Missouri lost a key piece of its defense Thursday. Defensive tackle Mekhi Wingo confirmed to PowerMizzou that he intends to enter the NCAA transfer portal.
Wingo, a St. Louis native, appeared in all 13 Missouri games this season as a true freshman. He made four starts. Wingo recorded 27 tackles and one sack and returned an interception 40 yards for a touchdown. He was named to the SEC all-freshman team following the year.
Wingo’s departure comes as a surprise not just because of his role during his first year on Missouri’s campus but because he was the first high school prospect to commit to the Tigers following the hire of Eli Drinkwitz when he did so in January of 2020. Following his senior season at De Smet high, Wingo was named the Missouri Gatorade Player of the Year.
Wingo led all Missouri defensive tackles in tackles last season. Following his departure, the Tigers will likely lean on Darius Robinson and Oklahoma State transfer Jayden Jernigan on the interior of the line. Jernigan committed to the Tigers on Sunday. The only other returning defensive tackle aside from Robinson to play meaningful snaps a season ago was former junior college transfer Realus George.
This is a developing story. Stay tuned for further updates.
