Round Five
***Trade***
The Washington Commanders trade down to the latter part of round five and add a seventh round selection. They now have three draft picks in the final stanza of the draft.
Reed Blankenship, Buffalo Nickel/Free Safety, Middle Tennessee – 6-1, 195
*** The Numbers
- Hand: 9.5
- Arm: 31.5
- Wing: 75.75
- Vertical: 33.5
- Bench Press: 15
- Broad Jump: 10’1”
- 3 Cone: 7.2
- Short Shuttle: 4.26
- 40: 4.51
MTSU SAF Reed Blankenship looking good through some of the early DB drills. One of my favorites for the last few years as a mid round guy.
— Kyle Crabbs (@GrindingTheTape) January 29, 2022
Hidden in the rolling hills of middle Tennessee is a university that has a solid athletics program, but is largely overlooked by the national media. For the last few seasons, the football program has featured a player that has been garnering plenty of attention. Safety Reed Blankenship is one of those hidden gems (potentially) that GMs and coaching staffs hope to find in the draft each year.
The Middle Tennessee University standout has created a lot of buzz over the last couple of seasons and he could be a late round steal for a team like the Washington Commanders. Murfreesboro, Tennessee (an outer suburb to the southeast of Nashville) is not a football mecca by any means, but Blankenship is the real deal. He can play single high, in the box, and align at the Buffalo nickel spot.
No matter the competition, Blankenship always plays with a high motor and is intimidated by no one. He has shined for the Blue Raiders against SEC teams and Conference USA foes for the last four years. The NFL awaits and while it may take some time for Blankenship to make the transition, he could be a solid pro for a decade or more. Also, look for him to become a special teams standout.
MTSU S Reed Blankenship often plays a true deep safety role to prevent long plays from becoming TDs. In this case, he has the lane to attack the ballcarrier, which he does in a hurry to limit the play to 5 yards. #SnapScout21 pic.twitter.com/xT70svQWMd
— Chad Reuter (@chad_reuter) December 4, 2020
Other Possible Selections
- Kerby Joseph, Free Safety, Illinois
- Jack Sanborn, Middle Linebacker, Wisconsin
- Cole Turner, Tight End, Nevada
- Thomas Booker, Defensive Tackle, Stanford
- Jake Ferguson, Tight End, Wisconsin
- Akayleb Evans, Cornerback, Missouri