Austin Simmons has reportedly re-signed with Missouri for the 2027 season — a major win for coach Eli Drinkwitz — though multiple reports caution the quarterback could still opt into the 2027 NFL Draft instead.

The timing is loaded. Simmons turns 21 on Sunday, one day after the 6-2 Tigers host Texas as slight underdogs in Week 10. Missouri sits in a four-way tie for fifth in the SEC at the season's stretch run, and Simmons has impressed since transferring from Ole Miss last winter.

His stock is climbing on the pro side too: ESPN's Mel Kiper has him as a rising name in a 2027 quarterback class that keeps getting scrutiny. That's what makes the re-signing less than final — a big finish against Texas and beyond could make the draft math hard to ignore.

For now, CBS Sports frames it simply: with Simmons locked in, Missouri can build a winning roster around a star quarterback — and expectations in Columbia for 2027 just went way up.