PHILADELPHIA — Eagles safety Reed Blankenship has come a long way in the past four years, starting out as an undrafted free agent who had an uncertain NFL future to being a captain for the reigning Super Bowl champions.
“Emotions were all over the place,” Blankenship told NBC Sports Philadelphia this week. “I found out in practice. (Eagles head coach) Nick Sirianni told me. But it’s a dream come true. I’ve always wanted to be a captain, especially in the league.”
Blankenship’s rise could culminate with a long-term extension during or after the season (he will be a free agent after the 2025 season).
In his first two seasons (2023-2024) as a starter, he had seven interceptions and was solid against the run (191 tackles). He could be even better in his third season, which will start on Thursday night against the Dallas Cowboys.
However, Blankenship’s on-field production is not where he makes his biggest impact.
Behind the scenes, he’s the glue of a young secondary, encouraging his teammates, pointing out their mistakes and offering solutions, and showing them firsthand what it takes to be successful. His impact has spread throughout the DB room, making everybody around him better, including second-year cornerback Cooper DeJean and rookie safety Drew Mukuba.
“Oh, he’s played a big role in my development, as far as learning the defense and learning what to do, learning both safety positions,” Mukuba said on Tuesday. “He’s a guy that I go to for questions or any concerns about anything. Just having him right there and obviously he’s my locker buddy, so I can just lean over and ask him anything. ... Just with the few months I spent around him, I could see tremendous change and I can’t wait to see how I look down the road.”
Dating back to his time at Middle Tennessee State, where he was a three-time captain, Blankenship’s teammates and coaches have admired his mindset and approach.
On off days, Blankenship would spend hours at the facility, watching extra film with defensive coordinator Scott Shafer, receiving treatment on his body to manage soreness.
“A lot of guys on an off day want to stay at their apartment or wherever they live. But Reed was very focused, very goal-oriented, at a very young age,” Florida State offensive analyst Rick Stockstill, the former head coach of MTSU, told NJ Advance Media. “He did all of those little things you have to do to keep your body in shape and keep your mind (sharp) and keep your understanding of the game plan.”
When MTSU’s second-team defense practiced, most of the starters rested on the sideline, but not Blankenship. Stockstill said his star safety stood behind the secondary to visualize his assignments.
As a result, Blankenship has great anticipation on routes, which makes up for his lack of speed. It’s proof to his Eagles teammates that hard work prevails over physical ability. Seeing his dedication persuaded them to make him a captain.
“Just a nerd of the game,” Eagles cornerback Kelee Ringo said about Blankenship. “If you really want to be good at something, man, you got to study it to a tee. You might not be the fastest or the strongest, but man, you’re playing steps ahead of other guys because of your preparation.”
Blankenship expects his fellow DBs to have a deep understanding of Vic Fangio’s defense, but he knows it can be challenging and is always there to help.
“I messed up the call (today), but he was right there to back me up with it,” Eagles rookie CB Mac McWilliams said Monday. “And he just came up to me after … and was just coaching me up. He’s not the type of guy that’s going to chew you down or nothing like that.”
Compared to last season, DeJean said that Blankenship is more vocal and comfortable with holding players accountable. On the field, Blankenship has also gotten louder, communicating directions to the free safety and cornerbacks.
“He’s a caring person who loves his teammates and a person that’s going to demand the best out of you because he knows who you are, what he can get out of you,” Mukuba said.
McWilliams and DeJean both mentioned that Blankenship has a chill demeanor and is fun to be around. He has organized dinners at restaurants for the DBs.
“He always has a big smile on his face,” McWilliams said. “He’s definitely a great cat to be around. I’m so happy to be looking up to him and glad that he’s one of our leaders.”
Blankenship is an easy person to root for because he’s proven his critics wrong at every level.
The Eagles only gave him a modest $5,000 signing bonus as a UDFA in 2022. Two years later, he became a vital part of their Super Bowl defense. Coming out of high school, he had to settle on a mid-major college because Power-5 programs didn’t recruit him. And after a standout career at MTSU, NFL teams still overlooked him during the pre-draft process.
Blankenship overcame long odds to make his NFL dreams come true, inspiring everyone he knows.
“I’m really happy for him,” DeJean said. “He deserves it. He’s done a great job of leading our room this offseason.”
Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting us with a subscription.
Cayden Steele may be reached atCSteele@njadvancemedia.com
If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.