Ray Guy is the only punter to be selected in the first round of the NFL Draft. National Championship Game Recap: What Went Wrong? No other punter. With its great weather, miles of sandy beaches, and major attractions, San Diego is known worldwide as one of the best tourist destinations and a great place for residents to relax year round. Overflowing with accolades and a pious sobriquet, San Diego State punter Matt Araiza is going from the sunny skies of Southern California to the wintery winds of Buffalo, as the Bills selected him with the No. But thats only half-true: Araiza is also statistically the most talented punter prospect of all time. It was not an issue in college, where everyone at the line can release downfield after the snap. But, thats not all Araiza can do. The junior punter-placekicker from San Diego State is headed to the Buffalo Bills after being chosen Saturday with the first pick in the sixth round of the annual NFL Draft. Coach Marwan Maalouf, currently coaching special teams at the University of Miami and longtime NFL special teams coach, thinks highly of Araiza. In addition to his record-setting punting, he's drilled three 50-yard field goals, second most in college football, and has the fourth-longest average kickoff distance (65.0 yards). All four players have the talent to compete and excel at the next level. Im excited for change. Although the 40-yard-dash may not be a direct indicator of a players game speed, the fact that Araiza ran a 4.68 is notable in its own right. That group includes not only several picks taken inside the top 100 overall players, but also four players taken in the second round and another two taken in the first round. The Raiders drafted him with the 23rd pick in 1973. 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. He was the striker for his high school soccer team, banging home game-winning goals in playoff games. But Matt didnt have dreams of special teams stardom. These were certified piss missiles not to be confused with lucky bounces and rolls. Also, a higher average yards per punt does not always mean better sometimes you want to directionally punt, so this can be misleading. As for being the third punter drafted? Will Malik Willis develop into a high-end QB for the Titans? r collecting 20.5 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks this past season. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. A two-star recruit who was ranked as the 19th kicker in the class, he could have elevated his profile at one of the big-name kicking camps. Whats legacy, anyway? While Brugler assesses Dunkles draft stock as a late-round pick based on his questionable athleticism to hold up in pass protection, he believes Dunkle has the play strength to turn defenders in the hole and be a dominant force in a phone booth in the run game. He also rated Dunkle above average in all of the games he studied this year and found him dominant against Air Force and UTSA in the Frisco Bowl. + Show More. This is the most yards per punt a player has ever averaged in a single NCAA season, illustrating his sheer dominance. What Matt Araiza did in college football was revolutionary from a position where it's tough to disrupt how the game is played. Araiza could have pursued soccer as a career. 6-keys: media/spln/nfl/reg/free/stories, By pressing sign up, I confirm that I have read and agree to the. 11 overall in 1979 by the New Orleans Saints after being a kicker and punter in college. He had an excellent showing in the combine, punting with stunning accuracy before impressing attendees with his sprinting. 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. 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. section: | slug: 2022-nfl-draft-shocker-bills-land-punt-god-matt-araiza-who-surprisingly-gets-taken-behind-two-other-punters | sport: football | route: article_single.us | His, was better than many who are projected to be high draft selections, including. He believes it is worth taking chances on other positions earlier in the draft rather than a punter. Will another aggressive draft by Mickey Loomis pay off for the Saints? did he lead the nation in punting average, McCarthy discusses taking over Cowboys' play-calling, Brett Favre welfare funds scandal explained, Reich says Carr 'checks a lot of boxes' after meeting, Lewan explains why Titans put his things in trash bags, Cardinals hire ND's all-time rushing leader as RB coach, Commanders GM: Howell has every chance to win QB job. At the time, a young Araiza couldnt have imagined becoming a national punting icon. NFL Draft. Please enter a valid email and try again. The NFL scouting combine an intense and significant event in the pre-draft process is underway in Indianapolis. He's hit more 60-yard punts this year than anyone ever. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. As mentioned before, Araiza is incredibly versatile and can help the special teams unit in an impactful way. We were all kind of surprised. Zac Al-Khateeb is a content producer for The Sporting News. . Araiza knocked it out of the park, posting numbers comparable to some highly ranked prospects. At the end of Araizas senior season at Rancho Bernardo, he hadnt gotten any scholarship offers, and was still considering soccer as a pathway to his future. Above is a plot of the average Approximate Value (AV) of a punter per season who has been drafted in the last 15 seasons. several third-round selections at punter. He also boomed an 86-yarder against San Jose State at sea level. But, I knew I had the potential and once I got rocking and rolling, everything would work out as it did.. in this draft class last month. The one thing I dont think I ever realized was the level of popularity. Big, big leg. But, thats not all Araiza can do. Araiza managed six punts over 70 yards and two in excess of 80 yards. This is a statement of fact rather than a prediction. In fact, the San Diego State punter and placekicker had his eye on playing in his school's brand-new stadium next season while going for a master's degree. Hes also redefining how valuable punters can really be. While punter prospects arent rare theyre more commonplace than youd expect no prospect at the position has captured the imagination with a mastery of their craft quite like the San Diego State standout. I recognize that my train of thought may be different from the rest of the league. One of the most exciting prospects in the 2022 NFL Draft is San Diego State University's Matt Araiza. That motor really helps him frequently make tackles away from the line of scrimmage that a lot of defensive ends just dont make. I just mean Matt Araiza out of San Diego State is maybe the best punter Ive seen in my lifetime and, yet, Baltimore likes Stout., And after Camarda was selected: Am I the only one Araizas the guy we all focused in on.. MORE:NFL Draft prospects 2022: Updated big board of top 150 players, rankings by position. NFL Draft Profile: Rhys Byrns, Punter, Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns. 16.0. Former Eagles President and Browns CEO Joe Banner gave his take on how he would approach this unique prospect. This seems like a cute questionthe football equivalent of asking someone whether theyd eat the worlds grossest food for a million dollars. Despite all the success on the football field for Rancho Bernardo, Araiza was largely overlooked in the 2018 recruiting cycle. In his Mock Draft 1.0 released on November 30, 2021, Brugler slotted Thomas to the Dallas Cowboys with the 25th pick of the first round, adding, Thomas has been nearly unblockable this season for the Aztecs, currently leading college football with 72 pressures.. No wonder the "punt god" is generating NFL draft buzz. He's boomed multiple 80-yarders . Waring caught 31 passes for 372 yards and three touchdowns, almost identical to Bellingers final season. Bellinger recently signed with JB Sports, Inc., the same agency that represents San Francisco 49ers tight end, George Kittle. Stout was slightly ahead of him at 44.5 while Camarda was well below both guys at 41.6. 2 and the words: PUNT GOD! When we spoke on Tuesday night, Araiza called kicking a football really hard the greatest feeling. In addition to punting, he handles placekicking and kickoff duties for San Diego State. It was fun, Araiza grinned while reflecting on the craziness of the past season. In the season opener against New Mexico State, Araiza boomed a 77-yarder. 21, 54 and 85. Brugler ranked Bellinger as the 13th-best tight end in this draft class last month. Bellingers seasonal production did not overtly scream NFL caliber tight end, finishing 2021 with 31 receptions for 357 yards and only two touchdowns. This, surprises me. 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. Araiza is the closest thing in football history to a must-watch punter. The 1979 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. 12.0Matt Araiza, SDSU (48 Punts)Inside 20 63%Inside 10 27%Touchback 29%Avg. It isnt much of a challenge anymore. He was named to several First and Second All-American Teams by various national media outlets. But Araiza took a while to realize that kicking was his path. 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. !, the nickname Araiza was given during his record-breaking 2021 season. San Diego State's Matt Araiza put in a historic year. These traits make for an incredibly impressive athlete, but how would he test at the NFL Combine? That was definitely my first love. A legitimate question is: Can Matt Araiza also be selected in the first round? There are times where he gets crossed up in pass protection, and his feet get a little stuck in the mud, something Brugler saw on tape against Utah and Arizona, two Power 5 opponents the Aztecs played this year. Araizas ascension to the summit of his position and the attention that has come with it has been one of the storylines of the college football season. However, his pass-blocking steadily improved throughout the final ten games of the season, and he finished with a 73.3 pass-blocking grade. Hes big. Bills get the Punt God in the SIXTH ROUND. Punters are an often-overlooked asset on a football squad but San Diego State punter/kicker Matt Araiza has been frequently referenced as the most talented punt prospect in recent history. 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. If I can get my punter as an UDFA instead of using a draft selection on him, that would be preferable.. The previous year, he punted five times for 249 yards, averaging 49.8 yards per punt. All Rights Reserved. Personally, I would not draft a punter, regardless of how good he is, until the 7th-round the 6th-round at the earliest. Punting you go out there and you swing as hard as you want.. But since 2000, nobody has gone higher than Bryan Anger, who was picked 70th by the Jaguars in 2012. The San Diego State punter was better than Camarda in almost every metric last season. I have started watching San Diego State games specifically to see Araiza punt. Field Pos. Quarterbacks can put up gaudy stats because of their offensive scheme; wide receivers who dominate in college can look lost in the pros. While a lot of kids growing up dream of playing in the NFL, at that time it wasnt even a consideration for Araiza. At some positions, NFL teams can struggle to identify the best players. in this draft class last month and says teams view him as a second-round prospect. A fourth player, senior Daniel Bellinger, also took the next step in his career rather than return to SDSU for a super senior season. Araiza's punts helped the San Diego State product earn the Ray Guy Award, given to the nation's top college punter, as he set NCAA records for punting average (51.2 per punt), punts over 50 . His worse pass-blocking grade came the next week against Towson, registering a 34.3 grade on 26 passing opportunities. Above is a plot of the average. Did one NFC West team just accumulate more prospect talent than the rest of the division combined? He has 28 punts of 50-plus yards; the NCAA record is 32, set in 1994. 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 Oliver Hodgkinson April 14, 2022 Jump Around This Article Click to show Punters are NFL Draft prospects, too always have been, always will be. Punts in between the 30s (2021 only):Jordan Stout, Penn State (36 Punts)Inside 20 83%Inside 10 53%Touchback 6%Average Field Pos. Given the recent trends of where punters have been drafted, it would make sense for Araiza to be selected on Day 3 since only Bryan Anger has been taken before then in the past 15 years. ET. There will be a big red circle on that day on my calendar. He's the first SDSU player drafted by Buffalo since . A hundred percent, a hundred percent, said Araiza, who watched the draft from home with family and friends. NFL footage NFL Productions LLC. It is what it is. Where most players have a left leg, the San Diego product has what can only be described as a cannon. Araiza can literally flip the field. This is no better illustrated than noting that he achieved TWO 80+ yard punts. Did the talent-poor Falcons get the roster infusion they needed? San Diego State hosts Fresno State on Saturday night. However, it was there that the power of his left leg was harnessed with a view to a long-term career goal. The San Diego State punter was better than Camarda in almost every metric last season. 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 . Did the Packers blow it by once again passing on the receiver position in Round 1? CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Commissioner.com is a registered trademark of CBS Interactive Inc. site: media | arena: nfl | pageType: stories | A story of soccer to San Diego, from punter to Punt God. And its not because its Jordan Stout. But, Araiza isnt an ordinary punter. We released a jersey with a company out of San Diego and to see those jerseys in the stands, was crazy to me. Free shipping for many products! Averaging 51.19 yards per punt, Araiza is the all-time single-season average punt distance leader. Araiza had the seasons longest punt, 86 yards against San Jose State. And remember, the Big Punt wasnt even Araizas longest punt of the year. He was the San Diego sectional kicker of the year in all three years he kicked, and broke the county record for career field goals. 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Smith on Skip and Kaepernick, Martin Luther King Jr., the Revolutionary With Dr. Peniel Joseph. Brugler predicts Bellinger will be the second San Diego State player drafted (after Cameron Thomas). Its a loaded defensive end class, Brugler said. Of Araiza's 79 punts, 37 went for at least 50 yards; 17 went for 60 yards or more; six went at least 70 yards; and two went for 80-plus yards (no other punter had two punts of 80 yards). In the past 25 years, the highest-drafted punter was Bryan Anger, selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars with the 70th pick in the 3rd round. John Stark from Florida State made it into the second round, way back in 1982. The Buffalo Bills tweeted out the announcement with a picture of Araiza wearing his red and black Aztecs jersey with now-familiar No. 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. You won't want to miss a moment of the 2022 season! But then came the 50-, 60-, 70-. By Ted McGovern Teams are not drafting you based on what you have done, notes Brugler. Im excited to go to a winning team, Super Bowl favorites, that will be awesome, Ariaza said by phone after the draft. Lets take a look. The number of seasons for each punter includes every season where at least half of a season was played. Pat McAfee, all that stuff was hilarious, seeing some of the memes were really funny, the nicknames, all that stuff. In the past 25 years, the highest-drafted punter was Bryan Anger, selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars with the 70th pick in the 3rd round. Georgia punter Jake Camarda was taken three picks later by Tampa Bay. 40-yard time 4.68 seconds One of those is national recognition for its most talented players who caught the eyes of NFL scouts looking for the next great professional prospect. Per the report, police implicated Carter in street racing, which . 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