Missouri standout defensive lineman Darius Robinson on track to being available against LSU

No. 21 Missouri is on track to get back a key piece of its defense for its game against No. 23 LSU today.

The current belief is that Tigers standout defensive lineman Darius Robinson will be able to play vs. LSU after missing Mizzou’s SEC opener against Vanderbilt last week due to an injury, a source tells On3.

Robinson, one of Missouri’s top defensive players and a projected 2024 NFL draft pick, practiced all week, per a source.

Tigers head coach Eli Drinkwitz had classified Robinson as questionable earlier this week.

“He does everything he possibly can to get back,” Drinkwitz said earlier this week. “It’s a soft tissue muscle situation. So we’ll attack it and we’ll see where he’s at and if he can go. I know he wants to go. If he can’t, then we’ll operate without him.”

Robinson, a third-year starter, posted 13 tackles, 2.5 tackles for loss and a sack in Mizzou’s first four games. He tallied 35 tackles, 5.5 tackles for loss and 3.5 sacks last season.

Aided by Robinson, the 5-0 Tigers are ranked No. 29 nationally in total defense after ranking 34th-best nationally last year. Getting him back against LSU would provide a welcome lift. Led by QB Jayden Daniels, LSU ranks seventh nationally in scoring offense and is coming off a 49-point performance from its offense during a loss to Ole Miss last week.

“You’ve got such a good quarterback that you’re gonna have to have a lot of different presentations for him,” Drinkwitz said. “You watch the Arkansas game, they line up in man-to-man and he knows exactly where the ball is supposed to go. And you watch the Ole Miss game and when they gave man coverage, he knows exactly who their man beater is and he puts it exactly where he’s supposed to. So he does a really nice job of recognizing coverage.”

Mizzou is a five-point underdog heading into the matchup with LSU.