Blackwell has top five

Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) Cardinal Gibbons three-star athlete David Blackwell is one of the most heavily recruited players in South Florida. The 6-foot-2, 207-pounder is already ranked as one of the top 100 players in Florida and one of the nation's top safety prospects. Now he's focused on adding even more offers to his list and his team's first game.

"We've been doing a lot, working on running the spread offense," Blackwell said. "I play a little bit of defense, mostly offense at quarterback and wide receiver to help the team out.

"We had a preseason game last Thursday and it went real good. We're definitely going deep in the playoffs. We're going for a state championship. We have a good offense, we have a good defense. We have what it takes."

When it comes to recruiting, Blackwell said he does have a top five. LSU, Arkansas, Miami, Iowa and Ole Miss are those five teams. He has offers from LSU, Arkansas, Iowa and Ole Miss in that group. He recently took an unofficial visit to Miami, and he's now working on lining something up with Iowa.

"We haven't set anything up yet, but I'm supposed to go in December," he said.

While he does have offers from four of his top five, Blackwell thinks Miami could be on the verge of offering.

"Miami has been talking about offering me, but when I was in town I had to leave to go to my own practice, so I didn't get to sit down with them before I left like they wanted to," he said. "I expect an offer when they're able to call me, but I don't know. We'll see."

Blackwell, who also has offers from UCF, Florida Atlantic and Florida International, said there is one school he'd like to hear from when the coaches can call again on Sept. 1.

"That team would be Alabama," Blackwell said. "Nick Saban has been rebuilding that program, and they're getting better. It's just a school that interests me. I used to watch them play and saw them on Gameday and stuff. (Coach Saban) makes players work hard and helps them get to the top of their game."

Blackwell does have a plan on how he wants to handle the recruiting process.

"I'm going to try to take all of my visits and I'm going to try to make a decision at the end of the season," he said. "They'll be really important for me. I want to see how the school is and how the program is and stuff like that and you don't know a lot about it until you go to a school."

So the big question is – do a few teams in his top five stand out?

"I'm not sure yet, but Iowa and LSU stick out," he said. "I like Iowa's program and the way they put players at the next level. I would probably say the same thing about LSU, too.

"Whatever school fits my style of play. Most want me at wide receiver, but there are some schools who want me at quarterback and some want me on defense. I wouldn't say I prefer one over the other, but I'm a quarterback right now. Where ever I decide is the place for me is where I'll go. It doesn't matter what position I play."