Tigers have sights set on another great prospect from Florida

Blanks finished his junior season with 104 tackles and four interceptions.

by David Hood - Senior Writer - Mon Feb 28 10:24:47 GMT-04:00 2011

The Clemson Tigers are getting a reputation for taking some of the biggest football prospects out of the state of the Florida, and Travis Blanks said that following his trip to Clemson, he now knows why.

Blanks is a 6-1, 180-pound elite corner/safety prospect out of North Florida Christian High School in Tallahassee, Florida, who has offers from every major program in the Southeast and many more across the country.

In fact, he had just hung up the phone with Nebraska head coach Bo Pelini when he spoke with TigerNet Thursday evening, and Blanks said the recruiting process is really beginning to heat up.

“It is really beginning to get a little bit fast for me,” Blanks said. “It is heating up a bunch. I have heard from Nebraska, Oregon and South Florida today. Pretty much every program you can think of is recruiting me.”

But it was his trip to Clemson that has the Tigers standing out in the crowd.

“I liked it a lot, and I had a good time while I was there,” Blanks said. “It is definitely a place I can see myself going to. My mom is from North Carolina, and she liked the whole family environment and the setting at Clemson. Clemson is a nice place to live, and they are an up and coming program that guys from Florida like to go to, compete for playing time and earn a position. I’ve already taken trips to some great schools and I’ve realized that there are some nice schools outside of Florida St. Clemson is by far my best trip yet.”

Blanks said that feeling comfortable and at home will be important when he makes a college choice.

“I have to go to the place I feel the most comfortable,” he said. “I want to go to a place where my heart is, and where I have a chance to compete. They have to have nice facilities. It will be the place where I feel at home. I really don't have any leaders at this point. I have so many good schools that it's hard to pick right now. I really want to go to a school where I can compete for playing time right away.

“I don't want to have to redshirt a season. I want to be three-and- out and possibly go to the league. I don't want to go to a school that is 12-deep at defensive back. I am open to playing safety and cornerback, but cornerback is what I really want play. I am going to make my decision early, though, because I plan to graduate in December.”

Blanks tallied 104 tackles and had four interceptions last season, and said that he hears his game resembles that of Antonio Cromartie.

“My first two years here, my coach was Tim Cokley, and he coached Antonio Cromartie,” Blanks said. “He was always telling me that I remind him of Cromartie with my size and speed. I am just relentless. My motor is going the whole game. I am not the fastest guy in the 40-yard dash, but I have great game speed.”