Ahmad Hardy turned down ‘big money’ to stay at Mizzou, per report
By David Wasson
Published:
It is no secret that Missouri running back Ahmad Hardy was one of the nation’s best players in 2025 and is also primed for a stellar 2026 in Columbia.
Hardy’s 1,649 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns at Mizzou certainly turned heads in Columbia and beyond, and the rising junior pointed out to On3’s Chris Low this week that he turned down some healthy NIL paychecks that would have lured him away from the Tigers.
“I won’t spread any names out there, but it was a lot of schools from a lot of different conferences,” Hardy said, continuing that he wanted to “keep building” on the legacy he has started at Mizzou.
Hardy finished second in FBS last year in rushing, was fourth in the nation with 256 carries, and his rushing touchdown total was sixth in the country. Coming off a 1,351-yard freshman campaign at UL-Monroe, it is no wonder that Hardy was worth big bucks if he had chosen to enter the transfer portal.
Hardy’s 2025 efforts included a career-best 300 yards, the second-best total in Mizzou history, against Mississippi State as well as a 250-yard outburst against Louisiana. He cracked the 100-yard threshold eight times in 2025 alone to help Mizzou to an 8-4 record that included a Gator Bowl berth against Virginia.
An APSE national award-winning writer and editor, David Wasson has almost four decades of experience in the print journalism business in Florida and Alabama. His work has also appeared in The New York Times, The Washington Post, the Los Angeles Times and several national magazines and websites. His Twitter handle: @JustDWasson.
