Student Athlete of the Week: Stephan Blaylock
November 24, 2022
By Amanda Scurlock
Sports Editor
UCLA senior defensive back Stephan Blaylock is one of the leaders of the Bruins football team. A veteran of the program, he has played 54 games over five seasons with the Bruins.
“The fact that [Blaylock] has not missed a game, he’s really been a stalwart for us. He’s truly the captain of our defense,” said UCLA football head coach Chip Kelly. “I think it’s a credit to him and how he takes care of his body, the time and work that he puts in.”
Despite the 48-45 loss to USC, Blaylock made a season-high of 11 total tackles (nine solo hits and two assisted). He led all defenders in solo tackles in the match-up.
“You got to set expectations for yourself and when you set expectations for yourself, you get to raise your level of play, whether that’s physically and mentally,” Blaylock said.
He currently has made 2.0 sacks and 4.0 tackles for a loss of 16 yards this season. During the Bruins’ 40-32 victory over the Washington Huskies, Blaylock made a 29-yard interception return.
The 50.0 total tackles he made so far this season pegs him at third most on the team. It has helped UCLA to an 8-3 overall record and a 5-3 Pac-12 record.
While excelling on the gridiron, his academics have also flourished as Blaylock made the Athletic Director’s Honor Roll in the spring and winter quarters in 2021 and spring of 2020.
“Coming in our first years here, coach Kelly was big on academics,” he said. "Making sure our GPAs were high and that we stood out not only on the field but also in the classroom.”
Blaylock chose to be a philosophy major because he has always been interested in deeper thinking and exploring issues that have no solutions. His favorite class was an English class he took as a sophomore.
“All the essays we had to write, everything was a personal topic,” Blaylock said. “Our professor just letting us open up more in the papers was something I’m not really used to in classes.”
A native of Compton, Blaylock was a four-star prospect during his time at St. John Bosco. He was the no. 24 safety prospect in the nation at the time.
Since his time at UCLA, Blaylock has made 172 solo hits, 8.5 tackles for loss, three interceptions, and eight pass deflections.