A model of durability, consistency and versatility, Justin Blalock set a school record by starting 51 consecutive games during his career. A big, strong, powerful drive blocker, Blalock manned the right tackle position for 44 games before shifting to right guard midway through his senior campaign. That move could become permanent at the pro level, as he proved to be a punishing drive blocker with the quickness to lead the way on sweeps.
Blalock closed out his career as one of the most decorated offensive linemen in recent Longhorns history. He was named a finalist for both the Lombardi Award (nation's top lineman) and Outland Trophy (nation's top interior lineman). He became the 18th player in Texas annals to earn unanimous All-American first-team honors and the fifth during head coach Mack Brown's tenure at UT. He also continued the school's seven-year streak of having placed at least one player on The Associated Press' first-team All-America list.
Blalock was a three-year starter at offensive guard during his playing days at Plano East High School. He earned first-team All-American honors from USA Today as a senior, and was also a first-team All-State Class 5A, All-Area and All-District selection. The Sporting News rated him as the nation's No. 15 high school prospect. In 2001, Blalock posted 134 knockdown blocks, did not allow a sack and opened holes for an offense that averaged nearly 300 rushing yards per game. His top game of season was a 21-pancake performance vs. Plano High. He was selected to play in the 2002 U.S Army All-American Game.
The offensive lineman was named All-District and All-Area as a junior after registering 130 knockdowns. He added second-team All-District accolades as a sophomore, recording 151 pancakes, as he helped lead Plano East to an 11-3 record and the Texas 5A Division II state quarterfinals that season. He also saw action at defensive tackle during his career.
Blalock was also selected All-State in track-and-field, competing in the shot put and discus. He captured the Region II-5A shot put title with a toss of 58-8 1/2 in 2002 and finished fourth (55-2 1/2) at the 2002 UIL Championships (Class 5A). He also registered the third-best throw (63-2 1/2) in the state as a senior (all classes) and placed fifth in the shot (61-6) at the 1999 Texas 5A Championships.
Blalock enrolled at Texas in 2002, spending the season as a redshirt on the scout team as an offensive tackle and guard. In 2003, the Football Writers Association and The Sporting News named him first-team Freshman All-American. He started all year at right tackle, sharing UT's Most Improved Offensive Player honors and was a key member of a line that paved the way for the nation's sixth-ranked scoring offense (41.0 ppg) and eighth-ranked rushing offense (232.5 ypg).
Blalock again manned the right tackle position in 2004. He was chosen first-team All-Big 12 Conference by the league's coaches and the Austin American-Statesman, adding second-team accolades from The Associated Press, Dallas Morning News, Fort Worth Star-Telegram and San Antonio Express-News. He led an offensive line that cleared the way for Texas to rank second in the nation in rushing (299.2 ypg), seventh in total offense (464.4 ypg) and 12th in scoring (35.3 ppg). Texas' 3,590 rushing yards that season was the third-highest total in school history.
The right tackle garnered third-team All-American honors from The Associated Press in 2005. He was a consensus All-Big 12 choice and helped the team lead the nation in scoring offense (50.2 ppg), finish second in rushing offense (274.9 ypg) and third in total offense (512.1 ypg), as Texas set school season-records in both points scored (652) and total yards (6,657). The Longhorns' 652 points broke the 22-year old NCAA record of 624 points set by Nebraska in 1983.
Blalock was a unanimous All-American and All-Big 12 Conference selection as a senior in 2006. He earned the league's Offensive Lineman of the Year Award. He was voted team captain and helped Texas gain 170.3 rushing yards per game (30th NCAA), 392.6 total yards per game (23rd NCAA) and score 36.8 points per game (fifth NCAA) during the regular season. Blalock closed out his career with a string of 27 consecutive games without allowing a quarterback sack.
COMPARES TO: Jammal Brown -- New Orleans ... Brown is taller than Blalock, but both combine nimble feet, great lateral range and excellent upper body power to generate consistent movement off the snap. Blalock has the loose hips and leg drive to flush the defender out of the rush lanes and shows a quick kick slide and hand placement to mirror in pass protection.
AGILITY TESTS: Campus: 5.2 in the 40-yard dash ... 465-pound bench press ... 545-pound squat ... 342-pound power clean ... 28.5-inch vertical jump ... 33 1/8-inch arm length ... 10 1/8-inch hands.
