Four more Mizzou football standouts sticking around for 2026
COLUMBIA, Mo. (KMIZ)
Four critical pieces of Mizzou football coach Eli Drinkwitz's roster are returning for the 2026 season.
On Friday, the total of players who have re-signed a deal with the team for next season swelled to 10, with tight end Brett Norfleet, kicker Blake Craig, defensive end Darris Smith and safety Trajen Greco all putting pen to paper. You can find a list of all the players who have re-signed below.
- Running back Ahmad Hardy
- Running back Jamal Roberts
- Quarterback Matt Zollers
- Wide receiver Donovan Olugbode
- Tight end Brett Norfleet
- Linebacker Nicholas Rodriguez
- Safety Trajen Greco
- Defensive tackle Marquis Gracial
- Defensive end Darris Smith
- Kicker Blake Craig
It was critical that Coach Drinkwitz keep the likes of Norfleet around for his final year of eligibility.
Although Norfleet battled injury for the second-straight season, he still ended with 254 yards and a team-best five touchdowns on 31 receptions in his junior campaign. He ranked second on the squad in receptions and fifth in receiving yards and his five scores ranked 10th-most among all tight end around the nation.
Over the course of his career, Norfleet has found end zone 10 times, which ties for fifth-most by a tight end in Tiger history. However, he's not just a threat in the passing game. Norfleet proved essential in the success of Mizzou's No. 8 rushing defense. His block skills helped a unit that ran for an average for 234.1 yards per game in 2025.
The Tigers will be happy to have Craig back in 2026, as well, after the redshirt sophomore went down with a season-ending ACL tear in the opening game of the 2025 campaign. Before that injury he made both field goal attempts against Central Arkansas, including one for 55 yards, but did not play another snap through the season.
Prior to tearing his ACL, Craig was primed for a big season, after ending the 2024 campaign on a high note. The Kansas City native was named to the Associated Press All-Bowl team, after setting the Music City Bowl record in 2024, with a 56-yard boot, as well as adding on another 50+ yard field goal against Iowa to become the third player in program history to nail two 50-yarders in a single game.
In that 2024 season, Craig had become the first freshman in program history and 13th Tiger ever to eclipse the century mark in points in a single season.
Meanwhile, Smith will bring some much-needed veteran guidance to the defense, in 2026.
The defensive end played in all 13 games in his redshirt junior season, tallying 16 total tackles (10 solo), 5.5 tackles for loss, 4.0 sacks, 11 quarterback hurries and a pair of pass breakups. Those numbers came after Smith did not see any action in 2024, due a season-ending knee injury in fall camp.
Greco, a sophomore, is one of few returners in the Tiger secondary.
He appeared in all 13 games in 2025, recording seven total tackles (three solo) and 1.0 tackle for loss. The Georgia native came to MU as a four-star prospect, listed as the No. 23 prospect from his home state, according to 247sports.
