Missouri and head coach Eli Drinkwitz continue to attack the transfer portal with a clear goal in mind: stacking enough proven talent to keep the Tigers firmly in the College Football Playoff conversation next season. Over the past week, Mizzou has focused heavily on upgrading its secondary, already adding depth with the signing of former Michigan defensive back Elijah Dotson.
That push continued with an even bigger addition. Former Ole Miss defensive back, a multi-year contributor in the SEC, is set to suit up for Missouri beginning in the 2026 season, giving the Tigers another experienced piece on the back end of the defense.
Graves brings both pedigree and production to Columbia. He spent three seasons at Ole Miss, with his role expanding significantly in 2025. That year, he started nine games for a Rebels team that surged all the way to the College Football Playoff semifinals, finishing the season with 33 tackles. Across his career in Oxford, Graves totaled 61 tackles, seven passes defended, and two forced fumbles, consistently showing his ability to impact games in coverage and as a physical defender.
Coming out of high school, Graves was one of the nation’s top prospects. He was rated a four-star recruit in the 2022 class by the 247Sports Composite and ranked as the No. 125 overall player in the country. Originally signing with Miami, he transferred to Ole Miss in 2023, where he ultimately developed into a reliable starter in one of the SEC’s most competitive environments.
Missouri fielded one of the stronger defenses in college football last season, and the additions Drinkwitz and his staff have made through the portal suggest that unit isn’t taking a step back anytime soon. With experienced transfers like Graves joining the fold, the Tigers appear poised to once again lean on a high-level defense as they chase bigger goals in the seasons ahead.