How does transfer corner Jahlil Florence fit with Missouri football in 2026?
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Mizzou’s first piece of portal business was a former top-100 recruit and a player who, by all indications, could come in and make an immediate impact on the Tigers’ 2026 defense.
Missouri football got its transfer portal window up and running Monday, when Oregon cornerback Jahlil Florence committed to the Tigers. He was, at the time, the first, but Mizzou signed four total players within the next 24 hours.
Cornerback was perhaps the biggest position of need on the Mizzou roster this offseason, as the Tigers are losing almost their entire rotation to eligibility.
The expectation is that MU will sign multiple corners in this window.
Here’s what you need to know about Florence, including how he might for the Tigers in 2026:
Will Jahlil Florence start for Missouri football in 2026?
Florence is almost certainly going to contend for a starting role on the 2026 Missouri defense. We need to see how the Tigers move forward at the cornerback position, because we’re expecting multiple newcomers, but Florence looks like he will be a name to know in the fall.
Mizzou is losing its three top players at the position — Toriano Pride Jr., Stephen Hall and Dreyden Norwood — to eligibility. They accounted for more than 90% of the corner snap share.
Missouri is also losing backups Mark Manfred III and Shamar McNeil to the transfer portal.
That means there is an express need for players, plural, to join the team at corner in this transfer window.
The Tigers added two freshmen in the Class of 2026, Jaxson Gates and Ahmod Billins, who will play corner, and Mizzou will return promising redshirt freshman Cam Keys and former contributor Nicholas DeLoach Jr. at the positon.
So, Florence will have some competition, but he’s clearly the most experienced and will be expected to be part of the rotation.
What is Florence’s strength?
Florence’s tackling numbers jump off the page. Not necessarily the amount or the frequency, but how little receivers tend to gain after making the catch.
Pro Football Focus — and these numbers aren’t always perfect — charted receivers as only getting 89 yards after the catch when Florence was the main coverage responsibility in the 2023 season, when he played his most football. On 24 receptions, that’s about 3.7 yards after the catch on average.
In limited pass-rush snaps, Florence has shown the ability to be useful as a blitzer. He rushed the passer seven times in 2023 and generated four QB pressures, including a sack.
At 6 foot 1, 190 pounds he has good size for the position, too.
Jahlil Florence hometown, high school, eligibility
Florence is from San Diego and went to Lincoln High. That means Mizzou will have two corners from the state of California on the roster next season, as Gates, a true freshman, is from La Verne.
It appears as though Florence will be able to play two more years of college football, despite not redshirting either of his true freshman or sophomore seasons with the Ducks.
He missed the entire 2024 seasons with a right meniscus injury, meaning he’s eligible for a medical redshirt. Florence did not play in more than four games in 2025, meaning he is also eligible for a regular redshirt.
That should give him two years with the Tigers.
Jahlil Florence high school recruiting ranking
Florence was a four-star recruit in the Class of 2022, checking in as the No. 83-overall player in 247Sports’ national rankings that year. He was the No. 11-ranked corner and the No. 9-ranked player in the state of California.
In 247Sports’ transfer portal rankings for 2026, he is the No. 319 player available and the No. 30 corner.
Jahlil Florence college football stats
Florence played his most football in 2023, when he started 11 games and made 12 appearances for Oregon and played 392 snaps. Per PFF, he allowed 24 catches on 37 total targets that were his responsibility for 297 yards and one touchdown.
He recorded an interception and a pass breakup, as well as one sack among 24 total tackles.
Over his career, Florence has two picks, two pass breakups and 30 total tackles.
This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: What to expect from CB Jahlil Florence at Missouri football in 2026
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