Newcomer Profile: Eddie Kelly
In addition to the 21 players the Tigers signed during the Early Signing Period, they've added 12 more via the transfer portal, as they look to build on last year's 11-2 campaign.
PowerMizzou.com will profile the 14 transfers to help fans familiarize themselves with them. Next up on our list is Georgia Tech transfer defensive lineman Eddie Kelly.
Despite losing three defensive tackles (Jayden Jernigan, Realus George and Josh Landry) and its best defensive player (Darius Robinson), Missouri had already solidly rebuilt the defensive line. Now, with the addition of Kelly, the team has a versatile piece to help solidify defensive end and defensive tackle.
Kelly is a bit of a tweener. So, he can play defensive tackle or EDGE but only had eight snaps at the former in 2023.
So, he'll likely be a part of Brian Early's EDGE room, joining starter Johnny Walker Jr., Zion Young, Darris Smith, Joe Moore, Jahkai Lang and a promising freshmen class that features five-star Williams Nwaneri, four-star Elias Williams and three-star Jaylen Brown.
Kelly, a 6-foot-4 and 274-pounder, is Missouri's fifth transfer defensive lineman of the offseason. He's also a three-star transfer and the No. 273 overall player in Rivals' transfer tracker rankings.
After recording 19 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, a pass deflection and a forced fumble in 11 games as a freshman in 2022 with South Florida, he racked up 38 tackles, five tackles for loss, 1.5 sacks and a pair of pass deflections in 13 games for the Yellow Jackets last season.
Walker is the only EDGE who has a spot on the two deep solidified. The team was impressed by Smith and Young’s performances during spring camp, and Moore and Lang have made strides. So, Kelly will be looking to see if he can at least beat out Moore and Lang (in all likelihood) to be in the way rotation.
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