Al Blades Jr.

Al Blades Jr. gets ready to make a tackle against Virginia

Position:
Cornerback
Height:
6-1
Weight:
195
Class:
Graduate Student
Hometown:
Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
High School:
University School (Miami)

CAREER: Lettered four years at the University of Miami (2018-19-20-22) and one season at Duke (2023) … played in 61 career games, 26 starts … 2023 honorable mention All-ACC selection, 2023 Academic All-ACC and National Football Foundation Hampshire Honor Society honoree … registered 140 tackles, 2.0 TFL, four INTs, 24 PBUs, two QB hurries, and one blocked punt … compiled 24 games with 3+ tackles, including a career-high eight tackles against Louisiana Tech in 2019 (Walk-On’s Independence Bowl) and Florida State in 2023 … tallied four career INTs (two in both 2019 & 2020) … registered a career-best three PBUs against UAB (2020), Pittsburgh (2020), and NC State (2023) … participated in four bowl games (2018 New Era Pinstripe, 2019 Walk-On’s Independence, 2020 Cheez-It, and 2023 Birmingham) … played 2,895 career snaps … represented Duke at the Trillion Tropical Bowl on January 20, 2024, at Municipal Stadium in Orlando, Fla.

2023: Honorable mention All-ACC selection … Academic All-ACC and National Football Foundation Hampshire Honor Society honoree … played in all 13 games, making 11 starts … compiled 47 tackles, 0.5 TFL, two QB hurries and a team-leading 10 PBUs … recorded 2+ tackles in 10 games and 4+ tackles in six contests … matched a career-high eight tackles against Florida State … secured a season-high two PBUs against NC State … on the field for 887 snaps … enrolled at Duke in January, 2023, following transfer from Miami.

PRIOR TO DUKE: Five-year member (2018-19-20-21-22) and four-year letterwinner (2018-19-20-22) at Miami ... in 49 career games (15 starts), registered 93 tackles, 1.5 TFL, four INTs, 14 PBUs, and one blocked punt … registered a career-high eight tackles in the 2019 Walk-On’s Independence Bowl against Louisiana Tech … tallied four career INTs (two in both 2019 and 2020) … participated in three bowl games (2018 New Era Pinstripe, 2019 Walk-On’s Independence, and 2020 Cheez-It) … logged one interception against Central Michigan and Louisville in 2019 and Louisville and Florida State in 2020 … blocked one punt against Louisville in 2019 … on the field for 2,008 snaps … played two years at University School under coach Daniel Luque and two years at St. Thomas Aquinas under coach Roger Harriott ... consensus four-star prospect by ESPN.com, 247Sports.com and Rivals.com … rated as No. 67 overall recruit in the country by ESPN.com … listed as eighth-best cornerback in country and 20th-best prospect in state of Florida by ESPN.com … charted the No. 12 cornerback, No. 21 player in Florida and 97th-prospect regardless of position by 247Sports.com … rated 10th-best cornerback, 13th player in Florida and 59 overall prospect by Rivals.com … in 34 career high school varsity games, totaled over 140 career tackles, including 98 solo stops … won the 2016 Florida Class 7A State Championship with St. Thomas Aquinas … selected to 2018 Under Armour All-America Game in Orlando, Fla and participated in The Opening event in summer of 2017.

PERSONAL: Born October 24, 1999 ... graduated from Miami in December 2022, with a degree in public relations and a minor in theatre arts ... son of Katisha Rose and the late Al Blades and Brian and Tisha Blades … father lettered three seasons in football at the University of Miami (1998-99-2000), twice earned All-Big East honors as a safety in 1999 and 2000 and played professionally for two seasons with the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers (2001-02) … uncle, Brian Blades, lettered four seasons in football at the University of Miami (1984-85-86-87), helped the Hurricanes to a national championship and a Fiesta Bowl win in 1987, graduated second all-time in career touchdowns with 15, was drafted in the second round of the 1988 NFL Draft by the Seattle Seahawks and spent 11 seasons with the organization (1988-98), compiling 581 receptions for 7,620 yards and 34 TDs in 156 career games while earning Pro Bowl honors in 1989 … uncle, Bennie Blades, lettered three seasons in football at the University of Miami (1985-86-87), earned First Team All-America honors in both 1986 and 1987, received the Jim Thorpe Award as college football’s best defensive back in 1987, led Miami to the national championship and a 12-0 record in 1987, ended his Miami career as the school’s all-time leader with 19 interceptions and 305 interception return yards, set school records for most consecutive games with an interception (five), total tackles by a safety (286), and unassisted tackles by a safety (155), led the nation in interceptions in 1986 (0.91 per game) and was a first round draft choice of the Detroit Lions (third pick overall) in the 1988 NFL Draft and spent 10 seasons in the NFL with the Lions (1988-96) and Seattle Seahawks (1997), compiling 860 tackles, nine forced fumbles, 11 fumble recoveries, 14 INTs and one safety in 136 career games while garnering Pro Bowl honors in 1991 and earning induction into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2008, the University of Miami Football Ring of Honor in 2009 and the University of Miami Sports Hall of Fame in 1998 …. cousin, H.B. Blades, lettered four seasons at the University of Pittsburgh (2003-04-05-06), compiled 433 career tackles, earned First Team All-America honors in 2006, was a three-time First Team All-Big East selection (2004-05-06) and was selected the 2006 Big East Defensive Player of the Year before being drafted in the sixth round of 2007 NFL Draft by the Washington Redskins, spending four years with the organization (2007-10).