Over the span of just 24 hours, Missouri and Miami effectively swapped edge rushers. Not officially, of course—but the results feel very real. And so far, this exchange looks anything but even.

Miami landed Damon Wilson II, a former Tiger and projected first-round NFL pick, for his final collegiate season. Missouri, meanwhile, brought in Malik Bryant, a former four-star recruit who struggled to carve out a consistent role with the Hurricanes.

That’s where the imbalance starts to show.

Bryant appeared in only four games this past season, recording two tackles. In 2024, he saw more action—12 games, 17 tackles, and 1.5 sacks—but the production still doesn’t come close to matching what Wilson provided or what Missouri just lost.

A Growing Concern at Edge

With Zion Young and Damon Wilson II both gone, Missouri suddenly finds itself thin—and unproven—on the edge. Head coach Eli Drinkwitz moved quickly to add depth, bringing in transfers like Jaden Jones (Florida State) and CJ May (Louisville). The problem? Neither has recorded a career sack.

Missouri clearly tried to reload, but landing top-tier edge talent proved elusive. Instead, the Tigers are now leaning heavily on development, upside, and hope. Expecting to fully replace the production of Young and Wilson was always unrealistic—but right now, it doesn’t look particularly close.

Boom-or-Bust Territory

To be fair, college football has a way of surprising people. Any one of these newcomers could break out, making Drinkwitz look like a long-term chess player rather than a short-term loser. But until that happens, the concern is obvious: where is the pass rush coming from?

There’s still a chance Missouri adds another piece from the portal—cough, cough, Cayden Lee—but assuming no late moves, this edge group is likely set.

For now, Miami walks away with the proven star. Missouri walks away with questions. Time will tell if the Tigers did enough—but at the moment, this “trade” has a very obvious winner