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Star Missouri running back Ahmad Hardy's status for 2026 is up in the air after he was shot at a concert in Mississippi on Sunday.
More: What we know about Missouri RB Ahmad Hardy after weekend shooting
Hardy has been discharged from the hospital, but Missouri coach Elijah Drinkwitz said that there's a chance he may or may not play for the Tigers in 2026.
More: Eli Drinkwitz addresses Ahmad Hardy status at Missouri caravan stop
If Missouri is without the All-American for 2026, who will fill the void left by Hardy at RB1?
Let's take a look at the other RBs on the Tigers' roster:
Transfers have been marked with an asterisk (*).
Starter: Ahmad Hardy, jr.
Backup: Jamal Roberts, sr.
Reserves: *Xai’Shaun Edwards, r-so.; *Malae Fonoti III, r-so.; Maxwell Warner, fr.; Preston Hatfield, fr.
Before spring practice, Hardy, a near-unanimous All-American selection, was expected to be Mizzou’s primary running back. Jamal Roberts, who was as capable a No. 2 option as you’ll find anywhere in college, can be the change-of-pace player in the backfield.
Mizzou added FCS-level transfers in Edwards (Houston Christian) and Fonoti (Montana), who will compete for the third-string reps.
Upside? You bet.
There is an argument that Mizzou expected to have the best returning running back in the sport in Hardy. He finished just 10 yards behind Cam Cook at Jacksonville State for the national lead in rushing yards in 2025. The Oma, Mississippi, native had more yards after contact than any other player in the country.
Missouri may or may not get him back for at least one more year.
There is an argument that, paired with Roberts, the Tigers could have had the best one-two punch in the country, too.
Behind Hardy, Roberts still put up a top-10 mark in the SEC with 759 rushing yards. He had six touchdowns and zero fumbles last season. Eli Drinkwitz made a public plea to find the funds to make it worth Roberts’ while to return, and that’s Mizzou’s gain.
It’s a scary backfield, with as much returning talent as anywhere in the country.
Before the Tigers went into portal season, there absolutely were depth issues on the roster as both of their true freshmen, Marquise Davis (Louisville) and Brendon Haygood (North Texas), hit the transfer portal. Tack on incoming rookie Terry Hodges flipping to Arkansas and career reserve Tavorus Jones opting to spend his final season in his hometown with UTEP, and numbers were an issue.
Edwards was a 1,000-yard rusher at the FCS level, and Fonoti showed in spurts at Montana that he can play in a pinch.
If Mizzou has an emergency and needs to turn to its third or fourth running back on the roster, there is competitive depth on the roster again.
This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Missouri football running backs depth chart after Ahmad Hardy shooting
Continue reading...
More: What we know about Missouri RB Ahmad Hardy after weekend shooting
Hardy has been discharged from the hospital, but Missouri coach Elijah Drinkwitz said that there's a chance he may or may not play for the Tigers in 2026.
More: Eli Drinkwitz addresses Ahmad Hardy status at Missouri caravan stop
If Missouri is without the All-American for 2026, who will fill the void left by Hardy at RB1?
Let's take a look at the other RBs on the Tigers' roster:
The options, projected depth chart for Missouri football at running back
Transfers have been marked with an asterisk (*).
Starter: Ahmad Hardy, jr.
Backup: Jamal Roberts, sr.
Reserves: *Xai’Shaun Edwards, r-so.; *Malae Fonoti III, r-so.; Maxwell Warner, fr.; Preston Hatfield, fr.
Before spring practice, Hardy, a near-unanimous All-American selection, was expected to be Mizzou’s primary running back. Jamal Roberts, who was as capable a No. 2 option as you’ll find anywhere in college, can be the change-of-pace player in the backfield.
Mizzou added FCS-level transfers in Edwards (Houston Christian) and Fonoti (Montana), who will compete for the third-string reps.
The upside
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Upside? You bet.
There is an argument that Mizzou expected to have the best returning running back in the sport in Hardy. He finished just 10 yards behind Cam Cook at Jacksonville State for the national lead in rushing yards in 2025. The Oma, Mississippi, native had more yards after contact than any other player in the country.
Missouri may or may not get him back for at least one more year.
There is an argument that, paired with Roberts, the Tigers could have had the best one-two punch in the country, too.
Behind Hardy, Roberts still put up a top-10 mark in the SEC with 759 rushing yards. He had six touchdowns and zero fumbles last season. Eli Drinkwitz made a public plea to find the funds to make it worth Roberts’ while to return, and that’s Mizzou’s gain.
It’s a scary backfield, with as much returning talent as anywhere in the country.
One question or concern
Before the Tigers went into portal season, there absolutely were depth issues on the roster as both of their true freshmen, Marquise Davis (Louisville) and Brendon Haygood (North Texas), hit the transfer portal. Tack on incoming rookie Terry Hodges flipping to Arkansas and career reserve Tavorus Jones opting to spend his final season in his hometown with UTEP, and numbers were an issue.
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Edwards was a 1,000-yard rusher at the FCS level, and Fonoti showed in spurts at Montana that he can play in a pinch.
If Mizzou has an emergency and needs to turn to its third or fourth running back on the roster, there is competitive depth on the roster again.
This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Missouri football running backs depth chart after Ahmad Hardy shooting
Continue reading...
