Blandin more solid with pledge
Josiah Blandin is still open to taking other visits but the Long Beach (Calif.) Poly wide receiver who committed to Arizona State in early April seems even more locked into his pledge to the Sun Devils now than he did a few months ago.
"Out of 100 percent I'd say I'm 95 percent committed," Blandin said. "I really love Arizona State and I really want to go there. I always keep my options open but in the back of my mind Arizona State is still No. 1. That's where I want to be.
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"The atmosphere is great, the coaching staff is beautiful, they're really nice and I have a good chance of playing early. They have some senior wide outs leaving when I come in so that would give me a good chance to play."
That's good news for Arizona State but Blandin, a 6-foot-4, 185-pound three-star prospect, said he still fully expects to take other official visits with Colorado, Oregon State, UCLA, Washington and possibly Cal as destinations.
He and his Poly teammates that are committed to the Sun Devils - wide receiver Richard Smith, cornerback Randall Goforth and linebackers Matthew Rowe and Salamo Fiso - are expected in Tempe this weekend for the Arizona State-USC matchup.
"We're going to see the locker room again and hang out with the coaches," Blandin said. "We're really looking forward to it."
Blandin finished with five receptions for 78 yards including a 19-yard touchdown catch in Poly's win over Harbor City (Calif.) Narbonne Friday night.
On a lob pass to the back of the end zone, Blandin used his height and jumping ability to come down with the ball over a smaller cornerback. It's that length that makes him such a lethal receiver on the high school level and should be to his advantage in college.
"I kind of came off the wrong foot so it was kind of hard but I used my length to get over the dude," Blandin said.
"It was time for me to get in the end zone. That was my first one and I was hungry for one and that's how I'm going to play from now on is to be hungry to get in the end zone and help my team win.
"I am working on my speed but my advantage will be my height and my route running. Everybody in college can be fast so I have to use my height because not everybody is as tall. That's what I have to use."
Rivals.com rates Blandin No. 86 at wide receiver in the 2012 class and No. 69 in the California state rankings.