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As Missouri football struggled on offense much of the 2019 season, the Tigers' defense gained experience and helped keep several games close. Defensive standouts like Jordan Elliott, Cale Garrett and DeMarkus Acy have gone on to the NFL, but a few stalwarts from a year ago have returned to Columbia and loom large for the Tigers as they prepare for a pandemic-altered, Southeastern Conference-only schedule this year. Perhaps the biggest luxury the Missouri defense has going into the 2020 season is its safety duo of Joshuah Bledsoe and Tyree Gillespie, who feed off each other in a way that benefits the Tigers' last line of defenders. Bledsoe is projected as the starting strong safety, while Gillespie has switched to the boundary safety position, vacated by Khalil Oliver and Ronnell Perkins, which is designed to free him up to move all over the field depending on formation.

MU defensive coordinator Ryan Walters said Friday the battle for the starting free safety position is between Columbia native Martez Manuel and redshirt freshman Jalani Williams. Missouri's 4-2-5 defense, implemented over the course of the past two seasons, is now the norm for the Tigers. That structure wouldn't hold together as well without the maturity and experience of Gillespie and Bledsoe. "I think they can be the best safety tandem in the SEC and in all of college football as well," Missouri linebacker Nick Bolton said. "You got two very athletic guys, very smart guys, stocky safeties...They got more experience from last year to this year with a different type of scheme. And then, adding on from last year to this year, I feel like they're going to have two big years. "They're essential for us being good on defense." - Columbia Daily Tribune

(DS#9 FS) Sr/2021

FS Joshuah Bledsoe, Missouri
News Source: Columbia Daily Tribune
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08/22/20 - *Nick Bolton, Jr/2021, Missouri, 5-11, 237 (DS#2 ILB) + More +

Missouri football fans have plenty to worry about these days. Will a COVID-19 outbreak on campus or within the locker room jeopardize the season? Will the Southeastern Conference keep pushing to play this fall? Will the Tigers' brutal schedule slow down Eliah Drinkwitz's recruiting momentum? Here's one concern fans can scratch off their list: Nick Bolton isn't going anywhere - for now. Bolton might be the best college linebacker whose team plans to play in 2020 - Alabama's Dylan Moses is his top competition in the SEC - but the way things have unfolded in recent weeks, nobody should have been surprised had Bolton considered sitting out the upcoming season to prepare for the NFL draft.

As of Friday, nearly 80 college players had opted out for 2020, including 13 in the Southeastern Conference. Bolton made it clear after Friday's practice: He's opting in. "Personally I've not had any conversations about opting out," he said on Zoom. "I feel I've got more to prove as a team, as a unit, this coming season. So I've just been taking every day trying to get a little bit better, trying to help my teammates get better and hopefully September 26, we kick off at 100 percent." - Post-Dispatch

(DS#2 ILB) Jr/2021

ILB *Nick Bolton, Missouri
News Source: Post-Dispatch
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08/22/20 - *Nick Bolton, Jr/2021, Missouri, 5-11, 237 (DS#2 ILB) + More +

Missouri's Nick Bolton might be the best college linebacker who appears in games this fall - he's at least in the discussion - but the way things have unfolded in recent weeks, nobody should have been surprised if he considered looking ahead to the NFL draft and sat out the 2020 college season. As of Friday, a reported 77 players have made that decision, including 13 in the Southeastern Conference. Not Bolton. The junior linebacker said Friday he hasn't had any conversations about not playing this season.

"I feel I've got more to prove as a team, as a unit, this coming season," he said on Zoom after Friday's practice. "So I've just been taking every day trying to get a little bit better, trying to help my teammates get better and hopefully September 26, we kick off at 100 percent." Linebackers coach D.J. Smith, a former NFL player who spent parts of four seasons with the Packers, Texans and Panthers, said he never talked to Bolton about sitting out this year. "Nick's a competitor," Smith said. "He's a grinder. And as far as I'm concerned, he's here, day in and day out, working for us to win a championship." - Post-Dispatch

(DS#2 ILB) Jr/2021

ILB *Nick Bolton, Missouri
News Source: Post-Dispatch
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08/20/20 - Jalen Catalon, rSr/2026, Missouri, 5-10, 204 (DS#999 FS) + More +

Arkansas redshirt freshman defensive back Jalen Catalon is going to miss some practice time after having a procedure to repair meniscus on a knee, sources told the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Catalon is expected to miss about four weeks following the procedure. The 5-10, 189-pounder from Mansfield, Texas, was one of the top signees in the Razorbacks' 2019 signing class. He is expected to compete for playing time at safety. Catalon had major knee surgery as a prep senior at Mansfield Legacy High and needed shoulder surgery late in his redshirt season at Arkansas last year. - Northwest Arkansas Times

(DS#999 FS) rSr/2026

FS Jalen Catalon, Missouri
News Source: Northwest Arkansas Times
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08/16/20 - Damon Hazelton, rSr/2021, Missouri, 6-3, 206 (DS#68 WR) + More +

The graduate transfer from Virginia Tech quickly won over Mizzou's coaches and teammates after joining the team in January and supplies the credentials to become the team's No. 1 receiver. At 6-foot-3, 215 pounds he's the prototypical outside target for Drinkwitz's preferred downfield passing game. Only three players in Mizzou history have more career touchdown catches than Hazelton's 20. The best news for Mizzou: Hazelton got better since coming to campus. "In my room there's not a guy during the quarantine who took a bigger leap in his game than Damon Hazelton," receivers coach Bush Hamdan said. - Post-Dispatch

(DS#68 WR) rSr/2021

WR Damon Hazelton, Missouri
News Source: Post-Dispatch
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08/02/20 - Connor Wood, rSr/2023, Missouri, 6-4, 306 (DS#999 OG) + More +

2020 PHIL STEELE/DRAFTSCOUT ALL-BIG SKY SECOND TEAM: Connor Wood, Montana St, Jr.,...Wood missed four 2019 late-season games with injury...started the 11 other games, earning Hero Sports Sophomore All-America Honorable Mention honors. - Montana State Football

(DS#999 OG) rSr/2023

OG Connor Wood, Missouri
News Source: Montana State Football
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07/31/20 - Jack Abraham, rSr/2023, Missouri, 5-11, 205 (DS#999 QB) + More +

2020 MANNING AWARD PRESEASON WATCH LIST: Jack Abraham, Jr., Southern Miss,...Abraham, the Oxford, Miss., native, started in all 13 games in 2019 and became only the third Golden Eagle QB to throw for over 3,000 yards in a season. The second-year starter finished the year with 3,496 passing yards, tying him with Austin Davis (2011) for the second-most passing yards thrown in a season. Abraham's passing efficiency of 144.48 for the year is third best for a Golden Eagle quarterback in a season, while his 275 completions ranks as fourth-most. He tossed at least one TD pass in 11 of 13 games and threw for over 200 yards on nine occasions, 300 yards in four games and 400 yards twice. - Southern Miss Football

(DS#999 QB) rSr/2023

QB Jack Abraham, Missouri
News Source: Southern Miss Football
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07/28/20 - *Nick Bolton, Jr/2021, Missouri, 5-11, 237 (DS#2 ILB) + More +

2020 PRESEASON WALTER CAMP SECOND TEAM ALL-AMERICAN: LB Nick Bolton, Missouri,...Earned All-SEC First Team honors from both the league's coaches and the Associated Press after posting a team-best 107 tackles in 2019...Also added 9.0 tackles for loss, 1.0 sack, two interceptions, eight pass breakups and three quarterback hurries during his true sophomore season, developing into one of the nation's elite linebackers...His 74 solo tackles were 15 more than any other defender in the SEC. - Missouri Football

(DS#2 ILB) Jr/2021

ILB *Nick Bolton, Missouri
News Source: Missouri Football
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07/28/20 - *Nick Bolton, Jr/2021, Missouri, 5-11, 237 (DS#2 ILB) + More +

When a torn pectoral tendon ended what might have become an All-American season for Missouri linebacker Cale Garrett last fall, the spotlight turned to his sidekick in the middle of the defense. Nick Bolton didn't disappoint. By season's end, the sophomore and first-year starter had become Mizzou's best player. Garrett, watching the second half from the sideline, wasn't surprised. "He's not uncomfortable being 'the guy.' He was the dude for us last year. This year he'll be the dude for them again," Garrett said this week before reporting to training camp with the Tennessee Titans. "He's able to lead our defense. That's easy to ask of him."

That's exactly what defensive coordinator Ryan Walters has asked of Bolton this offseason in Garrett's absence. While Bolton might have deferred to his older teammate last season, 2020 is Bolton's year to seize the stage for himself. "I told him he's getting all these preseason accolades, the fair expectation is he better have them at the end of the year," Walters said. "What I like about Nick is he has the same attitude as he had walking in as a true freshman, even though he has all the accolades and played at the level he played last year. He's still Nick. He's a hard worker, a very conscientious kid. He knows why he's here and what his goals are. I'm expecting him to play better than he played last year. "He's got guys in front of him that know what to do and will keep linemen off him. He understands ball and what we're trying to do schematically. A lot of what we're doing is built around allowing him to make plays." - Post-Dispatch

(DS#2 ILB) Jr/2021

ILB *Nick Bolton, Missouri
News Source: Post-Dispatch
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07/27/20 - Akayleb Evans, rSr/2022, Missouri, 6-2, 201 (DS#21 CB) + More +

2020 WUERFFEL TROPHY PRESEASON WATCH LIST: Akayleb Evans, Tulsa, junior, defensive back,...Evans, a 6'2" junior cornerback, began the Akayleb Evans Foundation in his hometown of McKinney, Texas, in 2017. The Foundation started the #TouchdownwithToys event every Christmas and this past May provided gift cards to staff members at the McKinney Urgent Care in showing appreciation for their fight against COVID-19. He has participated in volunteer activities with the Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma, the community school welcome back for elementary children, the Martin Luther King Day parade, and the Greenwood Leadership Academy. - Tulsa Football

(DS#21 CB) rSr/2022

CB Akayleb Evans, Missouri
News Source: Tulsa Football
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07/27/20 - Kobie Whiteside, rSr/2022, Missouri, 6-1, 317 (DS#53 DT) + More +

2020 WUERFFEL TROPHY PRESEASON WATCH LIST: Kobie Whiteside, Missouri, senior, defensive line,...Whiteside became a dominant force on the interior for Mizzou during his first season as a full-time starter as a junior...Tallied 27 tackles and a team-high 6.5 sacks for a loss of 51 yards...His 6.5 sacks are tied for the most among any returning SEC defender in 2020...Posted a pair of multiple-sack performances as a junior, both coming in SEC play. - Missouri Football

(DS#53 DT) rSr/2022

DT Kobie Whiteside, Missouri
News Source: Missouri Football
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07/27/20 - Tyler Badie, Sr/2022, Missouri, 5-08, 197 (DS#16 RB) + More +

2020 PRESEASON PAUL HORNUNG AWARD WATCH LIST: Tyler Badie, Missouri,...Badie led Mizzou with 928 all-purpose yards as a sophomore in 2019, averaging a team-best 77.3 per game...Of his 928 all-purpose yards, 457 came on the ground as he averaged 4.2 yards per carry with three touchdowns...Led Mizzou with 32 catches and posted 356 receiving yards (11.1 average) with five touchdowns...His 32 catches were the most by a Mizzou running back in the last decade and he was the first Mizzou running back to lead the team in receptions during a season since Brock Olivo in 1995 (17). - Missouri Football

(DS#16 RB) Sr/2022

RB Tyler Badie, Missouri
News Source: Missouri Football
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07/25/20 - Blaze Alldredge, rSr/2022, Missouri, 6-1, 225 (DS#23 ILB) + More +

2020 BUTKUS AWARD PRESEASON WATCH LIST: Blaze Alldredge, Rice,...Alldredge, who has also been named to the Bednarik Award preseason watch list, earned All-Conference USA honors both on the field and in the classroom in 2019. He piled up 102 tackles (21.5 for loss) while posting a 3.567 GPA in Political Science. He led C-USA and was tied for second nationally with an average of 1.79 TFL per game while his 21.5 tackles for loss were tied for the C-USA lead and for second nationally. Alldredge's 27 plays resulting in a loss (16 solo, 11 assists) led the nation. Over a quarter of his 102 tackles resulted in losses (27 of 102, 26%). - Rice Football

(DS#23 ILB) rSr/2022

ILB Blaze Alldredge, Missouri
News Source: Rice Football
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07/25/20 - Blaze Alldredge, rSr/2022, Missouri, 6-1, 225 (DS#23 ILB) + More +

2020 BRONKO NAGURSKI TROPHY PRESEASON WATCH LIST: LB Blaze Alldredge, Rice,...This is the third major award watch list to include Alldredge, joining the Bednarik and Butkus Awards and is his second appearance on the Nagurski Award list after being added to the 2019 list during the season. He piled up 102 tackles (21.5 for loss) while posting a 3.567 GPA in Political Science. He led C-USA and was tied for second nationally with an average of 1.79 TFL per game while his 21.5 tackles for loss were tied for the C-USA lead and for second nationally. - Rice Football

(DS#23 ILB) rSr/2022

ILB Blaze Alldredge, Missouri
News Source: Rice Football
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07/24/20 - Case Cook, rSr/2022, Missouri, 6-4, 294 (DS#40 OG) + More +

Cook drew rave reviews from Odom and former Missouri offensive coordinator Derek Dooley last season for his play from the right guard position. With three standouts to his left at all times, defenses picked on Cook at times last year, but he held strong on many occasions. Cook played in all 12 MU games last year, starting 10. Just like Borom, Cook's responsibilities will come from the Tiger quarterback's line of vision if he stays in the same spot as a season ago. In the three spring practices before the coronavirus stopped team sports, Cook was vocal about the offensive line's promise. He'll for sure say the same things in team meetings to take on a leadership position. - Columbia Daily Tribune

(DS#40 OG) rSr/2022

OG Case Cook, Missouri
News Source: Columbia Daily Tribune
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