Four Missouri Tigers players were selected on April 24 during the second day of the 2026 National Football League Draft in Pittsburgh. Defensive end Zion Young and linebacker Josiah Trotter were chosen consecutively in the second round, with Young going to the Baltimore Ravens as the 45th pick and Trotter being selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at number 46. In the third round, defensive tackle Chris McClellan was picked by Green Bay at number 77, followed by Keagen Trost, who went to the Los Angeles Rams with the 93rd selection.
This year’s draft marks a significant achievement for Missouri football. The four selections within the top 100 matches a school record set in 2009 when Jeremy Maclin, Ziggy Hood, William Moore, and Chase Coffman were all taken early. The consecutive picks of Young and Trotter also represent only the second time that Missouri teammates have been drafted back-to-back; this last occurred in 1981.
Young played a leading role on defense for Missouri during his senior season. He was named first team All-Southeastern Conference (SEC) by league coaches after recording an average of more than one tackle for loss per game. He finished with a total of 42 tackles, including six-and-a-half sacks and two forced fumbles.
Trotter transferred from West Virginia and started twelve games for Missouri last season. He earned first team All-SEC honors from league coaches while leading his team with eighty-four tackles. His performance helped anchor a defense that ranked among national leaders in several categories including total defense and scoring defense.
McClellan received second team All-SEC recognition from The Associated Press after contributing forty-eight tackles as well as six sacks during his senior year anchoring Missouri’s defensive line interior. Trost transferred from Wake Forest to play right tackle for Missouri where he earned first team All-America honors from Pro Football Focus and contributed to one of college football’s most productive rushing offenses.
The final rounds of this year’s NFL Draft are scheduled to continue Saturday morning with live coverage available across multiple television networks.
