Albert Okwuegbunam declares for NFL Draft

in other news

Mizzou moves needle with top linemen targets during official visits

Here's a look at three of the top uncommitted linemen targets to officially visit Missouri.

• Kenny Van Doren

Five pre-camp predictions for Mizzou football

Let's take a look at some predictions as fall camp approaches with a range of spiciness for Mizzou football.

• Kyle McAreavy

Identifying top uncommitted Mizzou targets from official visit season

With an NCAA Dead Period in effect, Missouri has started to play the waiting game on recruits announcing commitments.

• Kenny Van Doren

Mizzou's transfer O-Linemen trying to fill big shoes

The Missouri Tigers had a lot of production to replace going into 2025, so they turned to the transfer portal.

• Kyle McAreavy

Border War historic review: Nov. 22, 1941

We're jumped just a few years into the future as we continue to look through historic Border War wins by Mizzou.

• Kyle McAreavy

in other news

Mizzou moves needle with top linemen targets during official visits

Here's a look at three of the top uncommitted linemen targets to officially visit Missouri.

• Kenny Van Doren

Five pre-camp predictions for Mizzou football

Let's take a look at some predictions as fall camp approaches with a range of spiciness for Mizzou football.

• Kyle McAreavy

Identifying top uncommitted Mizzou targets from official visit season

With an NCAA Dead Period in effect, Missouri has started to play the waiting game on recruits announcing commitments.

• Kenny Van Doren

Published Dec 2, 2019

Albert Okwuegbunam declares for NFL Draft

Mitchell Forde • Mizzou Today

Staff

@mitchell4d

Click here to save up to 50% on a subscription and get a gift card for free gear

For the second time In as many days, a Missouri junior has decided to forego his final season of college eligibility and declare for the NFL Draft. Sunday, it was defensive tackle Jordan Elliott. Monday, tight end Albert Okwuegbunam tweeted that he will not return for the 2020 season.

The announcement doesn't come as a surprise from Okwuegbunam. Since he burst onto the scene with 11 touchdown receptions as a redshirt freshman in 2017, he has been considered a future pro, and he likely would have declared for the draft following last season had he not been recovering from a significant shoulder injury. Okwuegbunam could be the first Missouri tight end drafted since Michael Egnew in 2012.

Embed content not available

Okwuegbunam tied for the most receiving touchdowns in the nation among tight ends in 2017, setting the bar high for his college career. His touchdown numbers dipped a bit last season but his overall development continued, as he caught 43 passes for 466 yards and six touchdowns. His season ended early, however, due to a shoulder injury suffered against Florida. The injury would have kept him from working out for NFL scouts and sidelined him for most of spring practices.

Still, Okwuegbunam entered 2019 with high expectations. He was selected to the preseason first-team all-SEC and as a preseason first-team all-American. Like much of the Missouri offense, he failed to live up to the hype.

Okwuegbunam caught six touchdowns again this season, but despite the fact that he played in two more games than last year, his 26 receptions and 306 yards represented career-lows. He struggled at times with drops and also committed two costly 15-yard penalties In losses. He never topped 100 yards In a game this season and eclipsed 70 yards only once, in the season-opener.

But Okwuegbunam's speed and size should get him drafted, and likely in the draft's first two days. Hayden Winks of Rotoworld.com ranks Okwuegbunam second among draft-eligible tight ends for 2020. CBS Sports ranks him third.

With Okwuegbunam gone, Daniel Parker Jr. will likely take over as Missouri's every-down tight end. Niko Hea, Logan Christopherson and Brendan Scales should see Increased workloads as well.