Maybe the most beloved kicker in the history of Georgia football arrived in Indianapolis this week for the NFL Combine, with things getting started on Tuesday where he underwent measurements and medical examinations.
According to Charles Robinson of Yahoo!, Hot Rod measured in at:
Height: 6-1
Weight: 190
Hand: 9″
Arm: 30 and 5/8 inches
Wingspan: 73 and 1/8 inch
To be honest, I’m not even sure why they make kickers get measured like this. I would think shoe size or thigh size even is more important than any of these stats.
Here is NFL.com’s overview of Blankenship:
Charismatic kicker and fan favorite — as long as he’s making his kicks. His thick, black-rimmed glasses have become his trademark, but so too are booming touchbacks and a big leg to hit 50-yard field goals with plenty of ball flight leftover. Blankenship rarely mishits the football, but does need to make sure he elevates drive kicks consistently. He should be the first kicker off the board.
Strengths
- Made 92.7 percent of kicks under 40 yards
- Career 82.5 percent field goal mark as a former walk-on
- Very rarely mishits his kicks
- Controlled, compact follow through
- Gets good leverage to rip through the ball on kicks of 50-plus
- Rose Bowl record 55-yarder and was 6 of 9 from 50-plus in his career
- Control for surprise, pooch onside kicks
- Spits bars (released rap song inspired by Kirby Smart’s “Attack the Day” mantra)
- Good kickoff hangtime
- Consistently mashes touchbacks
Weaknesses
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Missed six kicks in 2019
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Missed would-be game-tying kick in overtime in loss to South Carolina
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Missed chip-shot 30-yard kick against Alabama in 2018 SEC Championship Game
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Drive kicks will come out low at times
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Has had three kicks blocked during career
