Sometimes getting a victory on the field isn’t enough to entice recruits.
Just days after Missouri’s 31-17 victory over Arkansas in Fayetteville, the Tigers lost a four-star recruit to the Razorbacks.
Terry Hodges, the No. 18 running back in the class of 2026 and No. 3 player in Arkansas, flipped his commitment to the Razorbacks on Monday.
The 6-foot, 180-pound running back from Bryant, Arkansas, had been committed to the Tigers since Oct. 4. Hodges attended Bryant High School, a mere three hours away from Fayetteville.
Though Hodges always seemed most interested in Missouri, visiting the Tigers twice during his recruiting process, Arkansas was a clear second option for him throughout his commitment as he visited the Razorbacks in June, just a week after visiting Columbia.
Hodges was one of the most desired running backs in the 2026 class, boasting offers from Oregon, Ole Miss, University of Southern California and Vanderbilt. The physical runner was sought after for good reason, which was shown by how scary Hodges was out of the backfield in high school, routinely breaking tackles and using his great speed to break away from defenders.
Hodges’ decision to flip may have stemmed from the fact that Missouri’s running back room is already one of the most stacked in the Southeastern Conference.
The group is led by sophomore Ahmad Hardy, a player who was considered for the Heisman Trophy early in the season, along with redshirt sophomore Jamal Roberts. With highly touted freshman Marquise Davis and fellow 2026 recruit Maxwell Warner, Missouri’s backfield is a swath of guys competing for snaps, a battle Hodges may not need to fight as hard at Arkansas.
With fifth-year senior Mike Washington Jr. on his way out this offseason, the Razorbacks’ top returning rusher will be sophomore running back Braylen Russell, who recorded 286 yards and five touchdowns this season. While freshman Cam Settles is a dark horse to see more snaps next season, no other names would pose much of a threat to Hodges, who now joins the Razorbacks recruiting class as the only running back from the 2026 cycle.
Missouri’s 2026 class ranked 25th in the nation following Hodges’ decommitment, according to 247Sports. Warner now stands as the only running back in the class, while Missouri now has just five four-star recruits remaining this cycle. It’s clear the Tigers still have work to do with the recruiting window coming to a close.
