Will Blackmon CB/WR 6’1 200 Boston College
By: Robert Davis

NFL Combine Stats: 40-yard dash - 4.46

Will Blackmon is one of the elite athletes in college football. He made his name as a return man and corner during his first three years at BC, but is now making an impact as a wide receiver for the Eagles. In his three years as a standout corner, Blackmon picked off seven passes and tallied 139 tackles. As a return man in 2004, he became one of the best special teamers in the country. He finished the year with a 27.2 kick off return average, which included a 96-yard touchdown return. On punts, he averaged 11.3 per return, along with a 71-yard return for a touchdown. As a senior this year, he moved over to wide receiver to help BC get some explosiveness on offense, and he turned in a solid season. he had 51 catches for 763 yards and four touchdowns.

Blackmon projects to the NFL as either a corner or a wide receiver. Blackmon can play whatever position he wants, but his impact as a corner might put him in higher demand. As a corner, he has everything you want in a shutdown corner. He’s big, strong, athletic, and fast. He can get in your face and play physical, or turn and run with anyone in the country. With his success on special teams, the Eagles staff gave him a look at wide receiver, and he performed so well that that’s where he plays this year. He has the ability to take it to the house any time he touches the ball, so he’ll be in demand as a receiver as well.

The problem with being so versatile is that it limits your ability to focus on one position. If he plays corner at the next level, he will basically have a full year off of playing the spot. He’ll need time to shake off the rust, in addition to the normal transition to the NFL. As a wide receiver, he has only one year of experience and will need a lot of work to fine tune his routes and become more consistent on the field. No matter how you look at it, he looks like a project at the next level.

Blackmon’s natural gifts will make him a highly sought after player in April. His preference is corner, but not all teams are in agreeance on his best position in the NFL. His talent warrants a first day selection, but his lack of having one defined position could hurt him.