The Blaylock twins commit to UK.

By LARRY VAUGHT

larry@amnews.com

10:27 a.m. EDT, June 7, 2011
Kentucky won’t have to worry about twin brothers Daron and Zach Blaylock of Georgia changing their minds about their verbal commitment to sign with the Wildcats in February.
The two athletic defensive players committed to Kentucky¿on Sunday night after returning from an unofficial visit to Mississippi, one of the other schools they were most interested in along with Duke.
National Football League Daron Blaylock said while he knows some players make early commitments and continue to take visits to other schools and sometimes even de-commit, he insists that won’t happen with him and his brother.
“We will be loyal to our commitment. We're Wildcats for the next four years,” Daron Blaylock said. “That is how our parents have raised us. A commitment is a commitment. I am not going out and looking at other schools if I already know I am going to Kentucky. I have no need to look at other schools. I¿know Kentucky is where I need to be.”
Only a few months ago, Daron Blaylock had to write a research paper for his English class. He chose this very subject.
“I wrote my paper on how you should not be allowed to de-commit,” he said. “That’s just the way I feel.”
Daron Blaylock is projected as an outside linebacker at Kentucky, Zack as a safety.
“I am bigger than him by a good 20 or 25 pounds,” Daron said. “When I was at the Kentucky camp last week, I weighed in at 215.”
He also ran the 40-yard dash in 4.48 and 4.49 seconds in his two attempts.
“Those were my best times,” Daron said. “I am pretty consistent and feel like I¿have good speed.”
He also got to meet linebackers coach Chuck Smith — tight ends coach Greg Nord was the primary recruiter for the Blaylocks — during his last visit.
“Coach Smith is real cool. If I do play linebacker for him, I think I will love it and he will get me to know the defense real well,” Daron said. “I think I will like being taught and coached by him.”
The Blaylocks have visited Kentucky before, and Daron said both brothers got the same message each time they were in Lexington.
“Every time we went up there, the coaches were amazing,” Daron said. “They always treated us like family. The whole Kentucky community was amazing, and we always felt right at home.”
He was not influenced by the past success Kentucky has had recruiting Georgia players.
“I was not a big fan of watching sports. I was more a video game guy,” Daron said. “I visited schools to see if they were a good fit for me and to get a good honest opinion of the school. Going to visit without any real knowledge of anything gave me a better feel for the school because I started out with no favorites. My friends even kid me for not watching the NFL.”
He says it was a coincidence that him and his brother picked the same school and committed at the same time.
“It just kind of worked out that way. We both loved Kentucky,” he said. “We thought it would be cool to go together, but we both had to go where we fit in. It just worked out Kentucky was best for both of us.”
Much like it worked out that football, not basketball, was the best sport for each brother even though their father, Mookie Blaylock, was a standout basketball player at Oklahoma and a veteran NBA player.
“If you watched me play basketball, you would understand why I play football,” Daron said.
“Nothing rubbed off from my dad when it came to basketball. It was pretty cool going to all the basketball game and seeing my dad on the big screen in those arenas. But since day one, I knew basketball was not for me. He tried to get us to play, but he did not force us.”
No one had to force him to play football.
“The one thing I like about football is the big difference in contact. In basketball, you barely touch somebody and it is a foul,” Daron said. “In football you can knock somebody out and get cheered for it. My brother feels the same way.”
Academically, their mother provided the inspiration they needed.
“Academics is all about mom. I’ve always been good in the classroom, but she made sure it was that way,” Daron said.
Copyright © 2011, AM News
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