class. Four-star cornerback Jaxson Gates headlines the group, bringing with him a strong recruiting pedigree and long-term upside. He will be joined by three-star prospect Ahmod Billins, who adds additional depth and developmental potential. While both players could factor into the future of the program, relying solely on true freshmen to fill immediate holes in the secondary would be risky. That reality makes the transfer portal an essential tool for Missouri’s coaching staff.
Florence, therefore, represents a critical bridge between youth and experience. With multiple years of eligibility remaining, he is positioned to contribute right away while also serving as a stabilizing presence as younger players develop. His prior experience as a starter in a major conference gives Missouri a degree of certainty at a time when the cornerback room is undergoing major change.
Missouri is also actively pursuing additional reinforcements at the position. One notable name to watch is former Michigan cornerback Elijah Dotson. According to Allen Trieu of 247Sports, Dotson has a visit scheduled with Missouri, signaling mutual interest between the player and the program. Like Florence, Dotson was a four-star recruit coming out of high school, hailing from Belleville High School in Michigan.
Dotson is earlier in his collegiate career, having appeared as a true freshman during the 2025 season. While his role at Michigan was limited, he still logged 93 defensive snaps, according to Pro Football Focus. During that time, he recorded 11 tackles and intercepted one pass, showing flashes of the playmaking ability that made him a highly regarded recruit. Adding a player like Dotson would further bolster Missouri’s depth and give the coaching staff additional flexibility as it rebuilds the secondary.
Beyond cornerback, Missouri faces challenges elsewhere in the defensive backfield as well. The safety room is set for its own period of transition. Starter Marvin Burks is expected to depart via the transfer portal, while veteran Jalen Catalon will move on due to eligibility constraints. Losing both a starter and a rotational contributor places additional pressure on the Tigers to retool the back end of their defense.
Taken together, these changes illustrate why Missouri is likely to remain active in the transfer portal throughout the offseason. The addition of Jahlil Florence is a meaningful first step, but it is unlikely to be the last. With multiple positions in the secondary in flux, the Tigers will need to balance portal acquisitions with incoming freshmen to assemble a competitive and cohesive defensive unit for 2026.
For Florence, the move to Missouri represents an opportunity for renewal. After enduring a season-long injury and a limited return to action, he now has a chance to reset his trajectory and play a prominent role on a defense in need of experienced contributors. If healthy, his combination of size, athleticism, and game experience could make him a cornerstone of Missouri’s secondary during a pivotal period for the program.
As the offseason progresses, Missouri’s success in addressing its defensive back needs—starting with Florence and potentially continuing with players like Dotson—will play a major role in shaping expectations for the 2026 season. For now, the Tigers have made their first move, and it’s one that signals intent, urgency, and a clear understanding of what lies ahead.
