Missouri freshman DJ Jones is hospitalized on heart-transplant list

Missouri coach Eli Drinkwitz said Tuesday that freshman offensive tackle Johnnie “DJ” Jones is hospitalized at the Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida, and has been placed on a heart-transplant list. The coach shared the update during his news conference in Columbia.

Drinkwitz said the team learned last week that Jones was on the list. His Tuesday statement publicly explained the player’s absence and expanded on the message of support he had delivered after Missouri’s win over Florida on Saturday.

According to Drinkwitz’s account, Missouri’s medical staff detected a heart issue during freshman testing this summer. The staff monitored Jones for a couple of weeks, then referred him to the Mayo Clinic when they did not get the resolution they were seeking. Doctors there found a more serious issue, the coach said.

ESPN’s Mark Schlabach and Yahoo Sports’ Nick Bromberg both reported the coach’s Tuesday disclosure. Jones’ hospitalization and transplant-list status were attributed to Drinkwitz; neither account reported that a transplant had taken place.

Drinkwitz became emotional while discussing the 18-year-old player. He said Missouri’s thoughts were with Jones and his family and asked supporters to keep them in their prayers. The coach described the news as something the team had not been prepared to hear.

Jones came to Missouri from Venice High School in Florida. Yahoo reported that he was a four-star prospect and committed to the Tigers in October 2025 after visiting Columbia for their game against South Carolina. He had previously committed to UCLA and chose Missouri from a group of programs that included several other SEC schools.

Drinkwitz had addressed Jones directly during his postgame interview following Saturday’s 45-17 victory over Florida, expressing support without explaining the medical circumstances. Tuesday’s news conference supplied that explanation. The available reports describe Jones as remaining hospitalized while he awaits further care; they do not provide a transplant date or a medical prognosis.