NFL Combine represents reality Keagen Trost once thought wasn’t possible

INDIANAPOLIS — Keagen Trost wasn’t at Mizzou for very long. But it was enough to propel him toward the NFL.

After spending time at three schools across six seasons (Morgan State, Indiana State and Wake Forest), Trost transferred to MU following the 2024 season and turned into one of college football’s best offensive tackles. Replacing NFL-bound Armand Membou at right tackle, Trost finished the 2025 season with a Pro Football Focus grade of 92, the highest among all FBS offensive tackles. 

“When I transferred from Wake Forest, I knew I had to go to the Big 10 or SEC,” Trost said at the NFL Scouting Combine on Saturday. “Those were where I was going to see the best guys to go against, so I picked the SEC. Picked Mizzou, great fit, immediate need.”

Metaphorically speaking, Trost has landed on his feet. He was rewarded with an invite to the Combine and potential employment in the NFL. But his road to Indianapolis was far more unstable.

After receiving little college interest out of Kankakee High School in Illinois, Trost committed to Morgan State, but he spent just one season there in 2019 before transferring to Indiana State. But ISU cancelled its 2020 season due to COVID, and Trost missed most of the 2021 season with an injury.

Trost worked his way back onto the field in 2022 and became a regular starter that fall. By season’s end in 2023, Trost had established himself as one of the best offensive linemen in the FCS. After his one season at Wake Forest, Mizzou had seen enough to trust him as a potential replacement for Membou. 

“Early in my career, I didn’t think I would be here,” Trost said. “Honestly, I wanted to be here, but I think it really made sense to me and I really (had) seen it after this past year, starting to have success in Missouri.”

Being at three previous schools in six seasons, calling somewhere home had been difficult for Trost. According to him, Drinkwitz was a major help in his acclimation process at Mizzou.

“He made it a smooth process,” Trost said. “Him and his staff, they made everything good, and they got everything installed fast because spring ball starts fast there.”

The compliments didn’t stop there.

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“He puts himself in our shoes pretty well,” Trost said, “and he understands the needs of his players to make sure things are good for us.”

Trost also mentioned MU offensive line coach Brandon Jones as an instrumental figure in his development.

“What makes him such a great coach is he requires so much out of you,” Trost said. “He pushes you past where you think you can get.”

Over this past offseason, constant shuffling defined Mizzou’s offensive line. Figuring out who the starting five up front would be was one of the most discussed subjects surrounding the team during fall camp. 

The carousel ended with Cayden Green, who’d started at left guard in 2023 with Oklahoma and the season before with MU. He moved to left tackle. Dominick Giudice, who took almost 80% of his 317 offensive line snaps at center with Michigan in 2024, moved to left guard. Curtis Peagler and Tristan Wilson, who’d never been regular starters before this past season, each took snaps at right guard during the early portion of the regular season, with Peagler eventually winning the full-time role by Week 7 when Alabama visited Columbia.

The only constants were Connor Tollison, a four-year starter at center, and Trost, who’d won the starting right tackle position all the way back in the spring.

“To fill in for the No. 7 pick in the (NFL) Draft and really not have us fall off at all,” Drinkwitz said in October, “has been very impressive.”

Trost has been on the move for most of his career. He could be on the move again in the NFL, as he said that teams have liked his potential versatility, even though all but one of his 44 starts since 2022 came at tackle. 

But at Mizzou, Trost found his footing, and now, a once-distant possibility will soon become reality.