Eli Drinkwitz isn’t wasting any time. After a season that flirted with College Football Playoff contention before being derailed by quarterback injuries, Missouri is reloading - and fast.
The Tigers are reshaping their roster with a clear goal in mind: make a serious run at the Playoff. And with a pair of key additions from within the SEC, Drinkwitz might just have the ingredients to cook up something special in Columbia.
Let’s start at the top - quarterback. With Beau Pribula transferring out, Missouri had a major hole to fill under center.
Enter Austin Simmons, the former Ole Miss starter who flashed real potential before an injury opened the door for breakout star Trinidad Chambliss in Oxford. Simmons brings SEC experience and a high ceiling, and now he’s getting a fresh start with a program that’s ready to hand him the keys.
But a quarterback is only as good as the weapons around him - and Missouri just landed a big one. Wide receiver Cayden Lee, also from Ole Miss, is heading to Columbia.
And this move isn’t just about talent (though Lee has plenty of that). It’s about chemistry.
Lee and Simmons already have a strong rapport from their time together in Oxford, both in games and on the practice field. That kind of familiarity is rare in the transfer portal era, and it gives Missouri a head start in building offensive cohesion. For a team looking to hit the ground running in 2026, that connection could be a game-changer.
Lee’s numbers dipped a bit last season - 44 catches, 635 yards, and 3 touchdowns - after an 800-yard campaign in 2024. But don’t let the stat line fool you.
He was still one of the most dependable targets in the Ole Miss offense and a fan favorite for a reason. Tough, consistent, and unafraid to work the middle of the field, Lee brings a veteran presence to Missouri’s receiving corps.
And the timing of his transfer makes sense. With Chambliss’ future at Ole Miss uncertain, Lee found a new home where he could reunite with a quarterback he trusts and step into a featured role in a rising offense.
Now, zoom out and look at the bigger picture. Missouri’s offense is starting to look dangerous. Very dangerous.
Ahmad Hardy is back and still wearing the crown as the best running back in college football. He’ll be the engine of this offense, no doubt. But now, with Simmons at quarterback and a receiving group that includes Brett Norfleet, Cayden Lee, and a crop of young talent, the Tigers suddenly have balance - and firepower.
Drinkwitz has been building toward this moment for a while, and with these portal additions, Missouri isn’t just trying to compete in the SEC. They’re aiming to break through it.
The pieces are coming together. The chemistry is already there.
And if Simmons and Lee can recapture the rhythm they had at Ole Miss - with Hardy doing what he does best out of the backfield - Missouri might not just be a team to watch in 2026. They might be a team to fear.