Blanton was selected as a 2007 Carolina Panthers Community Captain, the same honor bestowed upon current Irish freshman Kerry Neal a year ago. A hard hitter and a hard talker that can play both cornerback and safety, Blanton committed to Notre Dame during a visit to campus in June.
Butler finished 10-3 on the season, losing a second-round playoff rematch with former national top-5 Independence (the Bulldogs won the first meeting, 21-20). Blanton intercepted six passes on the season and blocked four kicks, scoring three touchdowns. Like most of the players in this 2008 class, Blanton will be playing in the Army All-American Bowl January 5 in San Antonio, Tex. In his junior season, Blanton recorded 147 tackles and seven interceptions. He carries a 3.0 GPA.
