Missouri has already watched parts of its roster drift toward the transfer portal. More movement is expected before the window closes. Yet inside the Tigers’ facility, the focus has narrowed to retention rather than replacement. Head coach Eli Drinkwitz made that clear with an unusually direct comment about one of Mizzou’s most productive RBs. Keeping Jamal Roberts may depend on outside financial backing. 

“If anybody in St. Louis has enough third party money to keep Jamal Roberts around, we’d love to talk to you about it,” Eli Drinkwitz said in his attempt to keep his redshirt sophomore starter in Columbia. “Because he’s a heck of a player, we’d love nothing more than to have him be a Tiger for his career.”

This bold pitch makes sense because Missouri’s offense is built around its running backs. The Tigers rushed for 2,809 yards this season while throwing for 2,343. The numbers underscore where the program believes games are won. In that context, Jamal Roberts’ emergence was impressive. As a backup, he averaged 6.2 yards per carry with just two starts in 2025, marking a clear jump. 

Jamal Roberts rushed for 113 times finishing with 697 rushing yards and five touchdowns, more than doubling his production from 2024. His 63-yard touchdown run against Kansas in Week 2 stretched a tight contest into a two-possession Missouri lead. He also crossed the 100-yard mark in two conference games, reinforcing his role as more than a situational option. Eli Drinkwitz noticed. Hence the pitch. But he has already laid the groundwork for this discussion back in November.

Last month, Eli Drinkwitz offered an unvarnished assessment of Missouri’s NIL position, acknowledging that the Tigers are not currently equipped to compete financially with the SEC’s top spenders. According to On3’s Team NIL rankings, Missouri averages $88,000 per player, ranking 10th in the SEC behind programs like Texas, Alabama, and Georgia. He pointed to the state’s corporate footprint, noting Missouri is home to 11 Fortune 500 companies, and argued that deeper engagement from those businesses could shift the balance. 

“We need their support,” he said. “We are the institution of this state. We provide those companies with a lot of workers, so it would be awesome if we got to see some reciprocal investments in that.”

The urgency is amplified by attrition in the RB room. Two freshmen have already announced intentions to enter the transfer portal. 4-star Brendon Haygood logged four carries for 12 yards this season, while fellow 4-star Marquise Davis rushed for 200 yards and two touchdowns on 34 carries. Their departures thin a position group that was once a strength, tightening the margin for error. But while Missouri pushes to retain Jamal Roberts, the program does have stability at the top of the depth chart.

Eli Drinkwitz wins Ahmad Hardy’s loyalty

All-American RB Ahmad Hardy provided Tiger fans with clarity this week. Meeting with the media, he said no programs have reached out since the season ended. 

“Not yet. When I was in the portal they were,” Hardy said. “But I think they know I’m a Tiger, so they ain’t hit me up.” 

Coming off a 1,500-yard season, a Doak Walker finalist profile, and first-team All-American honors, Ahmad Hardy would command attention anywhere. His decision to stay offers Missouri certainty at RB1.

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From a roster construction standpoint, Ahmad Hardy’s return sharpens the focus on the players behind him. But that certainty does not extend to Jamal Roberts. With Hardy locked in, his role as a high-efficiency complement only increases his appeal elsewhere. 

The Tigers will make its pitch, but Eli Drinkwitz has already acknowledged the limits of what the program can do alone. For Jamal Roberts, options will exist. For Missouri, the message has been sent. The next move belongs as much to donors as it does to depth charts.