Recruiting Reset: Demarcus Johnson is an elite addition at DE

Mizzou’s recruiting trail, in all sports, continues to heat up, and the Tigers added another recruit to their 2026 class in hopes of catching up with the rest of the conference.

Missouri added its first defensive lineman in top junior college recruit Demarcus Johnson. Johnson ranks No. 2 in JUCO recruits in the 2026 class, per Rivals.

Johnson, a Missouri City, Texas product, had offers from other top schools like LSU, Mississippi State and Houston, but chose the Tigers. He took an official visit to Baton Rogue, Louisiana, at the end of May, then visited Columbia in mid June. Johnson was also in Columbia for the Tigers’ Homecoming victory against Massachusetts.

From Sammy’s commitment post:

Last season at the JUCO level, Johnson had 29 total tackles (8.5 TFLs), four sacks, two pass breakups, a forced fumble, and two fumble recoveries.

Johnson helped Hutchinson Community College to a 11-1 record and a NJCAA Credit Union 1 Division I Football National Championship last season, and has helped the Blue Dragons to a 3-0 start to begin the 2025 campaign.

The 6’8 lineman joins safetyTony Forney and linebacker Keenan Harris as the third defensive pieces so far in the 2026 recruiting class. Recently, four-star EDGE Micah Nickerson also flipped his recruitment from Mississippi State to give Missouri a fourth defensive commitment in the class.

Johnson had a super dominant junior season based on his highlights. It would’ve been clear to any scout, he’s not suited for junior college. He had the ability to overpower the offensive line when needed, but he was also quick enough to get around them. His game sense seems really strong, he’s always looking to get the ball back to his offense whether it’s loose on the ground or a tipable pass. The rest of his defensive line was also strong, which makes his job easier, but it was apparent that he was faster and stronger than most of the guys on the field. He lines up on both edges, posing a dual threat, and will hope to take his game to the next level as he enters the fierce SEC.

Where He Fits: The Missouri City, Texas, product plays on both edges at Hutchinson Community College, and will likely fit in at either DE or JACK for the Tigers. With that being a strength of Mizzou right now — with the likes of Damon Wilson and Zion Young — I don’t blame Johnson for wanting to become a part of an elite defensive unit ran by DC Corey Batoon.

When He Plays: Johnson will look to come to Mizzou and make an instant impact. Whether Damon Wilson goes to the draft or stays is still unknown but with Zion Young in his final year of eligibility, it’s likely Johnson has a chance to get playing time early. If he’s able to translate his play to the SEC, with the size and strength he already has, it’ll be hard for Eli Drinkwitz to keep him off the field.

What It Means: Any addition to the 2026 class is a good one at this point, especially with the Tigers ranked No. 77 in 247Sports composite class rankings. With how strongly Drinkwitz has been swaying towards the transfer portal, it’s hard to tell what this really means and whether he gets an early opportunity, or if Drink just gets another five-star edge rusher from the portal. Either way, Johnson is an elite talent to add to the group, which should keep Brian Early happy.