Missouri football adds depth at linebacker with South Alabama transfer
Missouri football has added depth to its linebacker room.
South Alabama linebacker Khalil Jacobs has committed to the Tigers, per a post to his Instagram account on Wednesday afternoon. He’ll immediately have some familiarity on the MU staff, as new Mizzou defensive coordinator Corey Batoon also arrived in Columbia from South Alabama this offseason.
Money on the way!!!! LETS WORK https://t.co/WGD7Hrdymf
— Khalil Jacobs (@khaliljjacobs) May 22, 2024
Jacobs, who is listed at 6 foot 2, 218 pounds, played 24 games over two seasons for the Jaguars. He’ll join the Tigers as a junior and with two full seasons of eligibility remaining.
In his time at South Alabama, Jacobs recorded 60 total tackles, 8.5 for loss and three sacks. He forced three fumbles, intercepted one pass and deflected one more.
Jacobs joins a linebacker room in Columbia that has some intriguing pieces for the future but lacks in collegiate experience.
Mizzou returns Cotton Bowl starters Chuck Hicks and Triston Newson and has added Miami transfer Corey Flagg, who has one remaining year of eligibility.
Beyond that, Missouri is at a bit of a want for in-game experience.
The Tigers landed Michigan transfer Jeremiah Beasley out of the portal last month, but he only enrolled at the Wolverines in December and joins MU as a true freshman. Mizzou also returns redshirt freshman Brayshawn Littlejohn, who saw the field sparingly for the Tigers in 2023. Missouri will rely on true freshmen for depth in the room after those players, with four-star prospect Brian Huff and three-star recruit Nicholas Rodriguez part of MU’s Class of 2024.
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Missouri, which is set to retain its base 4-2-5 formation from 2023 under former DC Blake Baker, lost its two depth-chart toppers from last season. Ty’Ron Hopper was drafted in the third round by the Green Bay Packers, and Chad Bailey is out of eligibility.
Mizzou also lost several reserve linebackers to the transfer portal in the winter window, as DJ Wesolak, Carmycah Glass, Dameon Wilson and Xavier Simmons each left the program.
Jacobs was a three-star prospect out of Niceville, Florida, in the Class of 2022.
This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Missouri football adds depth at linebacker with South Alabama transfer
