Chris Black to Missouri: Latest Transfer Details, Comments and Reaction

Wide receiver Chris Black never lived up to expectations as a member of the Alabama Crimson Tide, but he will attempt to resurrect his career in 2016 with fellow SEC school Missouri. 

He shared news of his transfer on Twitter Monday:

Michael Casagrande of AL.com noted Black will be a graduate transfer for the Tigers, which means he is eligible to play in 2016. The playmaker also considered Arizona State and Maryland.

David Morrison of the Columbia Daily Tribune said Black will participate in spring football with the Tigers as well.

Black came to Alabama as a highly regarded recruit, but he only caught 25 passes for 290 yards in three seasons. His best campaign came in 2014 when he tallied 188 receiving yards, but he dealt with injuries throughout his tenure in Tuscaloosa. He redshirted his first season in 2012 and only saw the field in two games in 2015 because of various physical setbacks.

Black was actually Alabama’s leading returning receiver entering the 2015 campaign after the departures of Amari Cooper, DeAndrew White and Christion Jones, but an ankle injury held him back.

There isn’t much room for impact pass-catchers on Alabama’s depth chart following a national title with Calvin Ridley, O.J. Howard and ArDarius Stewart all returning in 2016. Ridley racked up 1,045 yards and seven touchdowns, Howard won the MVP of the national title game as a tight end with 208 receiving yards and two scores and Stewart tallied 700 receiving yards and four touchdowns.

Had Black returned to the Crimson Tide, he would have faced an uphill battle coming off an injury to even consistently see the field.

As for Missouri, it was a dismal 113th in the nation in passing yards per game in 2015 (165.6) and didn’t feature a single wide receiver with more than 350 total receiving yards all season. What’s more, 247Sports only listed one wide receiver commit among Missouri’s 2016 recruits, as of Monday, and that was 3-star Dominic Collins.

From an opportunity standpoint, Black will have a much better chance to emerge as a go-to option in the Tigers offense. Black was talented enough to draw interest from powerhouse Alabama in the first place, and he may finally have the chance to show what he can do as a healthy pass-catcher in a new uniform.

Missouri’s aerial attack must improve if it wants to compete for an SEC East crown after finishing 5-7 in 2015, and adding Black is an ideal step forward this offseason.