Any conversation discussing the Virginia football team’s secondary starts with safety Quin Blanding. With good reason. He’s already made more tackles than any other defensive back in school history.

Blanding enters his senior season in Charlottesville as an experienced playmaker with a nose for the football. He’s piled up 358 career tackles, good enough for No. 9 all-time in program history and first among defensive backs. Blanding has never posted fewer than 115 tackles in a season at Virginia. The past two seasons, he’s ranked No. 2 in the ACC in tackles behind teammate Micah Kiser.

What all that production translates to on the field is a strong run-stopping safety that can provide extra presence in the box. He diagnoses run quickly and pursues to the ball well to make plays. On the other end of the spectrum, he’s tallied 15 passes defended including six interceptions in his career. At times, he’s been taken advantage of in coverage but considering his overall responsibilities and effort to cover mistakes from those around him, he’s a plus at the safety spot no matter how you cut it.

There’s a reason, after all, that he’s received a bevy of awards during his three years at UVA. That started with Scout.com’s National Defensive Rookie of the Year and All-American honors as a freshman, but he’s followed it up with back-to-back first team All-ACC and some All-American recognition as well. He bypassed the NFL Draft for a shot at more honors, but more importantly more wins with the Wahoos.

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