The Tigers made a late night addition to their roster on Monday, adding the top player off of the vaunted Auburn defense.
According to Hawes Fawcett and On3 Sports, Missouri has secured a commitment from Auburn linebacker Robert Woodyard Jr. He earned first-team All-SEC from Pro Football Focus, and was their highest graded player on the Tiger defense.
BREAKING: Auburn starting transfer LB Robert Woodyard Jr. has Committed to Missouri, he tells @On3Sports
— Hayes Fawcett (@Hayesfawcett3) January 6, 2026
He totaled 67 Tackles, 7 TFL, & 2 Sacks this season (433 Snaps)
Was named 1st Team All-SEC by PFFhttps://t.co/RlUbB6EMhS pic.twitter.com/poNFvOk8Ub
Missouri adds their best player yet through the portal with late night addition
The 6-foot-1, 245-pound linebacker had 67 tackles and two sacks this season for Auburn. He is the No. 9 linebacker in the portal, and the No. 121 player overall according to 247's rankings, and he has one year of eligibility remaining. Woodyard Jr. is the third, and top transfer so far for Eli Drinkwitz and company.
With the loss of linebacker Josiah Trotter to the NFL Draft, the Tigers had a huge hole to fill on defense. Enter Woodyard Jr., who will slide in next to Nicholas Rodriguez to form one of the better linebacker duos in the conference. Woodyard Jr. is an experienced player who can easily offset the big loss of Trotter.
Mizzou is off to strong start in the portal, adding three players who fill major needs. Cornerback Jahlil Florence and wide receiver Caleb Goodie round out the productive Monday for Mizzou. While Drinkwitz still needs to add a dozen or more players yet, Woodyard Jr. shows that the caliber of players the Tigers can secure is high, and fans should be excited about what's to come.