There have been so many talented football players coming through the Georgia football doors since head coach Kirby Smart took over the program, and one of those guys is Dominick Blaylock. Despite having a career full of unfortunate injuries, the receiver hasn’t given up hope — it seems his determination grows.
He is overcoming some difficult situations that continue to stack the odds against him, and instead of throwing in the towel, the young man still has a lot of grit in him.
This week Smart continued to update the media on his situation, and even Blaylock got to speak with the reporters to discuss his return. While he was out on the field some in 2021, it wasn’t what anyone expected out of him.
Georgia football will finally see Dominick Blaylock have the season he deserves.
Saturday marked the first scrimmage of spring camp, and reports suggest that Blaylock had a strong performance. With Jermaine Burton leaving and George Pickens heading to the NFL, Blaylock has a chance to put himself right in the thick of this lineup.
He has a chance to be the leader and veteran of this receiving room. Despite this spring being his fourth with Georgia, there is a chance he can have two more with the extra COVID-19 year players can take advantage of if they want.
That extra time will give him what he needs to prove those injuries aren’t going to define his career and that he still has a lot of football left in him.
“Our team takes on a lot of his resiliency DNA, and it’s something we sell our players on,” Smart said about Blaylock during his Thursday press conference.
That is a massive compliment from the head coach, and it tells us precisely what kind of player Blaylock is and why Georgia is blessed to have him on the team.
Not every football player has that kind of attitude and mindset, especially after two knee surgeries, but that young man is still ready to battle.
He was even humble in his response to what Smart said about him.
"“Ever since all the injuries, I’ve been trying to keep a level head. I’m trying to keep moving forward and get back to the best ability I can,” Blaylock said in his interview. “Everything so far has gone good, so I’m just trying to keep a good mindset about everything.”"
Blaylock is exceptional, and it’s time for him to get some good omens thrown his way. After reading the reports from Saturday’s scrimmage, he is finally on the path to success.
He missed the entire 2020 season due to injury, but Blaylock recorded 18 catches for 310 yards and five scores as a freshman. Last season he had two catches for 11 yards.
In 2021, he fought through injuries, and by the time he was ready to go, others in front of him had earned that spot. Georgia football needs him and his physical ability to play this game. He is a great route runner, has excellent hands and his football IQ is high.
The Dawgs need more people in the receiver room, so having someone like Blaylock ready to go is a massive win. Not to mention, it’s going to be so exciting to see his growth under Bryan McClendon. He will thrive under the new receivers coach, and that is who will help him get into the league.
For a while, some fans thought he would transfer out of Georgia, especially after missing essentially two seasons, but instead, Blaylock stuck around. He is a true Dawg and continues to show he wants to be in Athens.
I even thought we might not see him again because it’s tough for any athlete to come back from two knee injuries. There was a time that I thought Blaylock’s football career could be over, but nope, here he is proving every doubter, including myself, wrong.
Georgia football has another weapon in its arsenal in Blaylock, and if he stays healthy could have a massive year. So many have already predicted their breakout players for 2022, but they better think about Blaylock because he could explode onto the scene.