Josh Atkins may not be the obvious answer, but he’s right near the top of Missouri’s most important players list for the 2026-27 season.
When he’s healthy, Atkins is lined up to start at right tackle for the Tigers, and that assignment carries real weight because he’ll be protecting the blindside of Missouri’s new left-handed quarterback, Austin Simmons. That’s a different kind of job than Missouri has dealt with in recent memory, since the blindside protector has usually been the left tackle with a right-handed quarterback behind him.
That alone makes Atkins a crucial piece of the offense. Simmons has the potential to elevate Missouri’s passing game, which has been missing that kind of production for two seasons, but that only matters if the protection holds up. Atkins has to handle his side of the line well for that to happen.
The bigger issue right now is whether he’ll be ready to do it. Atkins suffered a leg injury in the spring, and head coach Eli Drinkwitz said it was believed to potentially keep him out of the start of fall camp. If that holds, Missouri’s options at right tackle start to look thin in a hurry.
Logan Reichert was one player Drinkwitz pointed to last winter as someone who could fill the spot, but injuries have followed him since he arrived in Columbia in 2023. Colin Sorensen, a transfer from Charleston Southern, is another possible answer. If neither of those players takes the job, Drinkwitz and the offensive staff would be looking at younger options like Jack Lange, DJ Jones and Whit Hafer.
If Atkins is healthy enough to go, Missouri gets a tackle who should be steady in pass protection. He uses his arms well, delivers a solid first punch and can hold up against defensive linemen. He’s not the most athletic tackle the Tigers have had lately, and there’s room for him to grow as a run blocker, but he looks capable of handling the assignment.
Atkins also brings a lot of mileage. He’s been through Houston, Arizona State and Hawaii, so he comes to Missouri with plenty of experience and exposure to different levels of competition. That kind of background should help him adjust quickly.
Still, the main issue around Missouri’s offense is simple: can Atkins get healthy and play the position? If he can’t, the whole picture on the offensive line changes, and more of the burden shifts onto Simmons and Missouri’s talented running backs.
In Other News...
Former Mizzou Star Justin Britt Found An Unexpected New Obsession
Justin Britts football rsum already had plenty packed into it by the time his playing days ended, from his run as an All-SEC lineman at Missouri to a long NFL career that included a Super Bowl appearance. He was the kind of durable interior presence coaches leaned on, starting 86 of his first 87 pro games before injuries began to change the arc of what had looked like a steady climb.
Now, after football, Britt has found a different kind of outlet in running, which gives his post-career adjustment a surprisingly fresh twist. For a former offensive lineman who once hated the idea, it has become a genuine passion, one more sign that life after the game can open doors players never expected while they were still in pads. [Read more 🡒]
Mizzou Finally Has Its QB Answer And The Pressure Is Massive
Missouri appears to have its next quarterback plan in place, with former Ole Miss passer Austin Simmons expected to be the answer heading into the 2026 season. For a program that has spent plenty of time sorting through its options, that brings some clarity, especially with Simmons arriving after a college career that already includes game action and a chance to settle into a bigger role in Columbia.
The pressure is going to come from what he still has to prove. Simmons has not been a full-time starter in college, and Missouri is watching closely as he makes the jump into a job that will demand steadiness, especially with the Tigers also carrying depth behind him in Nick Evers, Matt Zollers and Gavin Sidwar. His transition will be measured not just by whether he wins the job, but by how quickly he answers questions about deep-ball accuracy and decision-making. [Read more 🡒]
Missouri's Top Back Just Drew A Label That Changes Everything
Ahmad Hardys rise at Missouri has already been one of the sports more striking transfer success stories, and now it comes with a bigger spotlight attached. With Jeremiyah Love gone, Hardy and Ole Miss back Kewan Lacy are being viewed as the leading names in the 2026 Doak Walker Award race, a reminder of how much the running back landscape has shifted heading into the new season.
Ari Wassermans On3 ranking put Hardy at No. 1 at the position entering 2026, just ahead of Lacy, which only sharpens the intrigue around Missouris backfield and the Rebels crossover. The matchup everyone will circle comes in October, when Missouri and Ole Miss meet in a game that will carry plenty of personal history, with Hardy and Lacy each facing the program he once called home. [Read more 🡒]