Blackford Oakes

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Blackford Oakes

Oakes attending a Denver Broncos game
No. 33 – New Orleans Second Line
Position:	Free Safety
Personal information
Born:	(1998-05-20)May 20, 1998 (aged 63) Denver, CO
Height:	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight:	215 lb (98 kg)
Career information
High school:	Ralston Valley Senior High School
College:	Notre Dame
ISFL Draft:	S4 / Round: 1 / Pick: 2
Career history
Las Vegas Legion (2019 (S4)-2020 (S5) New Orleans Second Line (2021 (S6)–present)
Roster status:	Active
Career highlights and awards
NSFL Defensive Rookie of the Year (2019 (S4)) NSFL Pro Bowl (S7)
Career NSFL statistics as of Week 1, 2023 (S8)
Total tackles: 320 Pass deflections: 21 Interceptions: 16 Forced fumbles: 4 Sacks: 19 Total touchdowns: 4 Kick return yards: 2,529
Player stats at ISFL.net

Blackford Oakes (born May 20, 1998) is an American football free safety for the New Orleans Second Line of the National Simulation Football League (NSFL). He played college football for Notre Dame.

Early years

A native of Denver, Colorado, Delacour attended Ralston Valley Senior High School, where he played safety and some wide receiver and served as captain. Oakes also captained the school's wrestling team. Oakes' parents met while attending Notre Dame and despite growing up in Colorado he was raised a Notre Dame fan from an early age. His sophomore year of high school after a big win over Arvada West a scout introduced himself to Oakes and a few years later Notre Dame offered him a scholarship.

College career

Delacour accepted an athletic scholarship to attend Notre Dame and played a full four seasons. After a solid career for his boyhood team was most notable because his teams never lost to Southern Cal or Michigan.

Professional career

Blackford Oakes made the jump directly from college into DSFL waivers. Due to a paperwork snafu he was claimed by the Tijuana Luchadores but never actually appeared in a game for them. Due to his draft class being split thanks to the newly introduced DSFL Draft there were few high-end prospects (and few prospects in general) and the draft was very predictable. Indeed, 40 of the 100 submitted mock drafts got all 8 picks of the first round correct and 85 got at least 6 picks correct. As expected, Oakes went 2nd overall to the Las Vegas Legion. He had been linked to the team because of several factors, including Arizona's affinity for Noah Goodson at 1st overall, Oakes' connection to the Legion's Connor Tanner, and the fact that the Legion had 5 of the 8 first round picks. Post draft coverage praised this selection for the Legion who desperately needed secondary help after finishing dead last in the league in pass defense for their first two years of their existence.

Oakes started out slow in his rookie season, recording 9 tackles, 1 sack, and nothing else in his first two contests. Week 3 against the Yellowknife Wraiths he would record his first career pass defense and interception followed the next week with two more passes defensed and two more interceptions, including one returned for a touchdown that put the game out of reach. Oakes was named Defensive Player of the Game. He finished his rookie season tied for the team lead in interceptions and third in tackles en route to winning Defensive Rookie of the Year honors. Things went from good to bad very quickly after the season as much of the team retired en masse and it looked like the team would take a step back even from their lowly 3-11 season.

His sophomore campaign was excruciating as the Legion went 1-13 and his own personal play regressed. The season was underscored by losing twice to a Yeti team that would finish the year 2-12, their only wins coming against Las Vegas. Oakes swore that would never happen again. The team moved to New Orleans after the season for a much-needed fresh start. Oakes needed one, too.

2021 (S6) started out with promising signs as Oakes stuffed the stat sheets and the team hung tough with Arizona in a Week 3 loss before playing Yellowknife to a tie in Week 4. Oakes recorded 10 tackles, 1 sack, and 1 interception and was named Defensive Player of the Game for the first time since his rookie season. The team would finish the season 2-11-1 with their only two wins coming against the Yeti in a satisfying reversal of roles.

The Second Line continued to slowly build and finally challenged for a playoff spot in 2022 (S7). The season started out with an absolute bang Week 1 against Arizona as the Second Line trailed by 15 points with 12 minutes to play. Borkus Maximus III took over from his own 35 and led New Orleans down the field to pull within 8 with 8:30 on the clock. Borkus went 5/7 for 48 yards and a touchdown on that much-needed drive. After the teams traded punts, Arizona took over on their 20 with just 5:31 left in the game. On a 3rd and 13 play from his own 31, King Bronko threw an interception that Oakes returned for a touchdown. The two-point conversion would be successful and the game was tied. After an offense-heavy regulation the defenses took over in overtime with neither team able to drive. We saw 4 straight punts before New Orleans faced a 4th and 1 from midfield. Earlier, in the 4th quarter and then in overtime, New Orleans had elected to punt twice while inside the opposing 40 yard line, the first being a 4th and 9 punt that set up Oakes' interception and the second being a 4th and 4 punt after the first drive of overtime. Despite those conservative calls, New Orleans elected to try for it on 4th down here but were unable to convert. Arizona drove 24 yards in over 3 minutes and kicked the game winning field goal with 51 seconds left. The game also featured a wild second quarter that included Oakes scoring a kick return touchdown.

After an 0-4 start that included another heartbreaking loss against Yellowknife by 2 points the team was feeling optimistic about the relatively easy finish to the season. The ASFC looked to be having a down year and the Second Line took advantage Week 5 by beating San Jose at home to pull within 1 game of a playoff spot. Oakes was named Defensive Player of the Game the following week against Orange County in a game that they led 22-21 in the 4th quarter before surrendering two late touchdowns. In Week 8 New Orleans had the good fortune to face Colorado and took full advantage in a 38-3 blowout that set many franchise records: most points scored, fewest points allowed, and largest margin of victory. Oakes was again named Defensive Player of the Game for his 8 tackles, 2 sacks, and an interception return for touchdown that put the Second Line up 21-3 in the first half and essentially sealed the game. Despite being 2-6 at this point, New Orleans was still just 1 game out of the playoff race as San Jose was sitting at 3-5 and Arizona at 1-7. New Orleans also had another game against Colorado and a game each against San Jose and Arizona on their schedule.

Heartbreak would again find the Second Line as they'd lose 23-21 to the Sabrecats the following week on an Iyah Blewitt field goal with 21 seconds remaining. Oakes was named Defensive Player of the Game for his 13 tackles, including 3 on the do-or-die drive. Oakes would be named Defensive Player of the Game again in a Week 12 loss in Philadelphia. After that loss the Second Line had games against Colorado and Arizona to finish out the year and were sitting 2 games behind the 5-7 Sabrecats in a tie with the 3-9 Outlaws. There was a still a chance for the franchise's first ever playoff berth but it was slim. New Orleans did what it needed to with a 26-7 drubbing of the Yeti and Oakes himself had 2 interceptions and got some luck with Arizona barely beating San Jose to keep all 3 teams alive going into the season's final game. San Jose lost to Orange County meaning that the New Orleans-Arizona game became a play-in game (except in a few very specific circumstances). The Second Line played well but ultimately fell short 20-19 despite outgaining the Outlaws 401-204 thanks to 3 turnovers and 0 takeaways.

The 2023 (S8) season is now underway and a vast majority of the NSFL is expecting New Orleans to make the playoffs.

Professional career statistics

Career statistics			Tackles			Sacks	Interceptions			Other Defense					Special Teams
Season	Team	Games	Reg	TFL	Total	Sack	Int	Yds	IntTD	DefTD	FFum	FRec	PD	Safety	KR Yds	KR TD
2019 (S4)	LVL	14	72	0	72	1	4	52	1	1	2	0	5	0	0	0
2020 (S5)	LVL	14	61	0	61	0	4	63	0	0	0	0	4	0	898	0
2021 (S6)	NOLA	14	103	0	103	2	3	74	0	0	2	1	4	0	600	0
2022 (S7)	NOLA	14	78	0	78	16	5	179	2	2	0	0	8	0	1031	1
2023 (S8)	NOLA	1	6	0	6	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0

Achievements and Records

Awards

Team

Individual

• NSFL Defensive Rookie of the Year: 2019 (S4)
• Pro Bowl: 2022 (S7)

New Orleans Second Line franchise records

• 2022 (S7); Set NOLA franchise record for most interception return yards in a game (91 vs YKW)
• 2022 (S7); Set NOLA franchise record for most interception return yards in a season (179)