Just a day after losing four-star running back commit Terry Hodges to Arkansas, Missouri football saw two 2026 recruits flip their commitments on the first day of the early signing period.
Four-star edge rusher Micah Nickerson recommitted to Mississippi State, and three-star safety Tony Forney is headed to Pitt.
Missouri now has the No. 35 recruiting class in the nation, according to 247Sports — a far cry from No. 25 just a day prior.
Nickerson and Forney would have slotted into a defense that was ranked one of the best in the nation for a majority of the 2025 campaign under defensive coordinator Corey Batoon.
Nickerson, in particular, would have joined a defensive front that became one of the most feared in the Southeastern Conference this season, being ranked first in the conference in total defense for multiple weeks.
The 6-foot-5, 215-pound defensive lineman from Magnolia, Mississippi, fielded numerous Division I offers before committing to the Tigers on Sept. 28.
With edge rusher Zion Young likely headed to the draft, the starting pair of Darris Smith and Damon Wilson II stands as Missouri’s only two proven names at the edge position. Behind them, Nickerson’s departure is even more significant, considering he was the only edge rusher in Missouri’s 2026 class.
Defensive ends Langden Kitchen and Nate Johnson will certainly get playing time, but in the pre–transfer portal scene, questions about depth at the edge rusher position are apparent.
As for Forney, he leaves a pair of three-stars in Brody Jones and Carter Stewart as the two other safety prospects in the 2026 cycle for Eliah Drinkwitz’s team.
The Marietta, Georgia, product has been pledged to the Tigers since July 4, making the flip to Pitt a surprise.
With the starting pair of safeties Daylan Carnell and Jalen Catalon slated to graduate, names like Marvin Burks Jr., Santana Banner and Mose Phillips III stand out as the ones to watch for starting gigs next season.
While losing Forney may not have a huge impact, as the Tigers have a stacked defensive backfield and two other recruits coming in at the same position, Nickerson’s decision leaves Missouri short-handed in edge rushers.
Nickerson would have had a better chance than most freshmen to see the field his first year in Columbia, being the only edge rusher recruit and jumping into a situation on the defensive line that leaves plenty to be desired.
With the early signing period in full swing, Missouri could see a multitude of other moves in the recruiting cycle before things close up.
