In today’s world of college basketball, even the most highly ranked freshmen can struggle to crack a rotation or post high-level statistics. Peyton Marshall, a four-star recruit who suited up for Missouri, has entered the portal after totaling 97 minutes on the season.
The Tigers have been active in the portal, especially in the frontcourt. Over the past few weeks, they have added seven-footer Shawn Phillips, six-foot-eleven redshirt sophomore Luke Northweather, and stretch-four Jevon Porter. Marshall has the physical tools and pedigree to make an impact at his next stop. The only question is, who will take a shot at the young center?
Top Five Landing Spots for Peyton Marshall
Auburn Tigers
Marshall may not have to leave the SEC for his next home. Marshall had previously committed to Bruce Pearl back in 2022 before decommitting in April of 2024. The decision to leave the Tigers was likely due to the duo of Dylan Cardwell and Johni Broome set to dominate the frontcourt. Now, with the duo gone and Addarin Scott the only current big set for the rotation, Marshall could fill a position of need.
The only question is, after such a dominant year, the Tigers could look to a more established presence inside as they try to ensure a minimal drop-off in production with their All-American center no longer anchoring the paint.
Florida Atlantic Owls
It is very clear that Marshall is in need of development and opportunity. Perhaps the center’s best bet is to find a mid-major program that will give him time on the court while allowing his physical ability to shine. Florida Atlantic’s top four scorers from last year all stood six-foot-seven or taller. Three of said players, Tre Carroll, Kaleb Glenn and Matas Vokietaitis, all have hit the portal.
Playing time is available, the program resides in the south where Marshall is from and bigs are a focal point of the teams scheme. FAU has had a very strong record of players succeeding and climbing to larger programs over the last two years. If Marshall wants to rehabilitate his value, the Owls could likely help him do so.
Ole Miss Rebels
Another SEC program with previous ties to Marshall is the Ole Miss Rebels. Ole Miss will likely be looking to add size in the offseason as Jaemyn Brakefield’s eligibility looks to be up, and seven-foot center John Bol entered the portal in early April.
As it stands, head coach Chris Beard will have Malik Dia to lead the frontcourt, but Dia did take on a smaller role after joining the Rebels after a year at Belmont. Marshall would instantly inject Power 5 caliber athleticism and size to a roster that currently only has a single player standing six-foot-nine or taller.
UConn Huskies
After one of the most dominant two-year runs in recent memory, the 2024-2025 season ended unceremoniously in the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Now, coach Dan Hurley will look to reload his roster in an attempt to get back to the mountaintop. As it stands the Huskies frontcourt is looking relatively thin. Sampson Johnson is out of eligibility, and Youssouf Singare has hit the portal.
As it stands four star big Eric Reibe and likely starter Tarris Reed Jr. should be set to soak up a majority of the minutes. Regardless, if Hurley is looking to inject elite positional size and a high-profile pedigree, Marshall could make sense. While he may not be ready to absorb a major role on a team looking to contend, if Marshall buys into the development and program at UCONN, he could become a force in the Big East.
NC State Wolfpack
The biggest wildcard on this list is newly named head coach Will Wade and the NC State Wolfpack. Coach Wade has made the jump back to the ranks of the Power 5 programs and will need to quickly build out a roster with the athleticism and size needed to compete at that level. The three tallest players from last year’s NC State team will have moved on by the time Wade gets on the sidelines with Ben Middlebrooks and Ismaël Diouf officially in the portal.
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Wade has been able to reinforce his wings and guards with players like Quadir Copeland and Tre Holloman but still lacks an interior presence. While Marshall is a project, the Wolfpack’s building process will likely be multi-year. Marshall could find himself instantly looking at a serious role for a coach who needs to prioritize talent over fit at this very moment.
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