With the graduation of sack leader Johnny Walker, Jr., the Tigers have found their pass rush replacement.
When your team already ranks atop the SEC rankings for best portal classes, complacency might strike a lesser coaching staff this close to the start of the spring semester. That doesn’t apply to Eli Drinkwitz and company, however, as they managed to supplement their already excellent portal class with the top pass rusher (according to On3) in the portal in former Georgia Bulldog Damon Wilson, beating out national championship contender Ohio State for his services.
After doing a great job filling in gaps in the secondary and linebackers through the portal this winter, the coaching staff checked off the final box on the “defensive needs” list by bringing in an elite athlete and accomplished havoc creator at an SEC level. This was vital for a defensive unit that has lost it’s top pass rusher to graduation in Johnny Walker, Jr. With the loss of Walker, Jr., the Tigers lose 44 tackles, 13 tackles for loss and 9.5 sacks. On top of that are twin freshman EDGE portal losses in Williams Nwaneri and Jaylen Brown, so the Tigers were in major need of an addition in that room.
It was an addition they found in Damon Wilson, the 6’4” 250 lbs. rising junior with two years of eligibility remaining. Wilson registered 22 total tackles, six tackles for loss and three sacks for Georgia in 2024 as well as forced and recovered two fumbles. So how does he slot in for the Tigers? Let’s take a look.
Where He Fits: Damon Wilson is a pass rusher first, second and third. He will slot in at one of the two defensive end positions Corey Batoon deploys on just about every down. It’s not clear if he’ll play Batoon’s Joker role or more of pure hand in the dirt rusher. However based on his tape, Wilson plays in a two-point stance more often than not. This makes me think he’ll be a more natural Joker than perhaps a Zion Young, who played more last year in a three-point stance. With six TFLs, 3.5 sacks, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries in his young career, Wilson is a havoc-inducer who lives in opponents backfields. That’s the direction Batoon and EDGE coach Brian Early will most likely point him early and often in Columbia.
When He’ll Play: Wilson will play immediately and almost definitely as a starter. He had more sacks last year than anyone on Mizzou’s roster so expect to see him early and often in 2025. With the losses of Walker, Jr., Nwaneri and Brown, there will be plenty of playing time to go around, and Wilson will slot in nicely across from a combination of Zion Young, Eddie Kelly, Jr. and former Georgia teammate Darris Smith.
What It Means: First and foremost, this means that Mizzou will be able to run out a stable of four dependable-to-good pass rushers in 2025. Wilson has all the tools to take the next step and become elite now that he doesn’t have to compete with five other 5-star Bulldogs for playing time, but at the very least he will give the Tigers consistent production in a spot where they lose a lot from 2024. Additionally, this further cements Mizzou not only as a player, but as a top contender in the Portal Wars for landing big fish, even over blue bloods like Ohio State. Whether or not this is the Tigers’ final addition this portal season, Wilson certainly puts the class over the top.