Rodrigo Blankenship hits game winning FG for Colts

Former Georgia football K Rodrigo Blankenship hits game winning 39-yard FG for the Colts in overtime.

It has been quite the rookie NFL season for former Georgia kicker Rodrigo Blankenship.

After being passed on in the 2020 NFL Draft, Blankenship signed with the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent.  The Georgia legend is now starting to make a name for himself around the NFL.

Hot Rod drilled a game winning 39 yard field goal against the Packers on Sunday to secure a 34 – 31 victory in overtime.

Blankenship has been money all year, going 19/21 (90.5%) on field goals and 23/25 (92%) on extra points so far.  He leads the NFL in points scored with 94 total points.  That’s pretty good for the walk-on, undrafted free agent out of Athens.

The NFL has officially been put on notice.  It’s time to start respecting the specs.

NFL Combine measurements: Georgia football K Rodrigo Blankenship

NFL Combine measurements for Georgia football K Rodrigo Blankenship.

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.

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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
  • Missed six kicks in 2019

  • Missed would-be game-tying kick in overtime in loss to South Carolina

  • Missed chip-shot 30-yard kick against Alabama in 2018 SEC Championship Game

  • Drive kicks will come out low at times

  • Has had three kicks blocked during career