COLUMBIA, MO. • Last season was supposed to be Kendall Blanton’s year. As a sophomore in 2016, Missouri’s tight end snatched 16 passes, three for touchdowns. He was Drew Lock’s favorite red zone target, a 6-foot-6, 265-pound machine whose oversized hands swallowed the football. Maybe a strong junior season would vault him into the NFL draft a year ahead of schedule.
As the Tigers settled into the second year of Josh Heupel’s offense, a tight end just as big, just as agile and a few steps faster emerged. Blanton was supposed to be Albert Okwuegbunam before there was an Albert Okwuegbunam, but while the redshirt freshman gobbled those red zone passes, hauling in 11 touchdowns, tied for the most in the Southeastern Conference, Blanton became an afterthought in the passing game.