Mizzou Zeroing in on 2026 RB Target

There have been clear and obvious names at most positions for the Missouri Tigers in the 2026 recruiting cycle. One of those that's been seeking clarity is the running back spot, which may be clearer now with an upcoming visitor.

Four-star running back Ryan Estrada recently scheduled an official visit for May 30-June 1 and it seems he may be running back coach Curtis Luper's top priority in the class. From El Paso, Texas, Estrada has seen his recruitment boom in recent weeks and the Tigers are a beneficiary of that.

Estrada has three other official visits planned, as of now. He will take a trip to Wisconsin from June 6-8, followed by Minnesota from June 13-15 and Alabama from June 19-21. Minnesota already has three-star running back Ezekiel Bates committed, which may put them at a disadvantage, but every other competing team is still looking for their first.

The Crimson Tide is obviously the biggest name involved with Estrada now. Oklahoma and Oklahoma State are also honing in on Estrada, with no visit with the Sooners scheduled yet. He took an official to Stillwater, Oklahoma, on April 18.

A flurry of three On3 recruiting predictions came in for Estrada on the evening of May 20, which partially favors Missouri. They now list the Tigers as the team with the second-best percentage to land Estrada, behind Oklahoma State. Alabama, Minnesota and Wisconsin, in that order, follow behind Missouri.

Estrada is ranked as the 311th prospect in the country, as well as the 21st-best running back. Standing at 5-foot-9, 185 pounds, the uptick in college offers came after a 2,422-yard season in 2024. He also recorded an impressive 34 rushing touchdowns, with production in the passing game, as well.

An even larger rise up the national recruiting ranks for Estrada wouldn't come as a surprise to anyone, making it that much more important for the Tigers to push for a commitment over the summer. If the Tigers miss on Estrada, their options at running back would go back to being very slim. Estrada is the only running back the Tigers have scheduled an official visit with.

For a while, it looked like four-star Arkansas native Terry Hodges would be the man of the class at running back for Missouri. The Tigers are still at the top of his list on On3's recruiting prediction model, which has been unchanged for months.

If the running back in the 2026 class for Missouri isn't Hodges or Estrada, it's likely one Missouri has yet to engage deeply with. Processes can move very fast in today's recruiting world and Missouri will take a running back in this class, but missing on those two, especially Estrada, would throw a wrench in that process.

Right now, the Tigers only have one commit in their 2026 class. It's four-star quarterback Gavin Sidwar, who may be a good selling point for incoming offensive recruits. Who Sidwar has put effort into bringing to Missouri is still yet to be determined, but having a four-star quarterback waiting in the class must have some sort of appeal.

2026 Commitments

1. QB Gavin Sidwar, 6-foot-3, 190 lbs. - Wyndmoor, Pennsylvania (Committed 04/18/2025)