Missouri Among Finalists for Top Uncommitted 2026 Prospect

The Tigers were named in the final schools for 4-Star running back TJ Hodges from Bryant, Arkansas.

4-Star 2026 RB TJ Hodges during his official visit to Columbia | Credit @certifiedaction on Instagram

Eli Drinkwitz and the Missouri staff received a bit of potential good news this week as the Tigers were named in the final schools for one of the top remaining uncommitted prospects in the 2026 recruiting class.

4-Star running back TJ Hodges from Bryant, Arkansas is officially down to his top six, naming Missouri among Arkansas, Oklahoma State, Oregon, Louisville and Baylor, according to Hayes Fawcett of On3.

NEWS: Four-Star RB TJ Hodges will announce his Commitment October 4th, he tells me for @rivals

The 6’1 180 RB from Bryant, AR is the Top Uncommitted RB in the ‘26 Class (per Rivals)

Where Should He Go? ⬇️https://t.co/SjPYTIGjco pic.twitter.com/HikfCdH3Oi

— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) September 4, 2025

Standing at 6-foot, 180 lbs., Hodges is on the smaller side for a back, but he is an explosive athlete. He's got excellent speed and is a gifted receiver out of the backfield on top of being an elusive runner.

Despite his somewhat undersized frame, Hodges uses great vision and patience as a runner to weave through defenses and work his way to the second level. You can check out some highlights from his junior season with Marked Tree High School, here.

The Arkansas native is ranked as the No. 19 running back in the class and the No. 3 player in the state, according to 247Sports' composite ranking. He took an official visit to Columbia in June, but also made a stop at Arkansas this summer.

As of now, Missouri holds just ten commitments in the 2026 class with 3-Star Maxwell Warner bring the only running back. Adding a player like Hodges could be a massive step in bolstering the class as a whole for Drinkwitz and the staff who have put together a somewhat disappointing performance up to this point.

2026 Missouri Football Commitments

1. QB Gavin Sidwar, 6-foot-3, 190 lbs. - Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania (Committed 04/18/2025)
2. LB Keenan Harris, 6-foot-1, 210 lbs. - St. Louis (Committed 05/23/25)
3. WR Jabari Brady, 6-foot-1, 205 lbs - Pompana Beach, Florida (Committed 06/07/2025)
4. TE Isaac Jensen, 6-foot-6, 230 lbs - Omaha, Nebraska (Committed 06/09/2025)
5. RB Maxwell Warner, 5-foot-10, 185 lbs - Chicago (Committed 06/23/2025)
6. OL Khalief Canty, 6-foot-5, 305 lbs - Detroit (Committed 6/24/2025)
7. WR Devyon Hill-Lomax, 6-foot-4, 180 lbs. - Edwardsville, Illinois (Committed 06/25/2025)
8. OL Brandon Anderson, 6-foot-3, 326 lbs, - Kennesaw, Georgia (Committed 06/29/2025)
9. IOL Braylon Ellison, 6-foot-4, 285 lbs. - Boonville, Missouri (Committed 07/01/25)
10. S Tony Forney Jr., 5-foot-11, 180 lbs. - Marietta, Georgia (Committed 07/04/25)

Check out the Missouri Football Recruiting Tracker to stay up to date with Tigers' targets from 2026, 2027 and beyond.