Mizzou OT Cayden Green Announces Decision for 2026 Season

With NFL buzz surrounding his name, Green announced his plans for the upcoming season.

Oct 11, 2025; Columbia, MO; USA; Missouri Tigers offensive lineman Cayden Green stands on the sidelines during a game against the Alabama Crimson Tide | Amber Winkler/MissouriOnSI

Missouri offensive lineman Cayden Green will use his final eligibility to remain with the Tigers, choosing to not declare for the NFL draft, per a report from On3.

Ahead of the 2025 season, many analysts were projecting Green to be a potential first-round selection in the 2026 NFL draft if he chose to declare after his junior season.

Retaining Green is one of the biggest accomplishments of the offseason so far for Missouri. The Tigers will lose two of their best starters on the offensive line, with center Connor Tollison and right tackle Keagen Trost both exhausting their eligibility.

Additionally, Missouri is expected to have to nearly completely rebuild the depth of its offensive tackle room, with three players at the position — Jayven Richardson, Johnny Williams IV and Brandon Solis — planning to enter the transfer portal.

Green spent the last two years of his career with the Tigers after transferring from Oklahoma following his freshman season. He started at left guard for Missouri in 2024 before making the switch to left tackle in 2025. He made the position switch to tackle due to Missouri's team needs.

"Cayden's been an unbelievable team player," Missouri head coach Eli Drinkwitz said of Green being willing to switch to left tackle during fall camp. "Slid out there. He's played left tackle; that's what he's always been, and he looks like a natural at it to me."

In 2025, Green allowed seven pressures on 367 pass blocking snaps, the second-lowest rate out of any Missouri offensive lineman, only behind Trost, who was named to the AP's All-American third-team.

Sep 6, 2025; Columbia, Missouri, USA; Missouri Tigers offensive lineman Cayden Green (70) watches from the sidelined in the first quarter of the Border War against the Kansas Jayhawks at Faurot Field at Memorial Stadium. | Matt Guzman/MissouriOnSI

Missouri has two other players — linebacker Josiah Trotter and edge rusher Damon Wilson II — that could realistically declare for the upcoming NFL draft. The deadline for those players to make that decision is Jan. 14. There's an early deadline of Jan. 5 recommended for players who are looking to play in pre-draft all-star games.

Less than an hour before Green's decision was announced, Missouri announced it had retained another key offensive player, running back Jamal Roberts. Sharing the backfield with Ahmad Hardy in 2025, Roberts rushed 753 yards and six touchdowns on 124 carries.

Green and Roberts are now two of eight starters expected to return for the 2026 season. The transfer portal officialy opens Friday.

To keep up with all the offseason movement for Missouri, check out our 2026 offseason tracker.