4-star Texas linebacker Chad Bailey commits to Missouri over Ole Miss, Colorado

Missouri’s linebacking corps in 2017 will consist of two seniors, six juniors, and just three underclassmen. Judging by the number of offers sent out, then, it appeared the linebacker position would be a position of focus in the 2018 class. So far, so good: the Tigers just landed their ninth commitment of 2018, and their second linebacker: four-star Missouri City, Tex., product Chad Bailey.

A 6’0, 238-pound product of Ridge Point High School, Bailey appeared to be down to Ole Miss and Mizzou, and following the sudden coaching change in Oxford, the Tigers surged into the lead and landed their biggest commitment so far.

Here’s Bailey’s Hudl film. He is a fun combination of your prototypical “guy who seeks contact” kind of linebacker and a gliding athlete to gets to where he’s going pretty quickly.

This is a big one. Missouri’s per-recruit average has been solid so far — each of the first eight commits in the class were three-star prospects so far, but five or six were pretty high three-stars, per the 247Sports Composite.

Still, from a momentum standpoint, having a four-star in tow is big, and Bailey, 247’s No. 317 prospect (No. 42 in Texas, No. 16 among inside linebackers), fits that bill.

Bailey is Missouri’s fourth commitment of the weekend; he joins fellow linebacker Cameron Wilkins, cornerbacks Vincent Gray and Tyrone Collins, and likely safety Cameron Taylor on the defensive side of the ball. WELCOME, CHAD.