Mizzou football lands two transfer additions, bolsters O-line with Houston's Cam'Ron Johnson

COLUMBIA, Mo. — As the transfer portal continues to churn this offseason, Eli Drinkwitz has addressed one of Missouri’s major roster issues, landing one of the prized offensive linemen on the transfer market. Cam’Ron Johnson, an all-conference guard at Houston, announced his verbal commitment on Saturday, following to Columbia former Houston O-line coach Brandon Jones, whom Drinkwitz hired earlier this spring.

Johnson, a first-team All-American Athletic Conference selection in 2022, recently visited Southern California and Colorado before picking Mizzou. The 6-foot-4, 305-pound Houston native has two years of remaining eligibility.

That wasn’t Mizzou’s only commitment Saturday: Defensive end Nyles Gaddy, an edge rusher from Jackson State, also committed to MU, fortifying a position the Tigers have looked to address this offseason. Gaddy had 40 tackles, 11 for losses and seven sacks last fall for Jackson State as a redshirt sophomore. The Nashville native began his career at Tennessee, where he redshirted in 2018 and appeared in one game in 2019. He’ll have one more year of eligibility.

At Houston, Johnson played 1,500 snaps the last two seasons combined, all at left guard. In 2022, he was flagged for 11 penalties and credited with 13 pressures allowed, but in 556 pass-blocking snaps he allowed just one sack and two quarterback hits. Johnson is expected to compete for Mizzou’s starting center position. Connor Tollison started every game last fall as a redshirt freshman, but the staff has been looking to upgrade the depth there this offseason. Mizzou also pursued former Appalachian State center Troy Everett, but after a string of visits, including a stop at MU, he committed to Oklahoma on Friday.

At defensive end, the Tigers added Arizona State transfer and St. Louis native Joe Moore this offseason but recently lost sophomore Arden Walker to the transfer portal.