After two exits earlier this week, Missouri lost three more players to the transfer portal over the weekend.
Running back Taj Butts announced his entrance into the portal Saturday afternoon. The De Smet graduate appeared in six games over the course of two seasons with the Tigers, with all action coming in 2022. He made one start against South Carolina, where he made one reception for 10 yards.
A three-star recruit out of high school, Butts enters the portal with three years of eligibility remaining.
Redshirt freshman defensive back Marcus Scott II entered the transfer portal on Sunday, he announced via his personal Twitter.
A coveted four-star prospect out of high school, Scott was expected to make an impact for MU. The Houston native missed all of his 2022 freshman season due to injury. With several key veterans returning and multiple transfer additions in the secondary, Scott has decided to test his luck in the portal with four years of eligibility remaining.
According to his Twitter account, he has already received offers from California and Coastal Carolina.
Former Auburn transfer defensive lineman Ian Mathews also entered the portal Sunday, according to Mike Farrell Sports. After a redshirt freshman season with Auburn, Mathews transferred to MU, where he failed to make an appearance in 2022. He has three years of eligibility remaining.
Butts, Scott and Mathews joined tight end Gavin McKay and defensive back Justin Efebera as Tigers to enter the portal this week.
Potential MU targets in the portal
The new NCAA transfer portal opened Saturday and will remain open until April 30. During this period, players can talk to and transfer to other schools or choose to return without any guarantee of a scholarship. Here are some potential transfers to keep an eye on.
Houston offensive lineman Cam'Ron Johnson is currently in the portal and was offered by MU on March 10. He visited Columbia this weekend, where he was reunited with his old offensive line coach Brandon Jones, who was hired by the Tigers from Houston earlier this month.
Johnson was a three-star recruit out of high school and started all 13 games at left guard for the Cougars in 2022. He received first-team All-American Athletic Conference honors after allowing just one sack all season. He is scheduled to take an official visit to USC next weekend, according to On3's Scott Schrader.
MU offered Appalachian State offensive lineman Troy Everett on Saturday, according to the player's Twitter account. Everett received second team Freshman All-American honors from The Athletic after appearing in 10 of 12 games last season. He started six games at center, a position noted by MU coach Eli Drinkwitz as needing improvement throughout spring practices.
The 6-foot-3, 285-pound Virginia-native has also received offers from Virginia Tech, Oklahoma, Illinois and others.
