Projecting the Future: Cody Blanc

by Brad Shepard on Jan 11, 2012 10:52 PM EST in Tennessee Volunteers Recruiting

CODY BLANC, 6-2, 204 ATH KNOXVILLE [CENTRAL HS]

Ratings: Rivals 2*, Scout 3* No. 88 safety, ESPN 3* No. 131 athlete, 247 3* No. 76 athlete. Chose UT over Virginia Tech and Vanderbilt.

STRENGTHS: Blanc's versatility is nice, and he is pretty fast and athletic for his size. Playing in the Vols' backyard, coaches were able to witness his versatility firsthand and liked what they saw out of him at workouts and again this season. Local boy pretty much committed to UT immediately after the offer. He has good straight-line speed, and is a very intelligent, do-it-all type player. He posted an electronically-timed 4.41 40-yard dash. Also, he is a mid-term guy so that will help him learn the system and study both sides of the ball to see where he'll ultimately land.

NEEDS WORK: He simply doesn't appear "football fast" to me, and maybe it's his height that makes him just look a bit awkward out there. Doesn't appear to stand out at all on film, and he doesn't have the greatest hands. He will be able to bring a load when he gets more physical, and I believe his best position will be safety. Not that this matters, but he certainly isn't a "rankings booster," and some folks get caught up in that.

CREDENTIALS: His stats at Central last year were pretty much utility knife-like but not spectacular in just nine games for a poor team: He was 1 for 1 passing for 28 yards and a touchdown. He also had 81 carries for 433 yards for a 5.3 average and four touchdowns. He caught 10 passes for 78 yards and a touchdown. He finished with 69 tackles, four TFLs and four interceptions. He had a much better season as a junior where he rushed for 1,171 yards and 11 TDs last season to go along with 4 KOR TDs and 2 PR TDs. He was a 5A All-State selection the past two years.

OPTIMISTIC CEILING: Several services liken him to Knoxville product and Notre Dame safety Harrison Smith. I know he's not as highly regarded as Smith coming out of high school, and he's not as bulky, but he is faster. Blanc needs a year in the weight room, but he could be a pretty solid two-year player for the Vols down the road at safety. I see nothing spectacular about his game, but nobody was too excited about Devrin Young, and that local boy turned out well. I'm excited to see a kid who bleeds orange work hard and try to work his way onto the field.

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I like him as a Safety, too.

His straight line speed will serve him well there, and he’s got the size to be able to be good in run support, assuming he can bulk up and doesn’t mind being physical.

"Do the Titans have a miracle left in them in what has been a magical season to this point? If they do, they need it now. Christie kicks it high and short. Gonna be fielded by Lorenzo Neal at the 25; he dishes it back to Wycheck; he throws it across the field to Dyson. 30, 40, 50, 40, 30, 20, 10, 5, endzone...touchdown, Titans! There are no flags on the field! It's a miracle! Tennessee has pulled a miracle! A miracle for the Titans!"

by TennesseeTyrants on Jan 12, 2012 12:00 AM EST reply actions

Could he be the next Nick Reveiz?

by PdxVol on Jan 12, 2012 1:14 AM EST reply actions

A taller, lighter, faster version, perhaps.

by TennesseeTyrants on Jan 12, 2012 9:54 AM EST up reply actions

I like this recruit

If you’re going to take a bit of a reach, than good to reach with the local guys. This is not a throw away recruit like some who filled out Fulmer’s later classes.

by phil g on Jan 12, 2012 1:25 PM EST reply actions

I agree with this.

Holdin' it down on enemy grounds.

Anti-Snail on offense; Give me a slobberknocker, or give me death!

by Brad Shepard on Jan 12, 2012 1:46 PM EST up reply actions

Sounds like

A bigger faster Dennis Rogan. Hopefully he has a little more sense than Rogan had. I think with another year in the program to improve his cover skills I think Rogan could have gotten drafted. However he was a great player for TN and was pretty much a do everything guy in the secondary and on special teams.

by docrok on Jan 12, 2012 2:57 PM EST reply actions