- 2018 Team Curtis Jones Champion of the Year Award
2018 SEASON
Caught 22 passes for 177 yards and a two TDs during his senior season … Closed his Mizzou career with a season-high four catches for 35 yards and a score in the AutoZone Liberty Bowl vs. Oklahoma State … Caught three passes for 21 yards and a score against Wyoming (9/8) … Season-high 27 yards on three catches vs. Memphis (10/20) … Caught two passes for 15 yards on senior day against Arkansas (11/23) … Invited to play in the East-West Shrine Game.
2017 SEASON
Was part of a trio of tight ends who played a key role in Mizzou’s SEC-leading offense ... Played in all 13 games, making two starts, and was a big contributor in MU’s improved run game which averaged just under 200 yards per contest ... Caught six passes on the season for 138 yards and one touchdown - with the score coming on an acrobatic catch in the right corner of the end zone against Florida on third down from the five yard-line that opened the scoring in MU’s big win ... Ended the season with a catch of 23 yards in the Texas Bowl ... Had a career-long 62-yard catch-and-run against Idaho, showing his big-play ability ... Missed the entire 2017 spring camp due to an ankle injury which required surgery, sustained in off-season workouts.
2016 SEASON
Caught 16 passes for 161 yards in his first season as a primary TE, hauling in three scores as well … Caught a season-high four passes for 31 yards and one touchdown, the first of his career, in Mizzou’s home opener against Eastern Michigan (9/10) ... Caught two passes for 37 yards, including a one-handed, highlight reel catch on a 15-yard TD from QB Drew Lock in the first quarter vs. Middle Tennessee (10/22) … Had a big game at South Carolina (11/5), hauling in a season-high four passes for a career-high 42 yards, including a touchdown grab, the third of his career … That gave Blanton the most TD grabs for a Mizzou tight end since 2011 … Caught one pass for three yards against Vanderbilt (11/12) … Posted two catches for 21 yards at Tennessee (11/19) … Also had one catch in the season finale against Arkansas (11/25).
2015 SEASON
Played in eight games on the season, primarily on special teams, and did not register any statistics. Â
2014 SEASONÂ
Redshirt season.
HIGH SCHOOL
A smooth athlete who the Mizzou coaching staff believes possesses a great frame for the tight end position … hauled in 15 catches for 216 yards and two scores as a senior in 2013 in a predominantly run-oriented offense at Blue Springs South High School for head coach Greg Oder … Second Team All-Big Six Conference selection in his final high school season … grabbed two touchdown catches as a junior in 2012 … rated as the 12th-best tight end prospect in the class of 2014 by ESPN.com … played center for the Blue Springs South basketball squad, leading the team in blocked shots as a junior and senior.
PERSONAL
Parents – Jerry Blanton and Deanna Thompson … Majoring in Parks, Recreation and Tourism ... Chose Mizzou over interest from Kentucky, Louisville and Tulsa ... Father, Jerry, was a standout linebacker at Kentucky and played seven seasons in the NFL with the Kansas City Chiefs.
