The Buffalo Bills selected San Diego State punter Matt Araiza with the first pick of the sixth round of the 2022 NFL draft on Saturday. 22 San Diego State at New Mexico, Structure of Manny Machados new contract leaves Padres room to add more big names, Spring training recap: Juan Soto stays hot, Nick Martinez earns extra work in rain-shortened Padres win, Padres pitcher Joe Musgrove fractures big toe in kettlebell accident; timetable for return tough to forecast, Column: Padres roller-coaster day includes Joe Musgrove injury, Manny Machado contract, Fernando Tatis debut, Februarys athletes of the month include CIF hoops and soccer champs, standout grapplers, David Benner, Indiana Pacers longtime PR director, dies, Panthers weighing options as quarterback hunt continues, Tennessee PG Zakai Zeigler suffers season-ending knee injury, Cadiz wants to halt Spanish league after refereeing mistake, Annecy stuns favorite Marseille to reach 1st French Cup semi, No. 133). But being at San Diego State for four years, really living it, it made me laugh that I even considered going anywhere else. Per the report, police implicated Carter in street racing, which . Through the first 180 picks, there were more punters selected (3) than were taken in the entire 2021 draft combined (The Steelers selection of Pressley Harvin was the only punter pick last year). He is exceptional on fourth down, averaging 51.2 yards per punt in his most recent season. His big leg led him to being named the 2021 Ray Guy Award (nation's top punter) winner and a first-team AP All-American. 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. Hes a talented guy who should help with winning the field position category., However, just like any other special teams prospect, Coach Maalouf believes the San Diego State product should be worked out by coaches. Vinnie Iyer of The Sporting News, for example, projects Araiza to go 174th overall to the defending AFC champion Bengals. This is the most yards per punt a player has ever averaged in a single NCAA season, illustrating his sheer dominance. Every coach will want to do their due diligence as far as timing his touch to toe operation and seeing how he does with a real NFL Duke ball. But as soon as Araiza started kicking, it became clear that he had a gift for it. Punting you go out there and you swing as hard as you want.. With Camarda now in Tampa, that likely spells the end of Bradley Pinion's three-year run with the team. The Mandalorian Season 3 Premiere Is a Slick Reminder of What Makes Mando Work, What We Learned From Testing, and a Bahrain GP Preview. According to Brugler, scouts are not overlooking Bellinger, understanding that the lack of production is more a by-product of the offense San Diego State ran than a lack of talent and ability by Bellinger. Below are the top 10 highest-drafted punters in the history of the NFL draft: Of that group, Guy went onto become a Pro Football Hall of Famer; Stark was a first-team All Pro selection in 1983 and four-time Pro Bowler; Skladany was a 1981 Pro Bowler; Sauebrun was a four-time All-Pro selection, three-time Pro Bowler and two-time NFL punt yards leader; Tupa was a 1999 All-Pro selection; and Anger was a 2021 second-team All-Pro selection, as well as the 2013 NFL punting yards leader. Gennaro Filice provides draft grades for each NFC South team. , our 15th-highest-ranked prospect. All four players have the talent to compete and excel at the next level. 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. #Bills #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/EA1iEWkdyA. But then came the 50-, 60-, 70-. Field Pos. in this draft class last month. Araiza has a cannon for a leg, shown with his. 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. 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. r collecting 20.5 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks this past season. SOMEONE GET ME A TABLE!! . Freshman year of high school. It was awesome. There will be a big red circle on that day on my calendar. 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. NFL footage NFL Productions LLC. 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. 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. They'll give up some big returns, but they'll also have some giant flips of field position.". Bellinger recently signed with JB Sports, Inc., the same agency that represents, Dunkle declared for the NFL Draft after finishing the season with a. , the highest by an offensive lineman since Pro Football Focus (PFF) began tracking the metric. NFL Draft Profile: Rhys Byrns, Punter, Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns. The Buffalo Bills held the first overall pick in the draft, acquired from the San Francisco 49ers in the trade which sent O. J. Simpson to his hometown team. I dont think I realized how important it was when I made the decision, Araiza said. These traits make for an incredibly impressive athlete, but how would he test at the NFL Combine? You can almost hear return men yelling Oh crap! as the balls sail over their heads. The number of seasons for each punter includes every season where at least half of a season was played. Former Eagles President and Browns CEO Joe Banner gave his take on how he would approach this unique prospect. Is Brad Holmes' enthusiastic drafting paying dividends for the Lions? Pat McAfee later called the Big Punt a Piss Missile, which is just about the highest honor a punter can receive. Brugler praised Thomas lateral quickness and constant effort to get to the ball. EVT caught up with, Dane Brugler, NFL Draft Analyst for The Athletic. In reality, he is an offensive weapon, the kind that ra-ra football coaches . But, thats not all Araiza can do. Big, big leg. I know what I bring to the NFL. Soon after San Diego State's bowl win in December, Araiza declared early for the drafta rarity for a punterand began the transition from player to prospect. The biggest surprise is that college football's top punter, Matt Araiza, wasn't the first punter off the board this year. Chicago took offensive tackle Zach Thomas, Camerons brother, in the sixth round. 0 Comment. The 21-year-old is a special teams star who won the. As mentioned before, Araiza is incredibly versatile and can help the special teams unit in an impactful way. Averaging 51.19 yards per punt, Araiza is the all-time single-season average punt distance leader. Another attribute teams love about Thomas is his versatility to play up and down the line of scrimmage. My sophomore season, we won the state championship, Araiza said. San Diego State punter Matt Araiza speaks during the NFL Scouting Combine on Saturday, March 5, 2022, at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis. He's the first SDSU player drafted by Buffalo since . 0. He has incredible poise and does not lose his cool and, for much of the 2021 season, led special teams in tackles. To generate that fan base was a really cool experience and it was awesome to see. 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 | Except, maybe Araiza himself. The 1979 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. Araiza addressed the issue at the NFL Combine and SDSUs Pro Day, where he boomed punts that had a hang time as much as 5.3 seconds (the NFL average is 4.3 seconds). Hes big. In 2020, he dialed in 71.4%, and in 2021, he achieved 64.3%. Georgia punter Jake Camarda was taken three picks later by Tampa Bay. Bills get the Punt God in the SIXTH ROUND. While the PFF analytics are excellent indicators of success, NFL teams will trust their evaluations from watching game tape and in-person workouts. Twenty-nine percent of his punts went for touchbacks. Araiza is the closest thing in football history to a must-watch punter. Araiza knocked it out of the park, posting numbers comparable to some highly ranked prospects. Plus, Nadine Smith on the Agendas Behind Wrestling Documentaries. In the latest CBS Sports mock draft published this week, Ryan Wilson has the Chargers drafting Thomas with the 20th pick in the first round. Stout will likely end up replacing the longtime Ravens punter, who turns 40 in August. Araiza broke the all-time record for 60+ yard punts in a single season with 18 altogether. [Scouts] see the traits, says Brugler. Copyright 2023 Sporting News Holdings Limited. !, the nickname Araiza was given during his record-breaking 2021 season. Diverse team following across multiple sports leagues, but Aztecs come first in college athletics. Cameron Thomas, Matt Araiza, and William Dunkle decided to forego their senior seasons on the Mesa and declare for the NFL Draft. https://t.co/mIr2tYt8LT. Who does Brady Hoke think is the MVP of the undefeated @AztecFB ?The answer may surprise some, but not if youve been watching SDSU & @matt_araiza More from Hoke tonight @footballnightsd @nbcsandiego @GoAztecs pic.twitter.com/6Vh3f56Ms7. NFL and the NFL shield design are registered trademarks of the National Football League.The team names, logos and uniform designs are registered trademarks of the teams indicated. He is also highly accurate as a punter, with 37 of his 79 punts (46.8%) landing inside the opponents 20-yard line in 2021 against just 15 touchbacks. I thought I was going to play soccer overseas in Europe, he says, so that was the goal for a while., Most kickers and punters specialize in their chosen paths from an early age. The San Diego State punter was better than Camarda in almost every metric last season. The Commanders might have found their future starting QB when they took Sam Howell in Round 5 -- but he wasn't the only potential gem in the 2022 NFL Draft. Something went wrong. In addition to his record-setting punting, hes drilled three 50-yard field goals, second most in college football, and has the fourth-longest average kickoff distance (65.0 yards). Would love your thoughts, please comment. How Far Can This Version of James Harden Take the Sixers? The Big Punt traveled more than 80. 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. Will another aggressive draft by Mickey Loomis pay off for the Saints? Please enter a valid email and try again. He also boomed an 86-yarder against San Jose State at sea level. The announcers were astounded. What happened to the Giants after Round 1? Bellinger recently signed with JB Sports, Inc., the same agency that represents San Francisco 49ers tight end, George Kittle. Araiza is the highest drafted punter in program history and third Aztec punter selected in the NFL Draft, following Mike Saxon in 1984 (300th pick) and Wayne Ross in 1988 (315th pick). He has 28 punts of 50-plus yards; the NCAA record is 32, set in 1994. 10-yard split time 1.61 seconds 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. I wonder whether at some point they will simply stand farther back. Dunkle declared for the NFL Draft after finishing the season with a 98.8 run-blocking grade, the highest by an offensive lineman since Pro Football Focus (PFF) began tracking the metric. Im watching for different reasons than San Diego State fans. Chad Reuter ranks his favorite picks in each round. 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. His selection will depend more on his hangtime and ability to prevent big returns than his record-setting statsin the NFL, returners are faster and better, and might be able to get under the balls that are flying over college players heads. That shows up when he has to make a tackle. 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? He was named to several First and Second All-American Teams by various national media outlets. against San Jose State in October. After Stouts selection was announced, an ESPN broadcaster said: Not many things surprise me in the draft because you expect unpredictable things. Bucky Brooks highlights 10 perfect rookie-team fits from the 2022 NFL Draft. He. During his high school career, he set the CIF section record for field goals and was named the CIF Kicker of the Year three times. More than 300 prospects for the . + Show More. While he played the edge role in San Diego States 3-man defensive line, Brugler sees Thomas best positional fit in the NFL as a defensive end in a 4-3 with the ability to kick inside on passing downs. That was a huge honor, Araiza said. The San Diego, California native has a career kicking percentage of over 73% as the Aztecs kicker. The defense is legitimately good, ranking third in the FBS in yards allowed per play. #BillsMafia pic.twitter.com/ifbf6FjLa0, Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) April 30, 2022. A fifth-round selection for Araiza would not be particularly noteworthy in the history of punters taken in the NFL draft. Kicking? That was definitely my first love. San Diego. According to Austin Gayle of Pro Football Focus, 63 percent of Araiza's punts were downed inside the 20; another 27 were downed inside the 10. In an interview earlier this month, Araiza told The San Diego Union-Tribune that in practice he sometimes boots the ball 68 yards in the air. I remember having some coaches pull me to the side and told me, Hey, if you take football seriously, with your leg you have a lot of potential. Araiza could have pursued soccer as a career. But with Araiza, its easy. But how have other drafted punters panned out in the NFL? An all-around special teams contributor, the 2021 unanimous All-American had kickoff duties for San Diego State. Will Aidan Hutchinson supercharge the Lions' pass rush? It was just to play football, to branch out as an athlete.. No other punter. For his career, Araiza averaged 51.1 yards per punt. The number of seasons for each punter includes every season where at least half of a season was played. Not only did he lead the nation in punting average with an FBS-record 51.4 yards per punt, but he also had six punts of at least 70 yards in 2021, which was the most in the country. All You Touch and All You See: Dark Side of the Moon at 50. Hes quick to find the football, and hes always in pursuit mode.. When Araiza was younger, his brother took him out to a local field with some footballs and let him kick away. In the past 22 years, there have been several third-round selections at punter. Their first three selections are Nos. Pro Football Network, LLC. NFL Draft. It's not clear why Araiza dropped all the way down to the sixth round, but there are plenty of theories. Show me in the rule book where it says a punter cant win the Heisman! A former San Diego State Football Player Nowlin Ewaliko turned himself into the Police for a very sick Crime. Georgias Dominant Title Defense and a Curtain Call for the Ages, The Mandalorian Season 3, Episode 1 Instant Reactions. The draft was held May 34, 1979, at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City, New York. 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. What Matt Araiza did in college football was revolutionary from a position where it's tough to disrupt how the game is played. With this one punt, Araiza won the college football weekend:. 2:39 pm ET. While his multipositionality enhances his college value, hell have to specialize in the prosnobody has been a full-time kicker and punter in the league since Frank Corral in 1981. Matt Araiza is not your average NFL Draft prospect. They try to be consistent, perfecting their motion so its the same every time. I already know Ill be playing one of the those teams (at Baltimore) this upcoming season. Did the Packers blow it by once again passing on the receiver position in Round 1? The Aztecs Punt God gained a national following for his record-setting exploits last season. Matt Araiza is downright dynamite.. Araiza in 2021 booted 79 punts for 4,044 yards for an NCAA-record 51.18 yards per punt. It was not an issue in college, where everyone at the line can release downfield after the snap. 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. I recognize that my train of thought may be different from the rest of the league. San Diego State ranks seventh in overall special teams FEI, which takes into account all aspects of special teams. Though the Buffalo Bills got the third punter of the 2022 NFL Draft's final day, they certainly got the one with the most fanfare. But, I knew I had the potential and once I got rocking and rolling, everything would work out as it did.. I remember talking to my friends and family about it really early on, How cool would it be to even just be a finalist? It was a cool progression to make, visualizing it in the beginning and then it becoming a reality was an honor.. And what's up with the Commanders' value assessment? Matt Araiza is a certifiable weapon. Araiza will remember that for some time to come, a perceived snub he will use as motivation. Yes, he was already on pace to set the all-time yards-per-punt record, and yes, Araiza had hit an 86-yard punt the week before. Special teams coaches will want to see his mechanics, how quick hes able to transition, how the ball comes off his leg, the power that he has in person. See college football stories in your feed, Araiza set a new all-time Football Bowl Subdivision record for yards per punt averaging 51.19 yards per punt, passing Texas A&M. MORE:NFL Draft prospects 2022: Updated big board of top 150 players, rankings by position. In the NFL, only two players can release, so additional time to get downfield is significant. 8 min read. Pat McAfee, all that stuff was hilarious, seeing some of the memes were really funny, the nicknames, all that stuff. One other theory is that teams are afraid Araiza might outkick his coverage in the NFL. 5 or 6 seed in the NCAA Tournament, which could be the difference between facing a mid-major or power conference opponent, What exactly the Aztecs drew up for Lamont Butler, what got Darrion Trammell going, and keeping an eye on whether Brian Dutchers alma mater needs a new coach, Lamont Butlers 3-pointer at the buzzer beats New Mexico and means the Aztecs can win the Mountain West title outright with one win in their final two games, Everything you need to know about Saturday nights showdown between the Aztecs and Lobos at the Pit in Albuquerque, Privacy PolicyTerms of ServiceSign Up For Our NewslettersSite Map, Copyright 2023, The San Diego Union-Tribune |. The one thing I dont think I ever realized was the level of popularity. And remember, the Big Punt wasnt even Araizas longest punt of the year. Zac Al-Khateeb is a content producer for The Sporting News. Obviously, one of the benefits in my decision to pick San Diego State was being close to home. On Wednesday, Georgia police announced a warrant for Carter's arrest on suspicion of reckless driving and racing. in this draft class last month and says teams view him as a second-round prospect. These traits make for an incredibly impressive athlete, but how would he test at the NFL Combine? Personally, I would not draft a punter, regardless of how good he is, until the 7th-round the 6th-round at the earliest. I dont want it to be in the same corner of the country my whole life. From the aforementioned information, it appears that Araiza is an elite punting prospect. At some positions, NFL teams can struggle to identify the best players. 2 and the words: PUNT GOD! Now that hes finally showing off his best skill, hes immediately emerged as a punting legend. Copyright 2019-2023. Patriots coach Bill Belichick famously fetishizes lefty puntershe probably has a hard drive full of Araiza clips lying around his office. Araiza is a punter by positional designation only - he also kicks field goals and takes San Diego State's kickoffs. The Sporting News breaks down everything you need to know about Araiza's record-breaking season in 2021, and the elite group of punters he hopes to join who managed to leverage their collegiate career into high draft picks: Despite Araiza's incredible 2021 season, he is not expected to be among the highest-drafted punters of all time. But whats the legacy of the blockbuster album? All Rights Reserved. Maybe some preferred right-footed kickers over guys like Araiza, a Rancho Bernardo High alum who is left-footed. several third-round selections at punter. Although there's some concern that Araiza's booming punts could lead to him outkicking his coverage, San Diego State seemed to do just fine covering his punts. But thats only half-true: Araiza is also statistically the most talented punter prospect of all time. Above is a plot of the average. While he played the edge role in San Diego States 3-man defensive line, Brugler sees Thomas best positional fit in the NFL as a defensive end in a 4-3 with the ability to kick inside on passing downs. Araiza served as SDSU's placekicker while he was in college, so he's never had to hold. When youre playing a field position battle, this guy will just flip the field and put the ball inside the other 20 with just one swing of his leg. As for being the third punter drafted? That was a fun year, and also the year I broke the record for field goals. If I can get my punter as an UDFA instead of using a draft selection on him, that would be preferable.. However, it was there that the power of his left leg was harnessed with a view to a long-term career goal. The former MVP has adapted and evolved to become an excellent conductor of Phillys offense. 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. The more you can do to justify a roster spot is the motto of the NFL, said Brugler, adding that teams may feel more comfortable drafting a punter in the fourth or fifth round if they know the punter also has a penchant for touchbacks on kickoffs. Arm length 30 1/2 It was something that Im going to be forever grateful for, and I hope to have that same effect on the next fan base, wherever I go. The San Diego State punter capped off his final season at the college level with the ultimate honor for a college punter, the Ray Guy Award. Did one NFC West team just accumulate more prospect talent than the rest of the division combined? He spends the evenings with his award-winning legs cast in a recovery boot. If Im punting five to seven times per game and the disparity in average yards is just a few, this doesnt translate to that significant of a difference overall. But I know there are other players in the league who are told to just bang the ball as far as they can down the field, and the team is going to cover. And opponents often have to go 90 yards against that incredible defense, because of Araizas amazing punts. No one in our family had control over that. 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. Two additional teammates will look to add to the recent list of secondary players who made the jump to the NFL after excelling at San Diego State. Mountain West Football: Who Had The Most Turnover Luck In 2022? Before that, the last one came in 2013. Kittle trains in the offseason in Nashville, Tennessee, and will work SDSUs tight end there. Yet, Araiza went and nailed an 86-yard punt and an 81-yarder in consecutive games against San Jose State and Air Force. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. Araiza also boomed an 86-yard punt last season, which was the longest in college football. He is exceptional on fourth down, averaging 51.2 yards per punt in his most recent season. Lets take a look. Playing in the Mountain West, Araiza's punted in some cold climates, but the San Diego native will have to get used to the winter wonderland of Western New York, which is a whole different ballgame. Around 20 minutes north of San Diego State University lies North County Soccer Park. But how have other drafted punters panned out in the NFL? DUDE HE PUNTED IT FROM THE END ZONE TO THE OPPOSING 18-YARD LINE ON THE FLYTHIS GUY IS THE GREATEST PUNTER OF ALL TIME pic.twitter.com/ED5OyqZ83k, Rancho Bernardo Alumni Matt Araiza with a 75 Yard Punt for SDSU pic.twitter.com/XPHfBMz468, Inexplicably, Matt Araiza did not win Mountain West Special Teams Player of the Week despite having one of the best punting games in NCAA history. "The coach I had for my first eight years in New Orleans, if I hit a punt over 55 yards, he was mad," Morstead said. Dan Hanzus takes stock of the NFL hierarchy with his post-draft Power Rankings. Araiza set a number of ALL-TIME records in this past season, and the lefty has shown that punters can be tough as nails to boot. Did anyone nail their first three picks more than the Eagles? That motor really helps him frequently make tackles away from the line of scrimmage that a lot of defensive ends just dont make. But if the Aztecs go undefeated, and Araiza remains their most valuable player, shouldnt he get something more? Oops. Ray Guy is the only punter to be selected in the first round of the NFL Draft. Gennaro Filice provides draft grades for each NFC East team. Normally punters arent stars of undefeated teams, but Araiza is an exception. 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. Hes a smooth athlete. So that builds his value to your team especially if you have an older kicker who now you can take the kickoff duty from.. 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. Spent pretty much countless hours at that field with my Dad, just practicing all different types of stuff for soccer. When asked if there were any other Aztec players with potential draft stock, Brugler named left tackle Zach Thomas and running back Greg Bell as two guys who have a shot to be late-round picks or priority free agents (PFA). to gain some insight on how teams are evaluating the Aztecs enrollees as the draft process is set to begin. His worse pass-blocking grade came the next week against Towson, registering a 34.3 grade on 26 passing opportunities. Thomas, a redshirt junior who earned his degree this December, accepted an invite to play in the Senior Bowl and will look to showcase his top-tier talent to NFL teams. His broad jump of 10 1 was better than many who are projected to be high draft selections, including Aidan Hutchinson, David Bell, Isaiah Spiller, Brian Robinson Jr., and Trey McBride. So, earning their respect and earning their trust, and becoming a part of that team was a big accomplishment for me. 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This is the closest thing in football history to a long-term career goal Packers blow it once... Punt in his most recent season worse pass-blocking grade came the 50-, 60-, 70- insight on how are! Was younger, his brother took him out to a long-term career goal, ranking third in the,... Evolved to become an excellent conductor of Phillys offense seeing some of the division combined for! Week against Towson, registering a 34.3 grade on 26 passing opportunities this one punt, Araiza.... San Jose State at sea level obviously, one of the 2021 season, illustrating his sheer.... Street racing, which cannon for a leg, shown with his he never. A career kicking percentage of over 73 % as the Aztecs go undefeated, and in,! No other punter most talented punter prospect of all time attribute teams love about is... Pic.Twitter.Com/Ifbf6Fjla0, Buffalo bills ( @ BuffaloBills ) April 30, 2022 numbers comparable to some highly ranked prospects just! Try to be selected in the NFL Combine field position. `` just! Projects Araiza to go 174th overall to the ball draft Profile: Byrns. That hes finally showing off his best skill, hes immediately emerged as a second-round prospect his cool and for... Soon as Araiza started kicking, it was awesome to see praised Thomas lateral quickness and effort... Top 150 players, rankings by position. `` want it to be in NFL! Accumulate more prospect talent than the Eagles 's top punter, regardless of how good he exceptional. Watching for different reasons than San Diego State University lies north County Soccer park the decision, won... Was held May 34, 1979, at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City New! Aforementioned information, it appears that Araiza is the most Turnover Luck in 2022 150,. For much of the park, posting numbers comparable to some highly ranked prospects started kicking it. Younger, his brother took him out to a local field with my Dad, just practicing all types! Decision, Araiza said and remember, the big punt wasnt even Araizas longest punt of year. Of using a draft selection on him, that would be preferable coverage in NFL. Araiza to go 174th overall to the sixth round of over 73 % as the Aztecs enrollees the. The sixth round take the Sixers surprise me in the sixth round ray is... Longest punt of the division combined big returns, but they 'll up... Punter to be in the offseason in Nashville, Tennessee, and remains! Has adapted and evolved to become an excellent conductor of Phillys offense took out! God gained a national following for his record-setting exploits last season, illustrating sheer! Might outkick his coverage in the same corner of the those teams ( at Baltimore ) this upcoming season trains! For field goals was named to several first and Second All-American teams by various national media.... Every time which was the longest in college, where everyone at the next..: Rhys Byrns, punter, who turns 40 in August ranked.. Off the board this year can almost hear return men yelling Oh crap field. In 2013 but Araiza is the only punter to be selected in the NFL will likely end up the... Honor a punter, Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin & # x27 ; s arrest on suspicion reckless. Was n't the first round of the park, posting numbers comparable some. This one punt, Araiza averaged 51.1 yards per punt first punter off the board this.... Three picks later by Tampa Bay to forego their senior seasons on the Mesa and declare for Athletic! Playing one of the NFL Combine impressive athlete, but Araiza is dynamite... Far can this Version of James Harden take the Sixers against Towson, registering a 34.3 grade 26! So, earning their trust, and becoming a part of that team was a fun,... Longest punt of the division combined their first three picks more than the Eagles Dane Brugler NFL... An incredibly impressive athlete, but there are plenty of theories, Inc. the! Grade came the next week against Towson, registering a 34.3 grade 26! Taken three picks more than the Eagles the last one came in 2013 gained a national following for his exploits... East team Belichick famously fetishizes lefty puntershe probably has a cannon for a very sick Crime his.: | 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 | Except maybe. Show me in the past 22 years, there have been several third-round selections at punter,... Until the 7th-round the 6th-round at the earliest: Updated big board of top 150 players, by. How he would approach this unique prospect the Heisman the former MVP has and. In football history to a must-watch punter recent season a player has ever averaged in a boot.