Justin Blalock

Last updated

Justin Blalock
Justin Blalock 2013.jpg
Blalock with the Falcons in 2013
No. 63
Position: Offensive guard
Personal information
Born: (1983-12-20) December 20, 1983 (age 40)
Dallas, Texas, U.S.
Height:6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight:320 lb (145 kg)
Career information
High school: Plano East (Plano, Texas)
College: Texas
NFL draft: 2007  / round: 2 / pick: 39
Career history
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Games played:125
Games started:125
Fumble recoveries:4
Total touchdowns:1
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Justin Christopher Blalock (born December 20, 1983) is an American former professional football player who was an offensive guard for eight seasons with the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Texas Longhorns, earning consensus All-American honors. The Falcons chose him in the second round of the 2007 NFL draft.

Contents

Early life

Blalock was born in Dallas, Texas. He attended Plano East Senior High School in the Dallas suburb of Plano. He was three-year starter at offensive guard, but also saw playing time at defensive tackle. As a sophomore in 1999, Blalock was named second-team all-district after recording 151 pancake blocks, as he helped lead Plano East to an 11–3 record and the Texas 5A Division II state quarterfinals that season. The offensive lineman was named all-district and all-area as a junior after registering 130 knockdowns. In 2001, Blalock posted 134 knockdown blocks, did not allow a sack and opened holes for an offense that averaged nearly 300 rushing yards per game. His top game of season was a 21-pancake performance vs. Plano Senior High School.

Blalock was also an outstanding track and field athlete in the shot put and discus throw, where he was selected all-state. He captured the Region II-5A shot put title with a toss of 58-8½ in 2002 and finished fourth (55-2½) at the 2002 UIL Championships (Class 5A). He also registered the third-best throw (63-2½ or 19.28m) in the state as a senior (all classes) and placed fifth in the shot (61–6) at the 1999 Texas 5A Championships.

Blalock was selected to play in the 2002 U.S. Army All-American Bowl. He also earned first-team All-American honors from USA Today as a senior, and was also a first-team Class 5A All-State, all-area and all-district selection. The Sporting News rated him as the nation's top offensive lineman prospect as well as the No. 15 high school prospect overall.

College career

Blalock attended the University of Texas, where he played for coach Mack Brown's Texas Longhorns football team from 2002 to 2006. As a redshirt freshman in 2003, Blalock started all 13 games at right tackle and was named first-team Freshman All-America by the Football Writers Association of America and The Sporting News. He also started all 12 games his sophomore year at right tackle and was named first-team All-Big 12 by the Big 12 coaches and the Austin American-Statesman.

Blalock again manned the right tackle position in 2004. He was chosen first-team All-Big 12 Conference by the league's coaches and the Austin American-Statesman, adding second-team accolades from The Associated Press, Dallas Morning News, Fort Worth Star-Telegram and San Antonio Express-News. He led an offensive line that cleared the way for Texas to rank second in the nation in rushing (299.2 ypg), seventh in total offense (464.4 ypg) and 12th in scoring (35.3 ppg). Texas' 3,590 rushing yards that season was the third-highest total in school history.

As a junior in 2005, he again started all 13 games at right tackle and was named All-America by College Football News and a third-team All-America by The Associated Press. Also named first-team All-Big 12 by The Associated Press, Austin American-Statesman, Big 12 Coaches, Dallas Morning News, Fort Worth Star-Telegram and Kansas City Star. He was part of the NCAA National Championship Football team and contributed to the now legendary victory at The Rose Bowl in January 2006.

As a senior during 2006 Blalock was voted team captain and continued to lead the Texas Longhorns in exemplary leadership and athletic consistency. He was a consensus All-America choice in 2006.

On November 24, 2006, Blalock became the first Longhorn in school history to start 50 consecutive games. [1]

An excellent student, Blalock was a member of the UT Athletics Director's Honor Roll in fall 2004. He was also one of five finalists for the 2002 Watkins Award, which is presented to the nation's top African-American high school scholar-athlete. Blalock graduated from the University of Texas at Austin in December 2006 with his degree in youth and community studies and a minor in business.

Professional career

Blalock scored a 41 on the Wonderlic, the highest score of the 2007 NFL draft. [2] He was one of seven Longhorns selected by professional football teams in the draft. [3] The others were Michael Griffin (number 19 overall), Aaron Ross (number 20 overall), Tim Crowder (number 56 overall), Brian Robison (number 102 overall), Tarell Brown (number 147 overall), Kasey Studdard (number 183 overall). [4] Lyle Sendlein and Selvin Young were not drafted but signed with NFL teams as free agents. [5]

On July 31, 2011, Blalock agreed to a six-year contract extension with the Falcons. [6]

On February 27, 2015, Blalock was released by the Falcons becoming a free agent. [7]

On June 15, 2015, Blalock retired.

Personal life

Blalock resides in Atlanta, Georgia, where he is active in community service projects[ citation needed ]. He is a cousin of New Orleans Saints center Jonathan Goodwin and NFL coach Harold Goodwin. He is also a cousin of Aubrey Gibson, shareholder/partner at the law firm Polsinelli and Kourtney Gibson, president of Loop Capital.

See also

Related Research Articles

Michael Deshaun Williams is an American former professional football player who was an offensive tackle and guard in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the University of Texas, and was recognized as a consensus All-American. The Buffalo Bills chose him with the fourth overall pick in the 2002 NFL draft, and he played professionally for the Bills and Washington Redskins.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mack Brown</span> American football coach (born 1951)

William Mack Brown is an American college football coach. He is currently in his second stint as the head football coach for the University of North Carolina, where he first coached from 1988 until 1997, when he left to become the University of Texas head coach. In 2018, Brown was inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. Two days after North Carolina fired Larry Fedora in November 2018, Brown was announced to return after a five-year hiatus from coaching, which he spent as an ESPN analyst.

Thomas Henry Nobis Jr., nicknamed "Mr. Falcon", was an American professional football linebacker who played for 11 seasons with the Atlanta Falcons of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Texas Longhorns, where he played as a linebacker and guard, and won the Maxwell Award in 1965. He was the first overall selection in the 1966 NFL draft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vince Young</span> American gridiron football player (born 1983)

Vincent Paul Young Jr. is an American former professional football player who was a quarterback for six seasons in the National Football League (NFL). Young was selected by the Tennessee Titans as the third overall pick in the 2006 NFL draft, and he was also selected to be the Madden NFL 08 cover athlete.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Leonard Davis (American football)</span> American football player (born 1978)

Leonard Barnett Davis is an American former professional football player who was a guard for 12 seasons in the National Football League (NFL). He was a consensus All-American playing college football for the Texas Longhorns, where he was also a two-time Outland Trophy finalist and a Lombardi Trophy semifinalist. Davis was selected by the Arizona Cardinals with the second overall pick in the 2001 NFL draft. He played for the Cardinals, the Dallas Cowboys - where he was a three-time Pro-Bowler and a second team All-Pro - and the San Francisco 49ers, with whom he went to Super Bowl XLVII. He also spent part of a season with the Detroit Lions, but never took the field for them.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Derrick Dockery</span> American football player (born 1980)

Derrick Dewayne Dockery is an American former professional football guard in the National Football League (NFL) for the Washington Redskins, Buffalo Bills and Dallas Cowboys. He played college football at the University of Texas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rodrique Wright</span> American gridiron football player and coach (born 1984)

Rodrique Charles Wright is an American professional football coach and former player who is the defensive line coach for the Houston Texans of the National Football League (NFL). He played for five seasons as a defensive end in the NFL and Canadian Football League (CFL). Wright played college football for the Texas Longhorns, earning consensus All-American honors in 2005. The Miami Dolphins chose him in the seventh round of the 2006 NFL draft, and he also played for the CFL's Saskatchewan Roughriders.

Jonathan Ray Scott is an American former professional football player who was an offensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Texas Longhorns, unanimous All-American honors and helping the team win the 2005 BCS Championship. He had an eight-year, injury-plagued pro football career during which he played for the Detroit Lions, Buffalo Bills, Pittsburgh Steelers, Chicago Bears and Atlanta Falcons. He was selected by the Lions in the fifth round of the 2006 NFL draft and was the starting left tackle for the Steelers in Super Bowl XLV.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Aaron Ross</span> American football player (born 1982)

Aaron Jermaine Ross is an American former professional football player who was a cornerback in the National Football League (NFL). He won a college football national championship in 2005 with the Texas Longhorns and the 2006 Jim Thorpe Award as the nation's top defensive back. Ross was selected by the New York Giants in the first round of the 2007 NFL draft. He won Super Bowls XLII and XLVI with the Giants.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Henry Melton</span> American football player (born 1986)

Henry James Melton is an American former professional football player who was a defensive end in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Texas Longhorns, where he was a running back for the 2005 National Championship team, and also played on special teams. He was drafted by the Chicago Bears in the fourth round of the 2009 NFL draft and has also played for the Dallas Cowboys.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brian Robison</span> American football player (born 1983)

Brian Gale Robison is an American former professional football player who was a defensive end in the National Football League (NFL). He was selected by the Minnesota Vikings in the fourth round of the 2007 NFL draft and played for the team for 11 seasons. In 173 NFL games, he recorded 289 tackles, 60 sacks and one touchdown. He played college football for the Texas Longhorns. While at college, he also participated in track and field, competing in the shot put; in 2006, his senior year, he finished in second place in the shot put competition at the NCAA Outdoor Championships.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kasey Studdard</span> American football player (born 1984)

Kasey Studdard is an American former professional football offensive guard who played in the National Football League (NFL). The son of former Denver Broncos tackle Dave Studdard, he was selected by the Houston Texans in the sixth round of the 2007 NFL draft. He played college football at Texas.

Don Larry Talbert is a former American football offensive tackle who played eight years, interrupted by two years in Vietnam, in the National Football League (NFL) for the Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints and Dallas Cowboys including the Super Bowl VI champion Cowboys. Prior to that he was an All-American college football at the University of Texas at Austin.

William Mack Brown is the former head coach of the University of Texas Longhorn football team. During his tenure, the Texas Longhorns football team under Mack Brown had a winning record in 15 of 16 seasons.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adam Ulatoski</span> American football player (born 1985)

Adam Ulatoski is a former American football offensive tackle. He played college football at the University of Texas at Austin and was considered one of the best offensive tackles of his class.

Christopher Luke Hall is an American football offensive lineman. He attended the University of Texas at Austin from 2005 to 2009. Hall was regarded as one of the best center prospects of his class, but chose to enroll in Bible school instead of pursuing an NFL career.

Demarcus Love is a former American football offensive tackle. He played college football at the University of Arkansas. Love was selected with the 168th overall pick in the 2011 NFL draft by the Minnesota Vikings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chykie Brown</span> American football player (born 1986)

Chykie Jerrod Brown is a former American football cornerback. He was selected by the Baltimore Ravens in the fifth round of the 2011 NFL draft. He played college football for the University of Texas at Austin.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Malcom Brown</span> American football player (born 1994)

Malcom D'Shawn Brown is an American former professional football player who was a defensive tackle in the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Texas Longhorns and was selected by the New England Patriots in the first round of the 2015 NFL draft.

Ja'Tavion Sanders is an American professional football tight end for the Carolina Panthers of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Texas Longhorns, earning all-conference honors in 2022 and 2023.

References

  1. ↑ "Texas A&M Game notes". MackBrownTexasFootball. November 24, 2006. Archived from the original on October 13, 2007. Retrieved November 25, 2006.
  2. ↑ Ledbetter, D. Orlando (March 6, 2010). "NFL's success using Wonderlic Test subject to interpretation". Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Archived from the original on May 27, 2010. Retrieved May 14, 2012.
  3. ↑ "2007 NFL Draft Listing". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved May 11, 2023.
  4. ↑ "NCAA Schools: TEXAS". ESPN. April 29, 2007. Retrieved May 1, 2007.
  5. ↑ "2007 NFL Draft". MackBrownTexasFootball. Archived from the original on April 26, 2007. Retrieved May 1, 2007.
  6. ↑ Yasinskas, Pat (July 31, 2011). "Falcons keep guard Justin Blalock". ESPN.com. Retrieved July 12, 2014.
  7. ↑ Adams, Jay (February 27, 2015). "FALCONS RELEASE VETERAN G BLALOCK". atlantafalcons.com. Archived from the original on March 26, 2015. Retrieved February 27, 2015.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.