2015 First Five-Stars: Shameik Blackshear
They are the best of the best. The players wanted by every program and destined to make a big impact at the college level and beyond. Rivals.com has identified the first five-star prospects for the 2015 class and is unveiling them this week. Ten prospects have been awarded five-stars but are not ranked at this time, and we will profile two each day. One of today's five-stars is Bluffton (S.C.) strongside defensive end Shameik Blackshear.
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Shameik Blackshear, DE, Bluffton (S.C.)
Attributes: 6-foot-4, 233 pounds, 4.6 40
Top School: Committed to South Carolina
Shameik BlackshearClick THE BLACKSHEAR FILEHere to view this Link.Click THE BLACKSHEAR FILEHere to view this Link.
Position: Strongside defensive end
Height: 6-foot-4
Weight: 233
High school: Bluffton (S.C.)
HIGHLIGHT REELS
Sophomore highlights
Scouting Report: Blackshear makes his living by causing disruption. Whether it's in the passing game when he's allowed to pin his ears back and get after the quarterback or against the run when he's known to blow up blocking schemes, there's no doubt he's one of the top players in his class. Despite looking on the thin side, he actually weighs more than 230 pounds and has surprising strength, which combined with his size and athleticism makes him a handful for even the best offensive linemen to handle. Aggressiveness is also a big part of his game, and he often brings the fight to his opponent, regularly leaving linemen back on their heels trying to play catch-up.
Analyst's Take: "What makes Blackshear so special is the combination of size and strength. He's still adding muscle to his frame, but when we saw him at the Rivals Camp Series presented by Under Armour event in Charlotte early this year he was flat-out dominant in one-one-ones. He gets off the ball very quickly, and before offensive linemen know it, he's either knocking them off balance or blowing by them, making him special when it comes to getting after the quarterback in passing situations. It seems like the sky is the limit for him, especially if he continues to build on what is already an impressive set of skills for a player his age." -- Woody Wommack, Southeast recruiting analyst, Rivals.com
Why He's a Five-Star: "Blackshear has tremendous potential and a great frame to build on. He has a great first step, he's explosive to the football, fast in pursuit, and he uses his length to his advantage very well, whether it's knocking a lineman off balance by extending his arms or making a shoestring tackle others might whiff on. He looks and plays longer than his listed size, and angular ends such as Blackshear will only get better as they add size and strength. He has the potential to be special and could play in a 4-3 or 3-4 down the line." -- Mike Farrell, national recruiting analyst, Rivals.com
His Coach Says: "He could play quarterback, running back, receiver, any position on the field. He's 6-foot-5, 235 pounds, and we just timed him at 4.6 in the 40 during the spring. He has incredible speed. He has great range and height. He is so quick and agile. ... It is pretty incredible now, especially for him to be so young. He is just so fast, strong and agile. He isn't limited at all. He has been blessed. I would say he can work on everything because I don't think he has a weakness." -- Ken Cribb, head football coach, Bluffton High School
Odds and ends: Blackshear chose to commit to South Carolina over Clemson, Alabama, Florida State, Georgia and several other schools. ... He dominated the Rivals Camp Series Charlotte stop, where he was named the defensive line most valuable player. ... During his sophomore season, he had 97 tackles and five sacks. ... He also plays offense for Bluffton and has been hand-timed at 4.6 in the 40-yard dash.
NFL Player Comparison: Justin Tuck, New York Giants
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