Eli Drinkwitz and Missouri appear to have completed their defensive end group with the addition of Miami transfer Malik Bryant, according to multiple reports Friday morning. Bryant entered the transfer portal with a do-not-contact designation and is expected to have one year of eligibility remaining.
A former four-star recruit in the 2023 class, Bryant is an Orlando native who had one notably productive season with the Hurricanes. During his sophomore year in 2024, he played in 12 games and posted 17 tackles, five tackles for loss, and 1.5 sacks. This past season, however, he appeared in just four games, recording two tackles while dealing with injuries and playing behind standout defensive end Akheem Mesidor. Despite the depth chart, Bryant was projected to contribute in a rotational role and on special teams.
As a freshman, Bryant saw action in eight games, primarily on special teams. He ranked as the No. 169 overall prospect in the 2023 class, the No. 16 edge player nationally, and the No. 38 recruit in Florida based on composite rankings. At Jones High School in Orlando, he mainly played on the edge but also spent time as a true linebacker, giving him coverage experience. Still, his biggest strength is using his speed off the outside.
That speed adds an intriguing element to Missouri’s defensive end room. Bryant joins players like Darris Smith and Florida State transfer Jaden Jones, both known for their combination of size and athletic ability. Listed at 6-foot-2 and 240 pounds, Bryant fits well within that group.
Missouri will also feature Langden Kitchen, Daeden Hopkins, Louisville transfer CJ May, and JUCO addition DeMarcus Johnson, who bring more size and power to the position. Smith, Jones, and Bryant, by contrast, rely more heavily on speed. Overall, Drinkwitz has assembled a versatile edge group, though it likely won’t match last season’s unit that included Zion Young and Damon Wilson II. Losing Wilson—who is widely expected to transfer to Miami—was the Tigers’ biggest portal departure, and replacing the production and impact of that duo was always going to be difficult.
