Tag: hot rod georgia

Twitter reacts: Rodrigo Blankenship wins Colts’ job as starting kicker

Georgia Bulldogs kicker Rodrigo Blankenship has won the starting job at kicker for the Indianapolis Colts

Former Georgia Bulldogs star kicker Rodrigo Blankenship has won the starting kicker job for the Indianapolis Colts over incumbent Chase McLaughlin. Blankenship will make his NFL debut Sept. 13 against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Blankenship went undrafted in April’s NFL Draft but was quickly signed by the Indianapolis Colts.

Blankenship had a distinguished career at the University of Georgia. He instantly became a fan favorite after hitting a game-winning field goal at Kentucky in 2016. He went on to win the prestigious Lou Groza Award as a senior.

Blankenship earned a $20,000 signing bonus from the Colts according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissero.

The Colts don’t have a back up kicker on their practice squad indicating their confidence in Hot Rod. Blankenship, like all NFL kickers will have pressure on every kick, even extra points, since they are longer (33 yards) nowadays.

Here’s how Twitter reacted to the new of Blankenship taking the starting role in Indianapolis:

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USA TODAY identifies two Bulldogs who could be NFL Draft steals

USA TODAY has released a list of 11 players who could be major steals for NFL teams approaching the 2020 NFL Draft on Thursday April 23rd.

USA TODAY released a list of eleven players who could be steals in the 2020 NFL Draft.  The draft is set to take place Thursday, April 23rd to Saturday, April 25th and will happen remotely for the first time in its history.

The list has one player per position that some teams could easily overlook, while others could be getting a major steal.

The list that had just eleven players featured two Georgia players on it.

The first of the Dawgs players listed as a steal is at the safety position with former Georgia standout JR Reed.

Reed had a spectacular career playing in Athens, tallying up 199 tackles, 5 interceptions, 3 fumble recoveries and 2 touchdowns. Reed stands at 6-1, 195 lbs giving him a good sized NFL frame.  The son of 12-year NFL player Jake Reed spoke to Draft Wire about what NFL teams will get if they draft him.

“They’re gonna get a leader, on and off the field. They’re gonna get a versatile safety that can play multiple positions. I can come down in the box, I can play in the middle of the field and I can cover the tight end or anybody really.” said Reed.  “They’re gonna get a franchise safety. The term franchise gets thrown around a lot with the quarterbacks. Just like the franchise quarterback is supposed to be around for a long time, I’m a franchise safety that’s gonna be around for a long time.”

The second of the Dawgs players listed as a steal is at the kicker position with Rodrigo Blankenship.

Blankenship finished his career at Georgia hitting 80/97 field goal attempts (82.5%) and scoring 440 points for the Dawgs.  Believe it or not, Hot Rod is the highest-scoring player in Georgia football history and will be a perfect fit to be an NFL team’s franchise kicker for years to come.  Kickers really are undervalued in the NFL these days and Blankenship could be a huge steal for some teams in need of a decent kicker.

It is pretty impressive that two out of eleven of the players listed to be steals in the 2020 draft are Georgia players.  Miami was another school to feature two players as steals on the list.

It may be a couple of rounds in, but whoever takes JR Reed or Rodrigo Blankenship are going to have some serious talent in their hands.

Kirby Smart: “What Rodrigo has overcome is a story for the ages”

Georgia football HC Kirby Smart discusses how amazing UGA K Rodrigo Blankenship’s Bulldog career has been.

In Kirby Smart’s post-game presser tailing Saturday’s home win over Texas A&M, the coach used his opening remarks to congratulate Georgia’s newest career leader in points, Rodrigo Blankenship.

Blankenship, who also has the highest career field goal percentage of any Bulldog past or present, was flawless against the Aggies and scored 13 of the Dawgs’ 19 points on senior night.

It’s strange to think that the most automatic placekicker in school history didn’t start out on scholarship.

“What Rodrigo has done and overcome is a story for the ages,” Smart said.

Blankenship arrived in Athens as a preferred walk-on, meaning he had a semi-promised scholarship that would be awarded by the end of one season should he progress as the coaches hope.

He did his job, a scholarship still wasn’t awarded, and his dad wrote an open letter addressing the coaching staff that Georgia fans still remember.

The kicker responded by keeping his head down, persisting, and consequently earning his scholarship.

Smart continued:

 “To be a walk-on, to not getting a scholarship, to continue to work, to get a scholarship, and to continue to grind and be as consistent as he has been in some of the toughest conditions you can ask a kicker to kick…he’s just been tremendous.”

The senior out of Sprayberry High School has long been a fan favorite for the obvious football-related rationale. He is, as Smart later remarked, a “weapon.”

His habits of donning rec specs and lacing up the same Nike Mercurial cleats he’s worn since his high school soccer days have earned him fans nationwide for more frivolous reasons.

Blankenship’s tenacity, positive attitude, and grit should earn him even more.