Justin Blalock
Encyclopedia
Justin Christopher Blalock (born December 20, 1983 in Dallas, Texas
) is an American football
NFL player for the Atlanta Falcons
. He played college ball as the right tackle for the Texas Longhorns
under coach Mack Brown
. He stands at 6'3.25" and weighs 320 lbs.
, playing football for head coach Scott Phillips. He was three-year starter at offensive guard, but also saw action at defensive tackle during his career. As a sophomore in 1999, Blalock was named second-team All-District recording 151 pancakes, 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 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 All-State Class 5A, 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.
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) in the state as a senior (all classes) and placed fifth in the shot (61-6) at the 1999 Texas 5A Championships.
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
All-America choice in 2006.
On 24 November 2006, Blalock became the first Longhorn in school history to start 50 consecutive games.
. 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). Lyle Sendlein
and Selvin Young
were not drafted but signed with NFL teams as free agents.
, where he is active in community service projects. He is a cousin of New Orleans Saints
offensive guard Jonathan Goodwin. An excellent student, Blalock was a member of UT's 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
.
Dallas, Texas
Dallas is the third-largest city in Texas and the ninth-largest in the United States. The Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex is the largest metropolitan area in the South and fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States...
) is an American football
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
NFL player for the Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta Falcons
The Atlanta Falcons are a professional American football team based in Atlanta, Georgia. They are a member of the South Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. He played college ball as the right tackle for the Texas Longhorns
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
under coach Mack Brown
Mack Brown
William Mack Brown is head coach of The University of Texas at Austin Longhorn football team.Prior to his head coach position at Texas, Brown was head coach at Appalachian State, Tulane, and North Carolina. Brown is credited with revitalizing the Texas and North Carolina football programs...
. He stands at 6'3.25" and weighs 320 lbs.
High school career
Blalock attended Plano East Senior High SchoolPlano East Senior High School
Plano East Senior High School is a secondary school in Plano, Texas serving high school juniors and seniors. It is part of the Plano Independent School District....
, playing football for head coach Scott Phillips. He was three-year starter at offensive guard, but also saw action at defensive tackle during his career. As a sophomore in 1999, Blalock was named second-team All-District recording 151 pancakes, 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
Plano Senior High School
Plano Senior High School is a public secondary school in Plano, Texas, USA, serving students in grades 11–12. The school is part of the Plano Independent School District, with admission based primarily on the locations of students' homes...
.
Blalock was selected to play in the 2002 U.S. Army All-American Bowl
U.S. Army All-American Bowl
The U.S. Army All-American Bowl is a high school football all-star game held in early January in San Antonio, Texas. Currently played in the Alamodome, the game brings 90 of the nation's top high school football players in an East versus West matchup. In addition to the Bowl game, there is the U.S...
. He also earned first-team All-American honors from USA Today
USA Today
USA Today is a national American daily newspaper published by the Gannett Company. It was founded by Al Neuharth. The newspaper vies with The Wall Street Journal for the position of having the widest circulation of any newspaper in the United States, something it previously held since 2003...
as a senior, and was also a first-team All-State Class 5A, 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.
Blalock was also an outstanding track and field
Track and field
Track and field is a sport comprising various competitive athletic contests based around the activities of running, jumping and throwing. The name of the sport derives from the venue for the competitions: a stadium which features an oval running track surrounding a grassy area...
athlete in the shot put
Shot put
The shot put is a track and field event involving "putting" a heavy metal ball—the shot—as far as possible. It is common to use the term "shot put" to refer to both the shot itself and to the putting action....
and discus throw
Discus throw
The discus throw is an event in track and field athletics competition, in which an athlete throws a heavy disc—called a discus—in an attempt to mark a farther distance than his or her competitors. It is an ancient sport, as evidenced by the 5th century BC Myron statue, Discobolus...
, 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) in the state as a senior (all classes) and placed fifth in the shot (61-6) at the 1999 Texas 5A Championships.
College career
As a redshirt freshman at the University of Texas 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
2005 College Football All-America Team
The 2005 College Football All-America Team is composed of the following All-American Teams: Associated Press, Football Writers Association of America, American Football Coaches Association, Walter Camp Foundation, The Sporting News, Sports Illustrated, Pro Football Weekly, ESPN, CBS Sports, College...
by College Football News
College Football News
College Football News is a magazine and website published by College Football News, Inc., headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. News coverage includes scores, statistics, rankings, and reports on college football games. Analysis includes comparisons between teams, predictions of game outcomes and...
and a third-team All-America by The Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
. 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
2006 College Football All-America Team
The 2006 College Football All-America Team is composed of the following All-American Teams: Associated Press, Football Writers Association of America, American Football Coaches Association, Walter Camp Foundation, The Sporting News, Sports Illustrated, Pro Football Weekly, CBS Sports, ESPN, College...
All-America choice in 2006.
On 24 November 2006, Blalock became the first Longhorn in school history to start 50 consecutive games.
Professional career
He was one of seven Longhorns selected by professional football teams in the 2007 NFL Draft2007 NFL Draft
The 2007 National Football League Draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 28 and April 29, 2007. The draft was televised for the 28th consecutive year on ESPN and ESPN2. The NFL Network also broadcast coverage of the event, its second year doing so...
. The others were Michael Griffin (number 19 overall), Aaron Ross (number 20 overall), Tim Crowder (number 56 overall), Brian Robison
Brian Robison
Brian Gale Robison is an American football defensive end for the Minnesota Vikings. He played college football for the Texas Longhorns...
(number 102 overall), Tarell Brown
Tarell Brown
Tarell Brown is a professional American football player for the San Francisco 49ers.-High school career:He played for North Mesquite High School in Mesquite, Texas. Tarell Brown played in the 2003 U.S...
(number 147 overall), Kasey Studdard
Kasey Studdard
Kasey Studdard is an American football offensive guard for the Houston Texans of the National Football League. The son of former Denver Broncos tackle Dave Studdard, he was drafted by the Texans in the sixth round of the 2007 NFL Draft...
(number 183 overall). Lyle Sendlein
Lyle Sendlein
Lyle Sendlein is an American football center for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League. He was signed by the Cardinals as an undrafted free agent in 2007...
and Selvin Young
Selvin Young
Selvin Young is an American football running back who is currently a free agent. He was signed by the Denver Broncos as an undrafted free agent in 2007...
were not drafted but signed with NFL teams as free agents.
Personal
Blalock was born in Dallas, Texas, but resides in Plano, TexasPlano, Texas
Plano is a city in the state of Texas, located mostly within Collin County. The city's population was 259,841 at the 2010 census, making it the ninth-largest city in Texas and the 71st most populous city in the United States. Plano is located within the metropolitan area commonly referred to as...
, where he is active in community service projects. He is a cousin of New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
offensive guard Jonathan Goodwin. An excellent student, Blalock was a member of UT's 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
Business
A business is an organization engaged in the trade of goods, services, or both to consumers. Businesses are predominant in capitalist economies, where most of them are privately owned and administered to earn profit to increase the wealth of their owners. Businesses may also be not-for-profit...
.