Is Darris Smith the next breakout star in an impressive line of Mizzou edge rushers?

Once Missouri had assembled its roster for the 2026 season, Smith was the guy who seemed primed to lead the position group and step into a breakout season, or at least that's how it looked on paper.

Now, with only a month before the season starts, Smith seems primed to be that guy. According to edge coach Brian Early, it has been driven by an impressive and unprecedented (to Early) overhaul of his physique.

“Probably the best physical transformation I've ever seen, going from a junior year to a senior year,” Early said Sunday. “Sometimes you see that from a freshman going into his sophomore year, but for a guy this late in his career to make that type of physical transformation, it's a testament to his mindset, his work ethic in the offseason.”

The rapid improvements Smith has made in practice have stemmed from those changes to his body. According to Early and head coach Eli Drinkwitz, Smith is up to 265 pounds and he’s running as fast in workouts as when he weighed 232.

For a 6-foot-5 pass rusher known for his explosiveness, adding that weight and not losing any of his best trait is setting him up for success. Early referenced Smith's work with Mizzou's director of athletic performance, Ryan Russell, know around the team as, "Coach Russ."

“The top end of our goal for him was 255. So, obviously he has surpassed our expectations,” Early said. “He was on the GPS system a couple of weeks ago for Coach Russ in one of our workouts. He was two-tenths of a second off of his (personal record) from a miles-per-hour standpoint, and he set that PR at 232 pounds. So he's still running as fast as he did 33 pounds ago. So, that's impressive.”

A lot went into Smith’s offseason transformation that has him set up for a big fifth season of college football. Smith had to adjust small things in his day-to-day regimen to put him in a position to take bigger steps.

“For Darris, just getting his nutrition, his hydration, his lifestyle, his workouts, his headspace, getting all of that in a really good place has really accelerated him this offseason,” Early said.

Smith’s nutrition did have to change in order for him to put on significant weight over the offseason. Once he made those things, after conversations with the training staff and nutritionists, the path to improving his body came together easily.

“You just got to find the things that you can't eat, and/or that you will eat even if you're not hungry,” Smith said. “Once you get that, and you talk to your weight-training coaches and nutritionists, I feel like it all comes together and it's a pretty easy process.”

Early and the defensive coaching staff have been careful not to compare Smith to others who have come before him. Young made a huge impact on Mizzou football, enough to get picked in the second round of the 2026 NFL Draft. Smith isn’t Young, though, and he will carry himself and go about his business in a different manner.

“I don't want to put any external pressure on Darris to try to be Zion (Young),” Early said. “You got to be uniquely yourself. Darris is not a vocal leader in the way that Zion was. The best thing that Darris Smith can do for us right now is continue to lead the example that he's been living down there in the weight room and with nutrition and everything else over the last five or six months.”

Even if he isn’t the vocal presence Young was over the past two seasons, Smith is an important figure in the locker room. Early said Smith has the respect of his fellow defensive teammates and that others follow when he acts.

Having the support and respect of people he calls his brothers has made the work he put in during the offseason easier to go through. They push him as much as he pushes them.

“You have a relationship with your teammates, your brothers and the coaches. It just makes everything easier,” Smith said. “Just knowing that guys are looking up to you, it just makes you want to keep the standard. You want to keep that up, keep that on your mind when you wake up.”

Last season, Smith recorded 16 total tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and four sacks in 13 appearances for the Tigers. He was able to show off his versatility throughout the season and it has set him up for a breakout year.

“He's got a tremendous explosion. He plays the game physical and violent, and I think he had four last year too,” head coach Eli Drinkwitz said at SEC Media Days. “So he's got (the) ability to stop the run, rush the passer, and we can't wait to see his skill set come to fruition. It's his turn now.”

With all of Smith’s changes in the offseason comes plenty of excitement. His physical transformation, for the time being, is complete, meaning he can focus on the refinement of his skills, along with winning and getting into the backfield.

“Especially with the weight I put on, I feel like this (season) is going to be pretty good. I'm excited for the season,” Smith said. “I'm ready for the first run play I can take on and get a tackle for a loss.”

Smith and MU start their season Sept. 3 against Arkansas-Pine Bluff.