Rohan Blackwood, Nature Coast DE (6-5, 208)
The latest: The senior-to-be picked up his eighth and ninth scholarship offers Thursday, from FIU and Minnesota, Sharks coach Charles Liggett said. West Virginia also visited the school. The Golden Gophers are the second Big Ten school to offer Blackwood, after Wisconsin.
Offers: UMass, USF, Wisconsin, Mississippi State, Southern Miss, Toledo, West Virginia, FIU, Minnesota
Last season: Blackwood earned first-team all-North Suncoast honors after establishing himself as one of Tampa Bay’s top defensive linemen. He racked up 15 sacks, 69 tackles and a fumble recovery during NCT’s 6-4 season. In basketball, the all-North Suncoast forward led the Sharks in scoring (15.4 ppg) and rebounding (11.0 per game) to help carry NCT to the second round of the Class 5A playoffs.
They say: Rivals ranks him as a two-star recruit at weakside defensive end. 247Sports gives him three stars and ranks him as Florida’s No. 73 prospect. Early in his high school career, ESPN regarded him as one of his class’ top 100 basketball prospects.
We say: Blackwood seems to be the North Suncoast’s top recruit for the class of 2014. The athleticism he honed in basketball has carried over to football and could lead to more offers during the spring evaluation period.