Missouri is 54 days from its 2026 season opener, and one of the more intriguing names in the mix is Josh Atkins, the Tigers’ No. 54 and a transfer expected to line up at right tackle.
Atkins has already lived a full college football life. The 2026 season will be his sixth, and Missouri will be his fourth school after stops at Houston, Hawaii and Arizona State. He arrives in Columbia with a lot of mileage and a lot of experience, even if the path here took some time to really get rolling.
He was part of the 2021 recruiting class, the same group that included Caleb Williams, Drake Maye and Josiah Trotter’s older brother, Jeremiah Jr. Those three are heading into their third NFL seasons this fall. Atkins, meanwhile, came in as a three-star prospect out of Mansfield Timberview in Arlington, listed at 6-foot-4 and 290 pounds, and still managed to draw double-digit offers.
His high school résumé was solid, not flashy. As a senior, he played on both sides of the line and helped Timberview go 11-2 and reach the third round of the state playoffs.
He had originally committed to New Mexico as a junior, then backed off that pledge a few months later. Two days after that decommitment, Houston stepped in with an offer.
By the time his senior season ended in December, his list also included North Texas, Liberty, Missouri State and San Diego State, but he signed with the Cougars in February 2021.
A big part of that decision came down to Brandon Jones, Houston’s offensive line coach at the time.
"Me and coach Jones stayed in touch and just talked about different things, not just football, and when I de-committed from New Mexico he texted me and said 'Hey, we're about to make this happen,'" Atkins told 247Sports in 2021 after he committed.
"I've been talking with coach Jones for a while now and building that relationship. He has always kept it real with me from the jump. He tells me that if I come in and put in the work, Houston will be a great spot for me."
Atkins spent two seasons at Houston, but he barely saw the field. He played zero snaps in 2021 and only two special teams snaps in 2022.
Houston went 12-2 in 2021, lost to Cincinnati in the AAC Championship Game and beat Auburn in the Birmingham Bowl. The next year, the Cougars finished 8-5 and beat Louisiana in the Independence Bowl.
Jones was let go after that 2022 season, then later joined Missouri as its offensive line coach and co-offensive coordinator.
Atkins wanted more than a roster spot, so he entered the transfer portal and moved on to Hawaii, where he quickly became the starting left tackle. That’s where his career started to take off.
Since then, he has started 39 games over the last three seasons - 13 at Hawaii in 2023, then 26 at Arizona State across 2024 and 2025. He helped Arizona State win the Big 12 and reach the College Football Playoff in 2024. Pro Football Focus says he has played 2,440 career snaps, and his game has improved at each stop.
The numbers at Hawaii weren’t pretty. In 2023, Atkins allowed seven sacks and the fourth-most pressures among Mountain West offensive tackles, per PFF, and he was flagged 10 times, the second-most by any tackle in the league.
But he cleaned things up at Arizona State. In 2024, he gave up 25 pressures and two sacks during the Sun Devils’ Big 12 title run.
Last season, he allowed 18 pressures and three sacks, with two of those sacks coming against Texas Tech, which PFF said had one of the best pass rushes in college football.
After skipping the Sun Bowl, Atkins entered the portal again on Dec. 8. He was connected to several teams looking for help up front, but on Jan. 8 he chose Missouri and reunited with Jones.
The fit is fascinating because Missouri expects Atkins to play right tackle, even though every one of his 39 career starts came at left tackle. That’s a real adjustment on its own, and it gets even trickier because Missouri’s new starting quarterback, Ole Miss transfer Austin Simmons, is a lefty. That makes right tackle his blind side.
There was a setback in the spring, too. At the end of Missouri’s practices, Eli Drinkwitz said Atkins had suffered a leg injury and would be back, "but not for the first of camp," Drinkwitz said.
Two months later, Drinkwitz sounded more upbeat, saying Atkins was "ahead of schedule," though he added, "I don't know when he'll be able to get back and help us, but he's constantly trying to be ahead."
If Atkins isn’t ready, Missouri has other options. Luke Work, a Mississippi State transfer, has played some tackle the last two seasons, though he looks more natural inside. Logan Reichert is also developing and could get a look.
Still, if Atkins gets healthy and handles the switch to right tackle, Missouri’s offense could be in good shape in 2026. And for a veteran who has already taken the long road through college football, there’s a real chance this sixth season becomes his best one yet.
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