He's boomed multiple 80-yarders . But the Celtics Brogdon is mounting a well-rounded campaign that hearkens back to some of the earliest Sixth Men. Wingspan 73 1/8 Theyre rooting for wins; Im happiest when the offense goes three-and-out at its own 8-yard line so Araiza has maximum space to punt. John Harbaugh is a former special teams coach and he has a better eye for punters and kickers than any other head coach in the NFL, so if he wanted Stout, you can bet he liked his punting style more than he liked Araiza's booming style. And starting this fall, San Diego State also tasked Araiza with doing the thing that he was put on this earth to do: punt the football. I dont think I realized how important it was when I made the decision, Araiza said. It was definitely a cool experience.. Araiza knocked it out of the park, posting numbers comparable to some highly ranked prospects. The only other times it happened came in 1993 and 2007. According to PFF, Dunkle registered a 38.0 pass-blocking grade and committed two penalties against Arizona and a 55.6 grade against Utah the following week on 18 pass opportunities in each game. Araiza had a 6.09 Prospect Grade on NFL.com, compared to 5.99 for Stout and 5.85 for Camarda. But the San Diego State punter, nicknamed "Punt God" by Twitter and anyone that has seen his 80-yard moonshots for three seasons with the Aztecs, has declared for the 2022 NFL Draft. The NFL Draft doesn't usually give us very many surprises when it comes to punting, but it came through with two big surprises on Saturday. All these coaches have an opinion of their own and like to make their own decisions, Araiza said. Unlike other positions, not many teams are looking to add a rookie punter to their team, let alone willing to draft a punter with a precious draft pick. But, I knew I had the potential and once I got rocking and rolling, everything would work out as it did.. The Aztecs Punt God gained a national following for his record-setting exploits last season. In the past 22 years, there have been several third-round selections at punter. Hes hit 14 punts of at least 60 yards, two shy of the NCAA record for the most in a full seasonand the Aztecs still have at least five games to go. The 2022 NFL Draft surprisingly saw just one QB taken in the first two rounds, but that doesn't doom the entire crop to irrelevance. 1 to 32. Arm length 30 1/2 While the PFF analytics are excellent indicators of success, NFL teams will trust their evaluations from watching game tape and in-person workouts. But Araiza described them to me as not being fun or real football. As a result, he stayed close to home, a decision that has meant more to him than he ever knew. Before that, the last one came in 2013. Anger is the only punter chosen earlier than the fourth round since 2005. The social media explosion, and all the fans, the almost cult-like fans sometimes. Bringing as much star power as a punter can, Araiza will also bring some questions, though, as he was a three-time All-CIF San Diego Section kicker at Rancho Bernando High before becoming an All-Mountain West Conference standout for the Aztecs. San Diego State punter and Ray Guy Award winner Matt Araiza announced Tuesday that he will be entering the 2022 NFL draft after putting together one of the best punting seasons in college football . There have been first-round punters in the past, most recently in 1979. Araiza shattered the all-time record of 32 punts of 50 or more yards in a single season, by achieving 39. While a lot of kids growing up dream of playing in the NFL, at that time it wasnt even a consideration for Araiza. Something went wrong. Stout was slightly ahead of him at 44.5 while Camarda was well below both guys at 41.6. The success of a hometown kid has had a significant impact on the community, and for all the nicknames, memes, and hilarity it brings, the San Diego State punter has also provided inspiration for a younger generation. published this week, Ryan Wilson has the Chargers drafting Thomas with the 20th pick in the first round. He doesnt overwhelm his opponent [as a blocker], but more often than not, he gets the job done.. The first specialist chosen was LSU kicker Cade York, who went to Cleveland in the fourth round, six picks before Stout was taken. I remember seeing a hypothetical at some point in the past few years: If you were an NFL general manager, would you use a first-round draft pick on a magical punter who could pin every single punt within the opposing 5-yard line? Ray Guy is the only punter to be selected in the first round of the NFL Draft. After three balls, he told my dad that I was going to play in the NFL, Araiza says. Gennaro Filice and Dan Parr rank each franchise's class, from No. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. The first two punters went off the board in the fourth round with the Ravens selecting Jordan Stout and the Buccaneers taking Jake Camarda. Another attribute teams love about Thomas is his versatility to play up and down the line of scrimmage. Its not ordinary to find a punter dominating social media and football conversations across the country. I would rather draft depth at other positions, such as defensive back and linebacker, where the players can develop while contributing on special teams.. If I can get my punter as an UDFA instead of using a draft selection on him, that would be preferable.. 2023 USFL College Draft: Three Players From Mountain West Selected, San Diego State Football: Three Questions For Spring Practice. SIGN UP NOW: $1,000 risk-free on FanDuel Sportsbook! Araiza was widely viewed as the top punting prospect after a 2021 college season that ended with him winning the Ray Guy award. It was a special team, and a special group I got to be a part of. Dan Hanzus takes stock of the NFL hierarchy with his post-draft Power Rankings. He was the striker for his high school soccer team, banging home game-winning goals in playoff games. 1, Ohio State linebacker Tom Cousineau, refused to sign with the Bills and instead inked a lucrative deal with the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League. Brugler assesses that Araiza, the top punter in the draft, will likely be a Day 3 draftee (rounds four through seven) and could go early in Day 3 depending on how impressive he performs during team workouts. 40-yard time 4.68 seconds Lets take a look. Since NFL defenses vary their fronts constantly, Thomas versatility to play inside or outside will give him a boost to climb teams draft boards. Matt Araiza, the San Diego State punter, was one of the most exciting players in all of college football last season, booming kick after kick in a way the sport had never seen before. John Stark from Florida State made it into the second round, way back in 1982. I loved European football, soccer. Field Pos. Kittle trains in the offseason in Nashville, Tennessee, and will work SDSUs tight end there. 0. He ran track as an underclassman at Rancho Bernardo High School in San Diego, and recently told the Union-Tribune that the hurdles helped his footwork on punting. In the case that his placekicks were returned, which was the exception and not the rule (84.93% touchback rate in 2021), he had an uncanny knack for then taking down the receiver, thanks in part to his high school track skills. Araiza also boomed an 86-yard punt last season, which was the longest in college football. Of the 27 punters drafted in the past 15 seasons, just six of these players have made a Pro Bowl these six punters only made one Pro Bowl each. The Sixth Man award almost always goes to the NBAs highest-scoring bench player. However, his pass-blocking steadily improved throughout the final ten games of the season, and he finished with a. Leodalis De Vries, the next international star for Padres? Kicking? These traits make for an incredibly impressive athlete, but how would he test at the NFL Combine? Something I hadnt really told anyone yet is if my professional football career ends and I still have a bit of gas in the tank, Im going to go out and try to play semi-pro soccer somewhere. We have an 86 yard punt EIGHTY SIX (CC @RKalland) pic.twitter.com/KIi5d3VTTO. + Show More. Whats legacy, anyway? Ray Guy, for whom a college football award is named, was a first-round pick in 1973. Although it is important to recognize that some of these punters have not had as many seasons as others theyve competed against, some believe a player like Araiza should be one of the top NFL punters immediately upon entering the league. But with Araiza, its easy. Which teams helped themselves in Las Vegas -- and which teams are trending in the wrong direction? If Araiza doesnt win this award, I will forever consider it illegitimate, and potentially commit arson at the Ray Guy Award headquarters. As a field goal kicker, his completion percentage went down each college season. Matt Araiza knew the Big Punt was different. Playing sports is what I love. 22 San Diego State 73, New Mexico 71 the last play, Darrion Trammell and the Minnesota job, Lamont Butlers buzzer-beater quiets Lobos, earns SDSU at least a share of Mountain West Conference title, Game preview: No. That motor really helps him frequently make tackles away from the line of scrimmage that a lot of defensive ends just dont make. Coach Marwan Maalouf, currently coaching special teams at the University of Miami and longtime NFL special teams coach, thinks highly of Araiza. He played college football for the San Diego State Aztecs, setting the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) season record for average punt yardage as a junior. ET. This is understood by several NFL football squads, which is why he has become a hot item on many teams big boards, chiefly the Miami Dolphins and the New England Patriots. Araiza is the third punter in school history to be drafted, joining Mike Saxon (Detroit, 11th round, 1984) and Wayne Ross (Washington, 12th round, 1988). In the fourth round, Baltimore selected Penn State Punter Jordan Stout with the 130th overall pick. But how have other drafted punters panned out in the NFL? Who failed to address serious needs? Maybe hell hit one 90 yards this week! The San Diego, California native has a career kicking percentage of over 73% as the Aztecs kicker. Soccer was, for sure, the first sport I wanted to play professionally. But, thats not all Araiza can do. 16.0. Araiza will be selected early on Day Two, if not late in the first round. Achieving a historic 12-win season and earning a spot in the final College Football Playoff Top 25 Rankings brought many advantages for the San Diego State Aztecs. A legitimate question is: Can Matt Araiza also be selected in the first round? He spends the evenings with his award-winning legs cast in a recovery boot. Punting you go out there and you swing as hard as you want.. During his freshman and sophomore years he was put in charge of placekicking and kickoffs; very few schools let one player kick, punt, and handle kickoffs. It wasnt surprising that San Diego State punter Matt Araiza lasted until the sixth round of the 2022 NFL Draft, where the Buffalo Bills chose Araiza. Behind guard Max Rices 12 straight points at the end, host Broncos score the games final 14 in the final five minutes to stun Aztecs, Stats and storylines to watch on Tuesday night, when San Diego State takes on Boise State at ExtraMile Arena, San Diego State sits on the cusp of a No. Their first three selections are Nos. But how have other drafted punters panned out in the NFL? Pro Football Network, LLC. It is what it is. Additionally, few of these punters have been widely recognized as the best at their position, even for one season. Nora and Steven break down the most intriguing, silly, and enlightening comments coming out of Indianapolis, Plus, theres talk of the rise of Greef Karga, along with what could become of Bo-Katan and the Mandalorian people, The guys close the show with highlights from NXT and a preview of tonights AEW go-home Dynamite, "The Apostate" is designed to reorient the audience after a lengthy layoff, but the familiar formula ensures we want to keep taking the trip, Meg and Spanners also discuss Aston Martins positive press focusing on Fernando Alonso and touch on Ferraris consistent performance. Based on net punting averages, you can usually find UDFAs who will rank above average at the position in directional punting and hang time.. He is exceptional on fourth down, averaging 51.2 yards per punt in his most recent season. The Punt God has found a new home. The question mark on him will be whether he has the athleticism and the speed to hold up against quick, interior rushers in the NFL, said Brugler. After Stouts selection was announced, an ESPN broadcaster said: Not many things surprise me in the draft because you expect unpredictable things. We were all kind of surprised. Chicago took offensive tackle Zach Thomas, Camerons brother, in the sixth round. The San Diego, California native has a. as the Aztecs kicker. It was fun, Araiza grinned while reflecting on the craziness of the past season. The selection of Araiza gave SDSU four players in the 2022 NFL Draft. How Far Can This Version of James Harden Take the Sixers? But being at San Diego State for four years, really living it, it made me laugh that I even considered going anywhere else. Araiza set an NCAA record with a 51.19-yard punting average boosted by punts of 86 and 81 yards as well as a record 39 punts of 50-plus yards and 18 punts of 60-plus yards. Gennaro Filice provides draft grades for each NFC East team. March 25, 2022 5 min read. He has shown that he can line up on the inside shade of the guard, and he can win on the interior because he has that quickness, said Brugler. By Ted McGovern Its the most Aztecs drafted since four were taken in 2012. Meet Matt Araiza, San Diego State punter who could be among the highest-drafted punters of all time, NFL Draft prospects 2022: Updated big board of top 150 players, rankings by position. What was surprising even shocking, to some is that two punters were selected Saturday ahead of Araiza. He was named to several First and Second All-American Teams by various national media outlets. Punter's names don't usually pop up as draft choices, so we figured it's a good time to look at the position's history in the draft. All that matters is watching him boom footballs as far as he can. The relationship is not close to being statistically significant here, and the R-squared value is almost negligible. He's the first SDSU player drafted by Buffalo since . Reacting to the pick, NFL Network broadcaster Rich Eisen said: Let me tell you something, Buffalo Bills fans, you should be very, very happy. The former San Diego State punter didn't get selected until the Bills made him the first pick of the sixth round (180th overall). Araiza is ready and raring to go wherever the next step on his journey takes him. The legend of the Punt God might have been born on Brookshire Street, but it truly began at the soccer park on 14530 Espola Road. "For a specialist, it's so random," Araiza said. Every front office in the NFL may have Araiza at a different spot on their boards come the last week in April, but the standout college special teams player should hear his name called during the 2022 NFL Draft. 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