PFF College’s preseason player rankings put Missouri front and center, and the Tigers landed two names in the top 20.
Running back Ahmad Hardy checked in at No. 6, the highest-ranked Missouri player on the list. Hardy made a huge first impression as a true freshman at Louisiana-Monroe in 2024, when he posted an 89.0 PFF rushing grade.
The obvious question was whether that production would carry over to the SEC. Hardy answered it in a hurry.
He led the nation in yards after contact with 1,181. He also paced the Power Four in rushing yards with 1,648 and forced 96 missed tackles, tops in that group as well. Since 2024, Hardy has piled up 2,994 rushing yards, which is 399 more than any other returning FBS running back.
Missouri also got a strong showing from offensive tackle Cayden Green, who landed at No. 18.
Green spent his first two seasons at left guard for Oklahoma and Missouri before moving out to left tackle for the Tigers this year, and the switch paid off. His 89.6 PFF pass-blocking grade ranked second in the FBS and stood as the best mark of any returning tackle.
Green was productive in the run game, too. His 78.2 run-blocking grade placed 20th nationally. At 6-foot-5 and 324 pounds, he brings the kind of size and length that fits the position, along with an anchor that can stop bull rushes cold.
Missouri’s presence in the top 20 gives the Tigers a pair of high-end pieces heading into the upcoming season, with Hardy and Green both earning recognition among college football’s best.
In Other News...
Mizzou Unveils A New Game Day Era For Memorial Stadium
Mizzou has mapped out the look and feel for its 2026 football Saturdays, giving fans an early preview of a season that opens Sept. 3 against Arkansas-Pine Bluff. The announcement comes as Memorial Stadium prepares to mark its 100th anniversary, with the Tigers also set to unveil the new north end zone expansion that is part of the $250 million Memorial Stadium Centennial Project.
For a fan base that has watched the stadium evolve for generations, the themes and color calls are more than just a schedule release. Tickets for the home opener and the season ticket waitlist are already available, and single-game seats are slated to go on sale in late July, setting up a summer stretch where the buzz around Columbia should keep building well before the first kickoff. [Read more 🡒]
Two Ole Miss Transfers Could Change Everything For Mizzou's Offense
Missouris offseason overhaul brought in 30 transfers, but the most intriguing additions may be the ones arriving together from Ole Miss. Austin Simmons gives the Tigers a quarterback with SEC experience, size and arm talent, while Cayden Lee comes in as a proven wideout with three seasons of production and the kind of rsum that suggests he can help reshape the passing game quickly.
What makes the pairing especially interesting is how naturally their paths already line up for Missouris 2026 season. Simmons and Lee have worked alongside each other before, and that familiarity could matter in a room that still has plenty to sort out after such a heavy transfer haul. If the Tigers are going to get the most out of their new-look offense, this is the duo that may end up setting the tone. [Read more 🡒]
76 First-Year Tigers Earned SEC Honors Across 16 Sports
Missouris first-year class made a strong academic showing across the SEC, with Commissioner Greg Sankey announcing that 76 Tigers were named to the 2026 SEC First-Year Honor Roll. The recognition spans 16 Mizzou sports and reflects the kind of early balance programs want from newcomers, with student-athletes meeting the leagues academic standard of a 3.00 GPA and 24 semester hours.
The list stretches across much of the department, from baseball, basketball and football to gymnastics, golf, soccer, softball, swimming and diving, tennis, track and field, wrestling and volleyball. For a program that leans on depth as much as star power, the breadth of the honors is the notable part, showing first-year Tigers making an impression well beyond the field, court or mat. [Read more 🡒]