The latest ‘Bachelor’ was a Mizzou Tigers football player. Here’s what he did at MU

Years before he would become the next “Bachelor” on the ABC reality TV show, Clayton Echard was a walk-on for the Missouri Tigers’ football team.

Echard grew up in Eureka, Missouri, and played football at Eureka High School. He then joined the Mizzou program in 2011 and redshirted that year.

In his time with the Tigers under coach Gary Pinkel through the 2015 season, Echard played tight end but mostly saw time on special teams. He recorded two career catches for 14 yards, coming in consecutive games against South Carolina and Florida in 2015. He also had nine total tackles (four solo) in a Mizzou uniform.

Following graduation, Echard spent a brief period of time as a free agent with the NFL’s Seattle Seahawks before being cut in the preseason.

Now he’ll be the one doing the cutting, with the first episode of Echard’s season set to air on Jan. 3.

Clayton Echard, a Missouri resident and native, will helm the franchise as the Bachelor beginning Jan. 3.