College Football's Top 25 Most Important Players: No. 6 RB Ahmad Hardy, Missouri

For most of the offseason, the question surrounding Missouri running back Ahmad Hardy was whether anyone in college football could stop him. Then the question became whether he would play at all.

Hardy was shot in the upper leg during an outdoor concert in Laurel, Mississippi, on May 10. He underwent surgery that day, was discharged from the hospital and returned to Columbia to begin rehabilitation.

"I'm back on the road to success," Hardy said nine days later in a video released by Missouri.

The biggest update came at SEC Media Days on July 20. Coach Eli Drinkwitz said the bullet had struck a bone, but that the bone had completely healed and Hardy had been medically cleared to begin his return-to-play process.

Missouri estimated that process could take five to eight weeks. Drinkwitz cautioned that there was still no exact timetable for Hardy to return to game action.

"I've been very, very proud of the way he's approached his recovery," Drinkwitz said.

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No. 6: Ahmad Hardy, RB, Missouri Tigers

Before the injury, Hardy entered 2026 with a case as the best returning running back in college football.

His first Missouri season produced a school-record 1,649 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns on 256 carries. Hardy averaged 6.4 yards per attempt, ranked second nationally in rushing yards and rushing yards per game and became a consensus All-American and Doak Walker Award finalist.

Missouri credited him with 1,186 yards after contact and 97 forced missed tackles. PFF ranked him as its No. 1 returning running back for 2026.

Hardy's importance became particularly clear late last season when Missouri's offense stalled against better defenses.

Missouri Tigers running back Ahmad Hardy (29) dives into the end zone for a touchdown against the Auburn Tigers. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

The Tigers averaged only 188 passing yards per game and threw 15 touchdown passes all season. Hardy accounted for more than half of Missouri's 2,968 rushing yards, but he was held to 52 yards against Alabama and 58 at Auburn. Missouri scored 10 points in a loss at Vanderbilt, six at Oklahoma and seven against Virginia in the Gator Bowl.

The Tigers finished 8-5 after a 5-0 start. That puts pressure on Missouri to become less predictable around Hardy in 2026.

New offensive coordinator Chip Lindsey takes over with Ole Miss transfer Austin Simmons at quarterback. Drinkwitz has praised Simmons' ability to process defenses and communicate what he sees, but he remains largely unproven as an SEC starter.

Hardy also won't have to carry the backfield alone. Jamal Roberts returns after rushing for 753 yards and six touchdowns last season.

"It's going to be a story to tell," Hardy said of his partnership with Roberts. "That's my guy. I'm his guy."

Why Ahmad Hardy matters so much to Missouri in 2026

Missouri has won 29 games over the past three seasons but has yet to reach the College Football Playoff. SEC media picked the Tigers 10th in the conference this summer, even while voting Hardy and left tackle Cayden Green first-team preseason All-SEC.

For Missouri to outperform that projection, its offense probably needs Hardy to again be one of the most productive backs in the country while Simmons provides more balance through the passing game.

The uncertainty is whether Hardy will be fully himself after an injury unrelated to football. Drinkwitz already knows which moment he is waiting for.

"When Ahmad scores his first touchdown this year," he said, "that's what I'll be thinking about — that journey from hospital bed to end zone."

Missouri opens against Arkansas-Pine Bluff before visiting Kansas on Sept. 11, potentially putting Hardy's recovery timeline immediately in play. The SEC slate includes Texas A&M, Ole Miss, Texas and a November trip to Georgia before Oklahoma visits Columbia for the finale.

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