Two more Mizzou football players set to enter transfer portal
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Once the spring transfer window opens up on April 16, Mizzou football will have a total of four players throwing their names into the portal.
On Thursday, a team spokesperson confirmed with ABC 17 that cornerback Ja'Marion Wayne and linebacker Mikai Gbayor are both set to hit the portal.
For Wayne, the decision comes after spending three seasons in Columbia. The St. Louis native came to Mizzou as a wide receiver, but switched over to cornerback after his freshman campaign.
Wayne hasn't necessarily gotten a ton of playing time with the Tigers. In 2023, he saw action in all 13 games, primarily in a special teams role, and then, in 2024, he got into 10 of the team's 13 games. In that final season in Columbia, Wayne recorded five total tackles, one fumble recovery and one pass defended.
Gbayor made it through spring camp with the Mizzou football team before deciding to find himself a new home. The decision comes just three months after he transferred to MU from Nebraska.
The 6-foot-2, 230-pound linebacker played in 12 games in 2024 for the Huskers, with 11 starts. He set a career-high 49 tackles, 6.0 tackles for loss, 1.0 sack, three pass breakups and two fumble recoveries.
After spending four years in Lincoln, Nebraska, Gbayor transferred to Mizzou in Dec. of 2024. He was a part of a transfer class that included former West Virginia star linebacker Josiah Trotter, as well. Gbayor will leave behind a linebacker corps that features Trotter, veteran Triston Newson, returner Khalil Jacobs, Michigan-transfer Jeremiah Beasley, true freshman Dante McClellan and others.
It's important to note that Gbayor committed to the when the linebacker room was in a much different state. At the time, Newson was not set to return for one more year. But, after the NCAA's decision to grant junior college players an extra year of eligibility Newson decided to give it one last go in Columbia. With the amount of depth in that room, playing time will be at a premium.
With Gbayor and Wayne's departures, there will be four Tigers entering the transfer portal during the spring window, along with quarterback Drew Pyne and defensive end Jahkai Lang.
