Interview: 2020 4-Star ATH Blayne Toll Updates Alabama Visit and Recruiting Process

Written by Ryan Wright

Twitter: @RyanWrightRNG

When the 2017 high school football season started, few on the recruiting trail knew about Class of 2020 athlete Blayne Toll. But, by the end of the season and into the springtime, it seemed that everyone throughout the southeast region of the U.S. knew of him. The Hazen High School standout had worked his way to four-star recruiting status and is now one of the top all around athletes in the nation.

Toll may end up as a collegiate tight end or defensive end due to his size, but out of need he is playing a wide variety of positions for the Hornets including quarterback. He rushed for 465 yards with six scores and passed for another 715 yards with eight more touchdowns posted during his sophomore season. Playing end on defense, he accounted for 42 stops with 24 tackles for a loss, and three forced fumbles. That trend continues into his junior season seeing him line up all over the field and on both sides of the ball.

His dominating ways against Arkansas competition has drawn a collegiate scouting crowd that has led to seven offers on the table from Louisville, Oklahoma State, Southern Miss, Rutgers, Carroll College, Texas State, and Memphis. The interest list has spread deeper into SEC, ACC, and Big 12 territories.

In a Recruiting News Guru catch-up interview, I sat down with the 6-5, 230-pound, do-everything athlete for an update on his season to date with a recruiting overview that included his thoughts on his weekend trip to Tuscaloosa.

Interview

Blayne, you are that dynamic athlete capable of playing multiple positions on both sides of the ball, where all are you lining up on the field this season?

“I am playing quarterback and defensive end. Sometimes, I am in as a blocking back and a tight end.”

How did you prepare for your junior year over the summer months and with the Hornets fall camp?

“I made sure I was lifting and running as much as I could to get ready for the season. I tried to be around my team as much as possible to build that bond.”

Which parts of your game did you specifically work on to get ready for the season?

“I worked on my explosiveness and I worked on my speed. For offense, I worked on my ability to read the field.”

Did you attend any college camps?

“Yes. I went to camps at Oklahoma, Notre Dame, Memphis, MSU, Louisville, and Arkansas. That is all the camps that I can think of right now.”

Of them all, which was your best camp performance?

“My best performance was at the Memphis camp; I ran a 4.7 there. I did well playing tight end at the Louisville camp.”

At the camps, which position, or positions, did they have you play?

“They mostly had me at tight end. At Mississippi State, they switched me to defensive end halfway through the camp.”

Where are you seeing the biggest improvements in your game so far this season on defense?

“In our first game, I did not play very effectively. I had bronchitis, so I had to keep coming out. I could not get enough oxygen. I can tell I am more explosive and quicker this year, stronger of course as well.”

What about on offense, where are you seeing the biggest gains in your game?

“Again, in our first game I could not read the field the way I wanted to because I was sick. I could not focus. Our second game was cancelled due to weather.”

In the limited time the team has gotten to play this year, how are the Hornets looking?

“I can tell that we were back. In the first quarter of second game, we were playing like we were supposed to play.”

You guys got a win against Cross Country (Cherry Valley) in the season opener. In the two games played, how are the opposing teams attacking you in an attempt to slow you down?

“They are running away from me on defense, going to the other side. On offense, they keep hitting me in my legs.”

The Hornets square off against Marked Tree this Friday, what kind of game can the fans expect from that one?

“They should expect the old Hazen team to be back but better. Marked Tree, we scrimmaged them last year. We did well against them. We have gotten 10 times better since then.”

Turning to recruiting. Which schools are showing interest in you but have not offered yet?

“Oklahoma, Alabama, Arkansas was showing interest, but I am not sure what they are not doing so now, Texas, Virginia Tech, Tennessee, and Vanderbilt.”

How many offers do you have now?

“I have seven offers.”

Have you taken any unofficial visits yet this year?

“Yes. I just came back from Alabama.”

You were there for the Arkansas State game, what was that like as an Arkansan watching Alabama take on the Red Wolves?

“I figured it was going to happen the way it did, a Sun Belt team verses a SEC team. Plus, Alabama is ranked No. 1 in the nation. I like Arkansas State, although they have not recruited me hard, but I like them. It was a good game. Alabama is really good, obviously. It was real nice up there.”

What are your thoughts of the visit to Tuscaloosa?

“It was crazy. They sent me a bunch of mail ahead of the game and sent me a game day invite. It is crazy that Alabama is texting me. The facilities were great.”

What did you think of the crowd and the game atmosphere?

“For a small-town kid like me, it looked like millions of people were there for the game.”

Do you have any other visits planned for this fall?

“I have some game invitations, but I am not sure where I am going yet.”

Did you get to watch any college football games on Saturday before or after the Alabama game? If so, which games did you watch and what stands out to you as a top prospect?

“I watched a couple afterwards. I was trying to watch the Arkansas game, we listened to some of it. I watched part of the Florida game. In the restaurant, we watched some of the Clemson game.”

Last question. After two weeks of college football, which four teams do you have in your final four for the playoff?

“Alabama, Notre Dame might make something happen, Oklahoma – when I went up there they were working really hard, and Clemson.”

Solid final four. Blayne, great catching up with you today. Good luck with Marked Tree on Friday.

“Thank you.”

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Photo credit: recruitingnewsguru.com; Blayne Toll at Dallas Nike Opening Regional