Mo Blackwell’s athleticism gives him UDFA upside

The rangy linebacker could compete for a roster spot in the NFL as an undrafted free agent because of his athleticism and special teams contributions.

After four years with the Texas Longhorns, linebacker Mo Blackwell is ready to try his hand in the 2025 NFL Draft, which begins on Thursday.

Before his time on the Forty Acres, Blackwell was a star at Arlington Martin, accruing a consensus four-star rating and choosing Texas over Alabama, Georgia, and more. Blackwell was ranked as the No. 371 player nationally and the No. 39 linebacker in the 2021 recruiting class, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings, although opinions differed about whether he would grow into a linebacker or remain at his high school position of safety.

The 6’1, 220-pound outside linebacker played in 48 games for the Longhorns over four years while recording 65 tackles, four tackles for loss, two pass deflections, a fumble recovery, and blocked kick.

It took Blackwell some time to grow into a linebacker — he was listed as a linebacker at 203 pounds as a freshman, dropped seven pounds to move back to safety as a sophomore, then gradually gained weight after dropping down to the second level again, going from 208 pounds as a junior to 2020 pounds as a senior. A knee injury as a junior slowed his development.

Predominately providing situational support in sub packages, Blackwell was an above-average linebacker in pass coverage. His rangy athleticism, lengthy build, and experience will bode well on his journey to the National Football League. His speed and pursuit also give him an ability to contribute on special teams at the highest level after playing 856 snaps across five special teams units with the Longhorns, recording 12 total tackles in that phase.

At the Texas Pro Day in March, Blackwell recorded a 37-inch vertical leap that testified to his athleticism, as well as doing 18 reps on the bench press.

Blackwell is currently projected to go undrafted but have the chance to compete for a roster spot — his speed and ability to contribute on special teams will provide any NFL team with important skills, making him a intriguing prospect.