Transfer LB Blaze Alldredge picks Mizzou

One of the biggest questions facing the Missouri football team in the 2021 season will be who replaces linebacker Nick Bolton. The all-American led the Tigers in tackles each of the past two years before leaving school early for the NFL Draft.

Monday morning, Eli Drinkwitz and the coaching staff might have taken a big step toward answering that question. Former Rice linebacker Blaze Alldredge announced that he will transfer to Mizzou on his Twitter account. Alldredge, a graduate transfer, will be able to play right away.

Alldredge started his college career at Pierce College in Los Angeles before landing at Rice in 2018. He racked up 47 tackles in five games last season, leading Conference USA in tackles per game. In 2019, he had 102 total stops, including four sacks and 21.5 tackles for loss. Only one player in the country, Oregon State’s Hamilcar Rashed, had more tackles for loss.

Alldredge joins a line backing corps with just one returning player, sophomore Devin Nicholson, who started a game last season. He will likely compete with Jamal Brooks, Chad Bailey and Cameron Wilkins for immediate playing time, though Drinkwitz still needs to hire a coordinator to lead the defense.

Alldredge is the third transfer to join Missouri’s roster during this offseason. The Tigers previously added former Oklahoma offensive lineman EJ Ndoma-Ogar and former Ohio Stare wide receiver Mookie Cooper. They likely have about four spots remaining to add to the roster.