In 2013, after earning a football scholarship for his offseason hard work but playing briefly in only three games on special teams as an undersized defensive back, he had a chance to impress NFL scouts at Auburn’s Pro Day and possibly pursue a professional career. But rather than spend the weekend before the event training or resting, Poole spent his time working on the family farm.

“I was kind of nervous about running today because I stayed outside a lot this past weekend working on my farm,” Poole told a reporter at the time, after turning heads by flying through a 40-yard dash in 4.42 seconds and posting a 38-inch vertical leap, second-best on the team. “I was a little tired, but at the same time I felt pretty good.”

But while Poole impressed the scouts in attendance with one of the best physical performances of the day, football had never been his first love. He had grown up a farm-loving country boy, the son of a Georgia State Trooper, and his love for farming and cattle ranching meant he had a plan beyond sports.

“After prep school I got a call from Auburn Assistant Coach Wayne Bolt asking if I wanted to come be a preferred walk-on,” Poole recalled. “I thought to myself, ‘I’m not going to be a walk-on and I’m definitely not going to Auburn.’

“But my dad said I should give it a chance and just go see. So, my mom, dad, cousin and I got into the truck and headed on down. I remember this like it was yesterday, getting off the I-85 exit onto College Street and seeing chicken houses and big black Angus bulls. I was like, wow! That’s what really sold me on Auburn.”

Poole may not have seen the field much as a walk-on with the Tiger football team, but he did earn an SEC championship ring and get to go to Pasadena for the national championship game as a member of the 2013 squad. And he made a strong impression on his coaches with his infectious smile and strong country work ethic.

“I used to tell Blake he was the only player who had as many pairs of cowboy boots as I did,” remembered Phillip Lolley, who was defensive backs coach on Head Coach Guz Malzahn’s national title runner-up team that year. “He was a humble kid who worked his tail off and gave 110 percent in practice every day. He came ready to work and did whatever you asked him to do with a smile on his face.”

That positive attitude and willingness to work carried Poole through some difficult times trying to manage both football and academics.

“I had a great support system at Auburn,” Poole said. “But there were many times when I had to pull all-nighters so I could pass a test. I’m from a small town and I didn’t want to be that guy who came back home because he didn’t make it. I wanted to give up so many times and go back home to Georgia, but my professors always stepped in.”

Like his coaches, his College of Agriculture professors had immediately noticed that Poole’s work ethic and attitude set him apart. While working on his degree in interdisciplinary studies, with an emphasis on agricultural leadership and political science, Poole found a job assisting with a tomato research project led by Wheeler Foshee, now the Dwight and Ruth Bond Professor of Horticulture.

A self-professed country boy himself, Foshee quickly realized Poole was a kindred spirit, and he became a mentor and more to him during his sometimes challenging efforts to balance football and schoolwork. Poole eventually even roomed with Foshee’s two sons on campus.

“Blake had to work extra hard and sometimes struggled with the load, but he never quit,” Foshee said. “He was blessed to have an amazing family at home, and in the college and athletics as well. He was also a true student-athlete, and most of all, a real Auburn man.”

Don Mulvaney, now a retired professor emeritus of animal sciences, has similar memories of Poole the student.

“Blake carried himself with a quiet humility and curiosity that set him apart,” Mulvaney explained. “Like many memorable students, his journey was one of growth and perseverance. He didn’t start as the loudest voice in the room, but rather as a humble leader who led by example. He was steady, kind and reliable — a ‘teammate’ in every sense of the word. He lifted others up and infused the class with a sense of optimism and encouragement.”

Like Foshee, Mulvaney has stayed in touch with Poole over the more than a decade since, following his career and speaking with him regularly.

“Blake represents the very best of the Auburn spirit — grounded in integrity, guided by service and driven by the belief that good relationships and hard work still matter,” Mulvaney said. “He’s a reminder of why those connections between teachers and students endure long after the classroom lights are turned off.

“He often talked about his upbringing, his family’s values and his dream of one day owning a Brahman cattle operation — conversations that revealed deep roots, great upbringing and big vision. I also recall moments where Blake had hopes of playing some professional football. But true to his reflective and grounded nature, he sought purpose beyond the playing field.”

The journey that led Poole to his current position as the Middle Georgia Field Representative for Georgia Governor Brian Kemp began soon after that Pro Day and Poole’s graduation from Auburn, when — with the enthusiastic endorsement of his professors — he landed a spot with the Alabama Farmers Federation as a Governmental and Agricultural Programs intern. That internship set him on a career path that would combine his love for farming and cattle with his desire for service.

Following his internship, Poole got a taste of politics as an aide for Georgia Commissioner of Agriculture Gary Black. Afterwards, he served as director of association services at the Georgia Cattlemen’s Association until 2018, when he was offered the chance to become a field representative for then Georgia Secretary of State Kemp.

“What first got me into politics was my dad,” Poole noted. “When he was a trooper, he was on the detail for Guy Millner, a candidate for Georgia governor back in the 1990s. When my dad retired, he ran for the office of Haralson County Commission chairman and eventually served four terms.

“So, I learned from my dad how to serve people and do what is right. He is my rock and the foundation of who I am today. He is also now the director of the Governor’s Office of Highway Safety for the State of Georgia.”

Although the chance to work for the Secretary of State’s Office was a great opportunity and meant getting back into the political arena he had enjoyed before, Poole still hesitated before taking the job.

“I was thinking to myself ‘I have a company truck, I get to see farmers every day, wear jeans and chew tobacco, why would I trade that in to go work in government?’ And on top of that, Brian Kemp was running for governor. But I took the job because I wanted to be closer to my cows, and I knew in my heart he was going to win.”

When Kemp did win and took office in 2019, Poole joined the governor’s office in his current position. These days he spends most of his time traveling all over Middle Georgia as the governor’s first point of contact for people seeking information or assistance.

“Being a field rep for the Governor’s Office is like going through two-a-days during fall football camp every day,” Poole explained. “At the same time, it’s one of the most rewarding things ever. I often thank the Lord for choosing me to do this.

“I get so many calls from people needing help that my day never ends” he concluded. “I’m on call 24/7 and always have my phone with me. But coming from a family who likes to help, I was born for this. One thing about being from the rural part of the state is that we have good neighbors and family that help out. So, I’m going to keep on doing it. It’s not about me it’s about the people.”