Justin Blackmon
When current Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Justin Blackmon began his collegiate career at Oklahoma State University, he had some pretty big shoes to fill. In 2008, current Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Dez Bryant tore it up at Oklahoma State with 87 receptions to go along with 1,480 receiving yards and 19 receiving touchdowns. In 2010, Blackmon began to write his own legacy at Oklahoma State as he had 111 receptions that year to go along with 1,782 receiving yards and 20 receiving touchdowns. Blackmon would leave college as a two-time first-team All-American, two-time Bilietnikoff Award winner as the nation’s top wide receiver and he was also the Big 12 Conference’s Offensive Player of the Year in 2010. The Jaguars made Blackmon the fifth overall selection of the 2012 National Football league Draft as he was expected to be a cornerstone of their franchise, but he has been far from it.
In 2012, Blackmon appeared in all 16 games for the Jaguars and he led all NFL rookies in receptions (64), and receiving yards (865). But last season due to injuries and suspensions Blackmon only appeared in four games as he only managed to get 29 receptions for 415 receiving yards and a touchdown. Blackmon has talent, but he has nearly the same amount arrests and suspensions that he has touchdowns so far in the National Football League.
Blackmon’s problems with the law dates back to his time in college. In 2010 while at Oklahoma State, Blackmon was arrested in Texas for DUI. In 2012, just prior to beginning his NFL career, Blackmon was arrested in Stillwater, Oklahoma for DUI. In April 2013, Blackmon was suspended by the National Football League for the first four games of the 2013 season for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. Last November, Blackmon was suspended indefinitely by the NFL for his second violation of their substance abuse policy. This week Blackmon was arrested in Oklahoma for possession of marijuana. Blackmon is already suspended indefinitely by the National Football League and he is walking a very fine line with the league.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell has a history of suspending players; especially repeat offenders like Blackmon. Because of this I doubt that you will see Blackmon suit up for the Jaguars in the upcoming season and his overall career in the National Football League could be in jeopardy. At 6’1″, 210 lbs., Blackmon has the size and the physical ability to be an elite wide receiver in the NFL, but right now it is all about him using his brain.
Jaguars owner Shad Khan has come out recently and expressed his desire to keep Blackmon on the team, but it is time for the young man to get it together. Blackmon is only 24-years of age and I do not believe that he has fully grasped the enormous opportunity that he currently has in the NFL. In last spring’s NFL Draft, Jaguars general manager David Caldwell used to early picks on wide receivers as he selected Marqise Lee and Allen Robinson which shows that the Jags could be ready to move on from Blackmon.
The main thing for Blackmon is that he is a still a young man and he needs to be mentored. But if he doesn’t grasp the enormity he will soon be a man without football. Former National Football League head coach Herman Edwards has always been adamant that “playing in the NFL is not a right, but a privilege”. Blackmon has physical talent, but talent alone won’t allow him to get a paycheck from the Jaguars or any other National Football League team.
Source: Pro-football-reference.com
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