Rodrigo Blankenship

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Rodrigo Blankenship
refer to caption
Blankenship in 2018
No. 3 – Indianapolis Colts
Position:Placekicker
Personal information
Born: (1997-01-29) January 29, 1997 (age 25)
Marietta, Georgia
Height:6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight:191 lb (87 kg)
Career information
High school:Sprayberry High School
College:Georgia
Undrafted:2020
Career history
Roster status:Active
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics as of Week 5, 2021
Field goals made:43
Field goal attempts:51
Field goal %:84.3
Longest field goal:53
Touchbacks:15
Player stats at NFL.com · PFR

Rodrigo John Blankenship (born January 29, 1997),[1] nicknamed Hot Rod,[2][3] is an American football placekicker for the Indianapolis Colts of the National Football League (NFL).[4] He played college football at Georgia,[5] where he kicked the longest field goal in Rose Bowl history. He has received considerable media attention for the thick glasses that he wears during games. [6][7]

Early life[]

Blankenship was born in Marietta, Georgia to Ken and Izabella Blankenship.[8][9] He is of Brazilian descent through his maternal grandparents, who still live there.[9] After spending several years playing soccer,[9] he began kicking footballs at ten years old.[2][8] Blankenship attended Sprayberry High School.[6][8] As a high schooler, he participated in the 2014–15 U.S. Army All-American Bowl.[10][11] He was ranked by 247sports.com as the ninth-best kicker in the country.[11]

College career[]

Blankenship entered Georgia in 2015 as a preferred walk-on and red-shirted his first year.[6] As a red-shirt freshman, Blankenship earned the starting kicker spot. During the 2016 season, Blankenship was 14-18 on field goals and 26-for-26 on extra points.[12] He led the team in scoring and was named to the All-SEC Freshman team.[6]

In 2017 – his redshirt sophomore season – Blankenship received a full athletic scholarship.[13][14] He informed the team of the positive news after Georgia's 20–19 victory over Notre Dame.[9][13] In the 2018 Rose Bowl, Blankenship made a record-long 55-yard field goal that proved pivotal in shifting the momentum away from Oklahoma, leading to Georgia's eventual 54–48 overtime victory.[6][13] In the 2018 College Football Playoff National Championship game against Alabama, Blankenship hit a 51-yard field goal in overtime to put the Bulldogs temporarily ahead.[15] However, Georgia ultimately lost the national championship game, 26–23.[16]

Blankenship finished the 2017 season having made 20 of his 23 field goal tries and all 63 extra points attempts.[12] By making 87 percent of his field goals attempts, Blankenship had the sixth-best season in school history.[15] His 67 touchbacks – a dramatic improvement over his 20 touchbacks in 2016 – were also a school record, and they came after he adjusted his technique on kickoffs.[15][17] He led the SEC in extra point attempts and conversions in the 2017 season.[18]

In July 2018, Blankenship was selected for the preseason All-SEC First Team.[19] During the 2018 season, he went 19-for-23 on field goal attempts and made all 65 of his extra point attempts.[12] Following the 2018 regular season, Blankenship was named to the All-SEC Second Team.[20]

In December 2019, Blankenship won the Lou Groza Award, given to the nation's top placekicker.[21] He also was honored as a member of the SEC Football Community Service Team.[22] In his senior season, he led the SEC in field goal attempts and conversions.[23]

Overall, Blankenship never missed a single extra point (200/200) in his college career.

Collegiate statistics[]

Rodrigo Blankenship Kicking
Year School Conf Class Pos G XPM XPA XP% FGM FGA FG% Pts
2016 Georgia SEC FR PK 10 26 26 100.0 14 18 77.8 68
2017 Georgia SEC SO PK 15 63 63 100.0 20 23 87.0 123
2018 Georgia SEC JR PK 14 65 65 100.0 19 23 82.6 122
2019 Georgia SEC SR PK 14 46 46 100.0 27 33 81.8 127
Career Georgia 53 200 200 100.0 80 97 82.5 440

Professional career[]

Pre-draft measurables
Height Weight Arm length Hand span
6 ft 1 in
(1.85 m) 		190 lb
(86 kg) 		30+5⁄8 in
(0.78 m) 		9 in
(0.23 m)
All values from NFL Combine[24]

Blankenship signed with the Indianapolis Colts as an undrafted free agent on April 29, 2020.[25]

2020 season[]

In his first game with the Colts, Blankenship made both extra-point attempts and two of three field goal attempts in a 27–20 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.[26] In Week 11 against the Green Bay Packers, Blankenship kicked a 39 yard game-winning field goal in overtime during the 34–31 win, later earning the AFC Special Teams Player of the Week award.[27][28] By the end of the regular season, Blankenship had converted 43 out of 45 extra point attempts and made 32 out of 37 field goal tries, with a long of 53 yards.[29] In the 27–24 loss to the Buffalo Bills in the first round of the playoffs, Blankenship made one of his two field goal attempts and converted his only extra point opportunity.[29]

2021 season[]

Blankenship played the first five games for the Colts before being placed on injured reserve on October 16, 2021 due to a hip injury.[30]

NFL career statistics[]

Year Team GP Field Goals Extra Points Points
FGA FGM Lng Pct XPA XPM Pct
2020 IND 16 37 32 53 86.5 45 43 95.6 139
2021 IND 5 14 11 48 78.6 8 7 87.5 40
Career 21 51 43 53 84.3 53 50 94.3 179

Personal life[]

Blankenship's father, Ken, played football at Florida from 1967 to 1969.[31] Ken coached the kickers on every team for which Rodrigo played from fifth grade through the end of high school.[9]

While at Georgia, Blankenship studied digital and broadcast journalism,[32] with a particular focus on sports journalism.[9] On April 16, 2018, Blankenship released a rap song titled "ATD."[33]

Blankenship is a big fan of LEGO products and speaks frequently about how he loves building up the big models in particular.[34] He has also formed a friendship with LEGO internet personality Ryan McCullough (MandRproductions).[35] An avid shoe collector, Blankenship has amassed a respectable collection of rare sneakers that he keeps at his home, notably owning sneakers with designs that he matches with his socks. A pet owner, Blankenship owns a cat named Lucas, which he has shown in interviews made at his home.

In 2020, Blankenship was named Arthur Ashe Jr. Male Sports Scholar of the Year by Diverse: Issues In Higher Education.[36]

References[]

  1. ^ "Rodrigo Blankenship Stats, News, Bio". ESPN. Archived from the original on November 21, 2020.
  2. ^ a b Gartland, Dan (January 8, 2018). "Five things to know about Rodrigo Blankenship". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on January 9, 2018.
  3. ^ May, Jed (November 9, 2016). "Rodrigo "Hot Rod" Blankenship enjoying newfound fame". The Red & Black. Archived from the original on January 11, 2018.
  4. ^ Thombs, Palmer (April 25, 2020). "Rodrigo Blankenship signed by Colts as un-drafted free agent". Dawgs247. Retrieved April 26, 2020.
  5. ^ Scott, Nate (January 4, 2018). "Rodrigo Blankenship is the college football hero we need". SB Nation. Archived from the original on January 9, 2018.
  6. ^ a b c d e Patterson, Chip (January 6, 2018). "Georgia football's title hopes may rest in the legs of a bespectacled former walk-on". CBS Sports. Archived from the original on January 9, 2018.
  7. ^ Johnson, Jon (January 6, 2018). "Georgia notebook: UGA kicker recognized for glasses as much as ability". Dothan Eagle. Retrieved January 11, 2018.
  8. ^ a b c Busbee, Jay (January 8, 2018). "The legend of Hot Rod: How Georgia's Rodrigo Blankenship became a star". Yahoo! Sports. Archived from the original on January 9, 2018.
  9. ^ a b c d e f Hebert, Michael (November 29, 2018). "Behind the goggles: Rodrigo Blankenship blazes his own path to sports stardom". The Red & Black. Archived from the original on December 17, 2018.
  10. ^ "Biography – Rodrigo Blankenship". www.rodrigoblankenship.com. Archived from the original on January 11, 2018.
  11. ^ a b Riley, Connor (December 15, 2014). "Georgia adds kicker to its 2015 recruiting class". The Red & Black. Archived from the original on January 11, 2018.
  12. ^ a b c "Rodrigo Blankenship College Stats". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved December 17, 2018.
  13. ^ a b c Cox, Joe (January 6, 2018). "Walk-on to walking on air: Why Rodrigo Blankenship is Georgia's most unlikely hero". Saturday Down South. Archived from the original on January 11, 2018.
  14. ^ Berg, Nathan (January 9, 2018). "Kicker Rodrigo Blankenship shines in national title loss". The Red & Black. Archived from the original on January 11, 2018.
  15. ^ a b c Butt, Jason (March 28, 2018). "This UGA player passed the eye test in 2017. Numbers show just how good a season he had". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on April 20, 2018.
  16. ^ Waldstein, David (January 9, 2018). "Alabama Wins National Championship With a Halftime Twist". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved April 20, 2018.
  17. ^ Butt, Jason (September 4, 2017). "Blankenship changes approach, booms kicks for touchbacks". The Telegraph. Archived from the original on April 20, 2018.
  18. ^ "2017 Southeastern Conference Leaders". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved November 13, 2020.
  19. ^ Wellman, David (July 20, 2018). "12 Bulldogs chosen by media for preseason All-SEC". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Archived from the original on December 17, 2018.
  20. ^ "2018 All-SEC Football Team announced". Southeastern Conference. December 5, 2018. Archived from the original on December 17, 2018.
  21. ^ "Lou Groza Award Winners". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved November 13, 2020.
  22. ^ Carpenter, Scott (November 28, 2018). "Georgia's Rodrigo Blankenship Named To SEC Community Service Team". WLTZ. Archived from the original on December 17, 2018.
  23. ^ "2019 Southeastern Conference Leaders". College Football at Sports-Reference.com. Retrieved November 13, 2020.
  24. ^ "Rodrigo Blankenship Combine Profile". NFL.com. Retrieved August 24, 2020.
  25. ^ "Colts Sign 10 Undrafted Free Agents". Colts.com. April 29, 2020. Retrieved September 30, 2020.
  26. ^ "Indianapolis Colts at Jacksonville Jaguars - September 13th, 2020". Pro-Football-Reference.com. September 14, 2020. Retrieved September 30, 2020.
  27. ^ "Green Bay Packers at Indianapolis Colts 2020 REG 11 - Game Center". NFL.com. Retrieved November 24, 2020.
  28. ^ Gordon, Grant (November 25, 2020). "Texans QB Deshaun Watson, Rams WR Robert Woods lead Players of the Week". NFL.com.
  29. ^ a b "Rodrigo Blankenship Stats". Pro Football Reference. Retrieved November 21, 2020.
  30. ^ "Colts Activate WR T.Y. Hilton, Place K Rodrigo Blankenship On IR". Pro Football Rumors.com. Retrieved October 16, 2021.
  31. ^ Gearhart, Sarah (November 18, 2014). "U.S. Army All-American Bowl spotlight: Rodrigo Blankenship". USA Today High School Sports. Archived from the original on April 20, 2018.
  32. ^ "Rodrigo Blankenship - 2016 Football Roster - University of Georgia". Georgia Bulldogs. Archived from the original on May 4, 2018.
  33. ^ Culpepper, JuliaKate E. (April 17, 2018). "Georgia kicker Rodrigo 'Blanko' Blankenship releases rap 'ATD'". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Archived from the original on April 20, 2018.
  34. ^ "Colts rookie Rodrigo Blankenship still gets a kick out of Lego sets". ESPN.com. December 10, 2020. Retrieved February 24, 2021.
  35. ^ "Royal Danish Consulate commends American footballer for his love of LEGO". Brick Fanatics. Retrieved February 24, 2021.
  36. ^ "Paying Attention to the Details". Diverse: Issues In Higher Education. Cox, Matthews and Associates. Retrieved September 8, 2021.

External links[]

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