UGA football roster: Dominick Blaylock a superstar in the making
Dominick Blaylock had a productive freshman season for UGA football and he’s looking to build on that year with a fantastic sophomore campaign.
If there’s one budding star on this UGA football team to be excited about, it’s sophomore wide receiver Dominick Blaylock. The former borderline five-star receiver ended his 2019 season with 18 catches for 310 yards and five touchdowns. That’s a touchdown every 3.6 catches.
Surely that’s not a statistic Blaylock can maintain, that would be outrageous. But that stat does show how Blaylock elevates his game when he’s near the end zone. The best examples of this are his scores against Florida and Auburn.
In the second quarter against the Gators, a defender had a chance to stop Blaylock two yards shy of the goal line. Blaylock lowered his shoulder, bounced off the defender and took a plunge into the end zone. In the first quarter at Auburn, Blaylock got behind three defenders and caught a long pass. Blaylock began to stumble, but he stayed on his feet and fell across the goal line.
Blaylock’s speed, agility and toughness are immediately noticeable. It’s why he’s a popular target for screen passes and used as a punt returner. He uses all three traits in tandem to avoid converging groups of defenders.
What separates his game from other fast, quick and tough receivers are his instincts. Blaylock sees and plays the game at a much more mature level, which is incredibly impressive for a rising sophomore. Going back to the screens and punt returns, Blaylock doesn’t just rely on his own skills. He sees the angles defenders are taking and knows how to use blockers as a pick.
Another area where his instincts come in handy are on underthrown passes. Blaylock does a great job anticipating these passes and adjusting his body to them, making catches a lot of players wouldn’t even be able to attempt.
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Blaylock has a tremendous upside. With his skillset and mindset, there’s no indication that he’s in for a sophomore slump. He is a future superstar with All-American potential.