Ronald Blair

[/\PP ST/\TE GRAD 09]

Top 5 in the bench with 32 reps. Always love seeing Appalachian State next to a future or current NFL player doing big things.

[boonetown1]

Blair did so/so in everything else, but great in bench. After all his pros do include strength at the point of attack. Seems to be quietly pushing up some draft boards. Even represented App well in his interviews crediting App and the coaching staff.

[AppFan11]

Yes RB overall helped himself yesterday. He showed elite strength and average burst thru the forty and cone drills. His vert was seemed a little better than average. Agree that he represented well in interviews. I noticed that on draft scout site they mentioned him twice on their report of DL. Nice job Mr. Blair!

[moehler]

I have read several reports on Blair, and whats annoying, and disrespectful to App, is they are implying that if he was such a great talent, why did he chose Appalachian State instead of an SEC school? One report went as far as to list Blair playing for App as a negative and maybe its something the Pros should look into. As far as the combos, I don't think he really helped himself, but he certainly didn't hurt his stock, if he wants to move up, he is going to need a great pro day

[mikeyosef]

Like others on the board I read an evaluation that questioned why he ended up at App State other than an SEC school and I winced mightily. It felt like someone literally poked me right in the eye. However, it's a much bigger comment on how they are looking at Blair as opposed to App State and I'm supportive of most anything that gets a great App State player in the NFL. I challenge you to consider, it would have been much worse had they, for instance, asked why he didn't end up at an ACC school.

[NavyApp]

When I read things like "why did he end up at App instead of a SEC school" I don't take it as a slight. I don't know how far back these "experts" looked on RB or if they just saw he is coming out of APP. We know that he was not rated very highly out of high school. So the way I see it is that our coaching staff and program as a whole has taken a raw talented player and polished him into a legitimate nfl starter, put him in position to succeed. It's not just RB it's all the guys, our staff continually finds diamonds in the rough and gets them up the mountain and start polishing them. Our guys are given such great opportunities to succeed individually and as a team. Think about all the 4 and 5 star studs that underperform at P5 schools. So proud of Blair and our program as a whole. GO APP!!!

[mtnjax]

Only saw that Blair ran the 40 once and wondered if he had gotten hurt. Saw him later in the positional drills and he seemed to be fine. Looked better than some of the guys, although I was surprised to see he weighed in at 280ish

[AppFan11]

Hey Moehler, these are just opinions. To me for most of the prognosticators (not all) had Blair as a late round pick. Again some have moved him to 4-5 round since the workout. Some have also looked at him as an interior guy too. This flexibility helps him. Yea I also hate to hear reporters call App "a small school" but that is the reality and will be for some time. Boise still faces that criticism after 20 yrs of FBS. All we can do about that is continue to play P5 and win some and continue to put players in the league.

[Saint3333]

He didn't attend an SEC school because they didn't offer him a scholarship, had no stars. To me this is a positive, an undersized high school kid worked his butt off for five years and dominated his opponent including the mighty 2016 national title runner up this past season.

No scout or NFL team gives a crap about what conference a kid played in. They'll review the tape and use his combine and pro day showing to decide if he can play on Sundays.

Talking heads NEVER get the draft right and are filler for tv and articles in the NFL off-season.

[Rekdiver]

Demetrius McCray, Travaris Cadet, Kendall Lamm, Daniel Kilgore Sam Martin Tony Washington and Joel Ross currently and i shouldnt have to list all the ones that played in the past including 5 Pro Bowlers!!! Hey analysts the SEC isnt the end all to be all..........

Bite me!

[JTApps1]

I noticed Blair mentioned his hamstring should be fully healed by his Pro Day so that was probably holding him back on his speed drills. If he can post better times he may move even further up the draft boards.

[WVAPPeer]

Isn't this Ronald on the front page of the NFL Network (I know it is just a picture) ---
http://www.nfl.com/combine

[moehler]

cant argue with any post here, and I know it shouldn't bother me as much as it does, when some guy from NY, is too lazy to actually do his job the proper way and make sure what he prints is accurate, but to suggest that playing for App should be view a negative for Blair, is out of bounds and unfair to the school, but it is what it is. As far as Blair, going into the combine, he was viewed as a value pick, someone who has the talent to play in the league, and contribute immediately, but you can get him on the cheap. I was hoping this weekend he would "blow up" the combine, move up the boards, to the point where he was no longer considered a value pick, and maybe he could be taken in the 3rd or even 2nd round. The good news it can still happen if he has a great pro day.

[Gonzo]

Are we not an SEC school?

[EastHallApp]

Only way playing at App is a negative is simply that he didn't face the same level of competition on a regular basis that P5 players do. Scouts will factor that in, but it's certainly not a disqualifier, as plenty of G5, FCS and even D2 players are drafted every year.

As far as Blair's performance, his strength numbers were great, 40 time was poor. Don't know if that's a result of bulking up or if there was an injury issue.

[Yosef10]

I get where the guy could've been coming from. Beating down SBC O-Lines isn't the best indicator you'll do it in the pros. What he did against Clemson puts any of those doubts to rest though. I think his slower 40 time can probably be attributed to him having an extra 10-15 lbs he's now running with and will have to adjust. I've also seen him going as high as 34 according to some scouts. Hoping for the best for RB.

[eggers76]

If he is still nursing a hamstring condition as JT mentions above, this would affect his 40 time.

[DaphneUrquhart]

Isn't this Ronald on the front page of the NFL Network (I know it is just a picture) ---
http://www.nfl.com/combine

The current pic isn't Blair, but there's a nice one of him in there.

I'm proud of him and of having been part of the financial support that allowed him to have a scholarship at App. Go Apps! Be Yosef!

[WVAPPeer]

Isn't this Ronald on the front page of the NFL Network (I know it is just a picture) ---
http://www.nfl.com/combine

The current pic isn't Blair, but there's a nice one of him in there.

I'm proud of him and of having been part of the financial support that allowed him to have a scholarship at App. Go Apps! Be Yosef!

Yep - it has changed - his picture #4 DL - is with the Day 3 winners and losers ---

[bigdaddyg]

Even the notion of having 280 lb guys running a 40 yard dash is stupid. I would much rather see guys like Blair come out of stance, hit a tackling dummy or something like that and then rush the imaginary QB. Time those players in a 10 yard burst. Not a whole lot of DE's running down backs and receivers 40 yards at a time. Even better let those guys lift 300 lb bags and throw them aside.