Rodrigo Blankenship

Position:
PK
Height:
6-1
Weight:
191
Class:
Senior
Hometown:
Marietta, Ga.
High School:
Sprayberry

Career Highs:
* 4 Field Goals at Kentucky in 2016; vs. Missouri in 2017; vs. Missouri, 2019; vs. Texas A&M, 2019
* Longest FG: 55 yards vs. Oklahoma in 2018

2019: 2019 Lou Groza Award winner as the nation’s top placekicker...1st-Team All-America by USA Today, AFCA Coaches, Sports Illustrated, Walter Camp, Bleacher Report and Pro Football Focus...All-SEC 1st Team by AP and Coaches...CoSIDA Academic All-America 1st Team...key player on Georgia teams that won 11 or more games three straight seasons, won three straight SEC Eastern Division titles, and played in three straight New Year’s Six Bowl game (2018 Rose, 2019 Allstate Sugar, 2020 Allstate Sugar)...also part of a senior class that won 44 games, tied for most in school history...made 27 of 33 field goal attempts in 2019...became UGA’s all-time leading scorer after his 13 points vs. Texas A&M in November...finished with 440 for his career...that figure ranks 2nd in SEC history...UGA’s career FG percentage leader at 82.47 percent (80x97)...4th nationally in FGs/game at 1.93...one of nine semifinalists for the 2019 Wuerffel Trophy, which is described as college football’s premier award for community service...one of three finalists for the Burlsworth Trophy, which is awarded to the outstanding football player in America who began his career as a walk-on...SEC Special Teams Player of the Week six times in 2019: vs. Vanderbilt (3x3 FGs, 3 PATs), Notre Dame (3x3 FGs, 2 PATs), Tennessee (3x3 FGs, 4 PATs), Florida (3x3 FGs, 1 PAT), Missouri (4x5 FGs, 1 PAT) and Texas A&M (4x4 FGs, 1 PAT)...just 11 of his 85 kickoffs were returned, with 65 others resulting in touchbacks...had a solo tackle in kickoff coverage vs. Kentucky...one of 12 recipients of the National Football Foundation (NFF) Scholar-Athlete Award for his combined academic success, football performance and exemplary leadership...Athlon Sports Preseason All-America Second Team as a specialist...Sports Illustrated Preseason All-America Second Team...CBS Sports Preseason All-America Second Team...Preseason All-SEC First Team Special Teams by media...Special Teams co-MVP & Scholar-Athlete Award winner at team’s post-season awards gala.
2018: Associated Press & Coaches All-SEC 2nd Team...Ranked 10th nationally, 3rd in SEC, in total points scored (122), 18th nationally in ppg (8.7), 25th in FBS in FG percentage (82.6)...connected on 19 of 23 field goals...had made 14 straight FG attempts before a miss from 48 yards vs. Ga. Tech...semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award, given annually to the nation's top collegiate placekicker, for the second straight year...65x65 on PATs...had touchbacks on 82 of 97 kickoffs...named SEC Special Teams Player of the Week for his efforts vs. South Carolina...made both FG attempts (45 and 44 yards) and all five PATs, as well as booting all seven kickoffs for touchbacks vs. the Gamecocks...season-long 53-yard FG vs. Vanderbilt came late in third quarter...second-team pre-season All-America by the Associated Press...named to the 2018 Allstate AFCA Good Works Team, the seventh Bulldog in the past eight years to earn the appointment...one of two winners of the Kevin Butler Special Teams Award at the team's post-season awards gala...
2017: Won starter’s job handling placekicking duties in pre-season camp...connected on 20 of 23 field goal tries, tying Blair Walsh (2010) for sixth-best FG pct (86.9) in UGA history...his 123 points are the third-highest total in school history...earned a spot on ESPN's All-Bowl team...career-long 55-yard FG vs. Oklahoma in the Rose Bowl...kicked his career best as time expired in the first half, setting a Georgia bowl record, as well as a Rose Bowl mark...also added a 38-yard field goal in the first overtime to hand Georgia the 48-45 lead in Pasadena...was perfect on three FG tries vs. Alabama in the CFP Championship Game, including a 51-yarder in OT...tied career high with four field goals vs. Missouri...his 17 points vs. the Tigers were the second-most by a kicker in UGA history...was perfect on 63 PATs, the second-highest total in UGA history...sixty-seven of his 94 kickoffs resulted in touchbacks...was awarded an athletic grant-in-aid just before the Notre Dame game, which he announced to the team in the victorious locker room...one of three winners of the “Special Teams Most Improved” award at team’s post-season awards gala...earned a spot on the 2017 SEC Fall Academic Honor Roll, as well as the J. Reid Parker Director of Athletics Honor Roll each semester...winner of sophomore GPA award after spring drills...booted four FGs, kicking for both teams, at G-Day spring game...winner of team Community Service Award after spring drills.
2016: Appeared in all 13 games...named to the SEC All-Freshman team, as selected by the league's head coaches...14x18 on field goals...his 77.8 success pct. ranked 6th among SEC kickers...26x26 on PAT kicks this season...named Co-SEC Special Teams Player of the Week after a career-best performance at Kentucky, when he converted all four FG attempts, including the game-winner as time expired...was 2x3 FGs and had touchbacks on 3 of 4 kickoffs vs. Auburn...booted three FGs vs. Vanderbilt, including a then-career-best 45-yarder...also contributed a tackle on kickoff coverage team vs. Vanderbilt...had 55 kickoffs with 21 touchbacks and an average starting yard line at the 28...made his first collegiate field goal in the Tennessee game, a 27-yarder...Finished spring drills as the Bulldogs’ top kicker ...made two of three FG attempts (46 and 19 yards) and all three PATs for the victorious White team in G-Day spring game.
2015: Redshirted.
High School: Sprayberry High School, coached by Billy Shackelford … three-time Special Teams Player of the Year ...made seven of 10 FG attempts as a senior, including makes of 56 and 51 yards... also averaged 46 yards as the Jackets’ punter ...selected to play in 2014 U.S. Army All-American Bowl.
Personal: RODRIGO JOHN BLANKENSHIP…Major: Digital and Broadcast Journalism...recipient of the William C. Hartman and Coach Mike Castronis Football Scholarships...received his undergraduate degree at Fall 2018 commencement exercises.