COLUMBIA, MO. • As quickly as he burst into Missouri’s defensive line rotation in 2015, Nate Howard disappeared just as fast last fall.
As a freshman two years ago Howard impressed Missouri’s coaches enough to earn playing time as a reserve edge rusher for a program that’s produced its share of NFL players at the position. But Howard injured his left knee during last year’s spring practices — he partially tore the lateral collateral ligament — and by the time he recovered for preseason camp, Mizzou’s new staff had moved on with a new scheme. Howard was out of the rotation and relegated to the scout team.