Four players leaving Mizzou football program via transfer portal ahead of Tigers’ bowl

Four University of Missouri football players have entered their names into the transfer portal in less than 24 hours.

Starting tight end Daniel Parker Jr. was the first domino to fall Sunday night. His transfer out of the program was followed by defensive back Chris Shearin, tight end Messiah Swinson and defensive back Ish Burdine. All four players have already been removed from the team’s online roster.

Wide receiver Ja’Mori Maclin and linebacker Jamie Pettway both transferred out of the Mizzou program earlier in the season, bringing the number of midseason transfers to six.

In statements released on Twitter, Parker made a point to thank former head coach Barry Odom and his staff, teammates and fans, but didn’t mention current head coach Eliah Drinkwitz. Shearin also didn’t mention Drinkwitz, though he thanked the former staff and his teammates, along with defensive assistants.

The Tigers will now be short at the tight end position. And an already depleted secondary will have even fewer options for this year’s bowl game, though Shearin and Burdine had been dealing with injuries, anyway.

Parker was the top tight end for Mizzou this season, recording 12 receptions for 93 yards and three touchdowns while also earning praise for his blocking ability. The senior was the hero of MU’s Nov. 20 victory over Florida, securing the ball in the end zone on a two-point conversion in overtime to ensure bowl eligibility for the Tigers.

The Kansas City native and Blue Springs High product came to Mizzou as a four-star recruit. He signed as a defensive end in 2018 but then switched to offense. He recorded 41 receptions for 337 yards and four touchdowns through his four seasons at MU. He missed half of the 2020 season because of a concussion and also some time in 2019 after an eye infection nearly ended his football career.

Swinson, a redshirt junior, had seen the third-most snaps among the team’s tight ends this season, but he saw an uptick against Arkansas with Parker out and was expected to take over the second spot once Parker announced his transfer.

The Tigers will now rely heavily on junior Niko Hea, who was the primary backup tight end for most of this season. Also, true freshman Ryan Hoerstkamp will step into a larger role.

Burdine started the first five games of the season at cornerback for Mizzou but had since been listed as “out” on the team’s injury report. He played in eight of 10 contests in 2020 and all but one the year prior, totaling 17 total tackles across his time with the program.

Shearin was designated as out on the injury report for the last two games. He mostly played special teams across the 2019 and 2021 seasons (he opted out of 2020). But he had helped fill in at the nickel spot. He had four career tackles.

The Mizzou secondary had already lost safety Shawn Robinson and cornerback Ennis Rakestraw to season-ending injuries. Cornerback Akayleb Evans missed the Florida game with a soft tissue injury but played last weekend against Arkansas after being listed as questionable.

If the Tigers intend to win a bowl game, they’ll need younger players in their secondary to step up.

Missouri’s bowl assignment has yet to be determined. The Tigers finished the regular season with a 6-6 record, making that contest all the more important in determining the success of year two under Drinkwitz.