Leo Blackburn is going with the flow
Leo Blackburn has quietly picked up over two dozen offers and the 6-foot-5, 210 pound athlete at Westlake High in Atlanta brings a great catch radius, strong hands and versatility to an offense.
Some schools like Blackburn as a big receiver on the outside, and others like him as a tight end that can flex out and create mismatches. He is OK with either position. Like many, Blackburn just wants to get on the field and have a chance to make plays.
During the dead period caused by the Coronavirus, Blackburn has added some offers and spent a lot of time on the phone with coaches. He is still taking his time and waiting patiently for the opportunity to get back out and see schools in person.
IN HIS OWN WORDS
"I have been doing my school work online, working out at home and taking a little run at night," said Blackburn. "It has been different, but he is going pretty good.
"Recruiting is going pretty good too. I wish I could get out and visit schools, but I have been talking to a lot of schools and staying in contact with different coaches.
"I have been talking to Arizona State, Georgia Tech, South Carolina, Illinois, Virginia, Ole Miss, UCF and some others.
"I am just building relationships with coaches, finding out more about the different schools and things like that. Some schools like me as a big wide receiver and some like me as a tight end, so we have talked about position some too.
"I haven't gotten to visit too many schools, but I have visited Georgia Tech and South Carolina. Georgia Tech is a local school, so it is easy to get to and that kind of gives them an advantage. They have shown a lot of love, they have talked to me a lot and I feel like a priority for them.
"It is always fun when I am at Georgia Tech. I love the culture, all the coaches are really cool and I like coach Collins a lot.
"Georgia Tech is definitely one of the schools recruiting me hardest right now. Others are schools like Illinois, Nebraska, Kentucky, Ole Miss and South Carolina.
"When I was up at South Carolina, I had a good time. I like coach Cox, it was a fun vibe and coach Muschamp seemed cool too. I would like to get back up there.
"I still am looking at a lot of schools and I definitely have to wait and get back out for visits before I really cut my list down and think about committing, but I would say Arizona State, Kentucky and Nebraska are standing out some. Georgia Tech does too, of course.
"Kentucky has really started to pick it up. I was planning on visiting there this spring, so I can't wait to get up there. I have been talking to them every day lately and it is cool. We don't just talk about football, but we talk about fishing and a lot of other things. I have talked to assistant coaches, the head coach and they all seem really interested in me.
"Arizona State has been on me hard too, sending me pics of the field, facilities, stadium and stuff like that. It looks like a great place and the coaches are really cool guys. I really want to take a visit out there. It seems like a place I would fit it.
"Nebraska is a lot like Arizona State. They are making me feel important, they are recruiting me really hard and it seems like a cool school. I talk to coach Becton a lot and he really wants me to visit when things get back to normal.
"Overall, I would say I am on hold right now. I am still completely open and I am not making a decision soon. I have to get back out on visits and see other schools. I am just taking things as it flows right now."
RIVALS REACTION
Blackburn is keeping his options open, and he is talking to half a dozen schools or more every two days right now, but Georgia Tech is viewed by many as the favorite. He has made the short trip to the Flats many times and he is very comfortable around that staff. With that said, he plans to give plenty of schools a look when the ban on visits is lifted, so we will see if another school can convince him to leave his home state. Visits will be key, and a decision could come before the season if he gets in visits this summer, but Blackburn currently has no decision timeline. One of the biggest keys in his decision will be how he is used in the offense and how the team throws the ball. His mom will also play a role. It is his decision in the end, but she will travel with him on visits, and he will listen to her thoughts on each school.