Harold Brantley Will Miss 2015-16 Season from Injuries Sustained in Car Accident

Missouri Tigers defensive tackle Harold Brantley will miss the upcoming college football season after suffering injuries in a June car accident.

Gary Pinkel, Brantley's coach at Missouri, confirmed the news during his SEC media day session Wednesday, according to David Morrison of the Columbia Daily Tribune:

According to Dave Matter of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Pinkel said that Brantley suffered leg injuries and has a "small crack on his shoulder," adding that he'll undergo knee surgery soon:

Yahoo's Dr. Saturday noted that Pinkel feels Brantley would have been one of the best players in the country in 2015:

In June, per Ashley Zavala of KRCG13, Brantley's car struck a guardrail and was overturned with him stuck in the vehicle for 10 minutes before officers were able to get the door open. He was placed in the surgical intensive care unit under serious condition with non-life-threatening injuries. 

Per Blair Kerkhoff of the Kansas City Star, he suffered multiple rib fractures, a fractured lower left leg and ligament damage in his knee. 

A redshirt junior, Brantley has appeared in 28 games during his first two seasons with the Tigers. He was a breakout star in 2014, recording 54 total tackles and five sacks in helping lead the team to an 11-3 record and an appearance in the SEC Championship Game.

While the loss of Brantley is a huge blow to Missouri's defense in 2015, he's fortunate to be alive after an ugly crash. Being able to play football again in 2016 would just be an added bonus for the defensive lineman.