No. 8 Florida is set to travel to Columbia, Missouri, to take on the No. 25 Tigers at 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday. As part of our weekly scouting report, Gator Country highlights five Tigers to watch.
QB Austin Simmons #13
Many of you may be familiar with Missouri quarterback Austin Simmons, as he was once a Florida commit. He enrolled at Ole Miss out of high school and was the Rebels’ starting quarterback last year before suffering an injury that opened the door for Trinidad Chambliss to take over. Now, he’s the Tigers’ starting quarterback, and he’s off to a good start, completing 65.4% of his passes for 947 yards, 11 touchdowns and no interceptions.
He’s got a strong arm and can make all the throws. He’s also a good athlete, but he isn’t necessarily a threat in the running game.
His zero interceptions on the season aren’t a strong indicator of his ability to protect the football, however. Simmons’ turnover-worthy play rate of 5.1% ranks 15th out of 16 SEC quarterbacks.
He has particularly struggled under pressure, which will be key to stopping Simmons on Saturday. He’s completed just three of 14 passes for 53 yards under pressure, and his turnover-worthy play rate under pressure is 14.3%.
WR Cayden Lee #19
Missouri’s top receiving threat is senior wide receiver Cayden Lee, who’s hauled in 27 receptions for 412 yards and four touchdowns. His yardage and touchdown totals both rank in the top 12 nationally.
Lee is currently Missouri’s highest-graded offensive player and the No. 8-ranked receiver in the FBS, according to Pro Football Focus.
Prior to joining Missouri, Lee was a productive receiver at Ole Miss for three seasons. The 5’11”, 180-pound receiver will play mostly out of the slot and is considered more of a possession receiver, but he’s as reliable as they come with good hands and strong route-running ability. He can run routes at all three levels of the field.
OT Cayden Green #70
Normally, I wouldn’t put an offensive lineman on a Players to Watch list, but given what I believe is the key to victory and the caliber of player we’re dealing with, I felt it was necessary.
Cayden Green is the starting left tackle for a Missouri team that currently grades as the top pass-blocking unit in the country, per PFF. He’s considered a top offensive line prospect in the 2027 NFL Draft and grades as the No. 8 pass-blocking tackle in the FBS. The 6’5″, 325-pound lineman has allowed no sacks and just one pressure in 98 pass-blocking snaps.
Edge Daeden Hopkins #10
Sophomore edge rusher Daeden Hopkins is off to a hot start in 2026 with six sacks through just three games. He’s winning at nearly a 30% clip on true pass sets and holds the 12th-best pressure grade in the country among edge defenders.
The 6’6″, 250-pound edge rusher is coming off a 3.5-sack performance against Mississippi State, where he was named SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week. He also earned co-SEC Defensive Lineman of the Week honors in a win over Kansas. Hopkins has two forced fumbles on the season.
LB Robert Woodyard Jr. #0
Missouri is allowing just over 100 yards per game on the ground, which is good enough for 31st in the country. One of the reasons they’ve been so effective is linebacker Robert Woodyard Jr.
Having started all four games at middle linebacker, Woodyard Jr. ranks third on the team in tackles with 32 total, including eight solo stops. His run-defense grade of 91.6 ranks seventh among linebackers in the FBS.
He has a forced fumble and an interception on the season.
The 6’0″, 233-pound linebacker earned first-team All-SEC honors from PFF last season after recording 67 tackles and seven tackles for loss.