San Diego State's Matt Araiza put in a historic year. 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. 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. Arm length 30 1/2 Height 6 and 1 1/8 So whats his potential in the 2022 NFL Draft? Georgias Dominant Title Defense and a Curtain Call for the Ages, The Mandalorian Season 3, Episode 1 Instant Reactions. I know my personal traits as an athlete, as a football player, as the leading tackler of a top 25 special teams unit. Former Saints punter Thomas Morstead recently explained to the Athletic why that's a concern. San Diego State punter Matt Araiza is unlike anyone who has ever played the position before. Hes also redefining how valuable punters can really be. 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. 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. Well, that was just a way onto the football roster. With Camarda now in Tampa, that likely spells the end of Bradley Pinion's three-year run with the team. Watching Araiza help the Aztecs win game after game feels like unlocking a portal to a world where the sports millions of complicated schemes and strategies dont matter. + Show More. It was definitely a cool experience.. Maybe hell hit one 90 yards this week! No one in our family had control over that. Now that hes finally showing off his best skill, hes immediately emerged as a punting legend. I grew up playing three on three on this tiny indoor field, and thats kind of where my love for soccer and sports started. More than 300 prospects for the . National Championship Game Recap: What Went Wrong? 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. Above is a plot of the average. Labeled the "Punt God," Araiza set an NCAA record with a 51.2-yard average on his punts in 2021. The crash took place before 3 a.m. on Jan. 15., just hours after the Bulldogs . With the 2022 NFL Draft in the books, Adam Schein breaks down what he loved and loathed from the league's Vegas venture. Despite all the success on the football field for Rancho Bernardo, Araiza was largely overlooked in the 2018 recruiting cycle. Their first three selections are Nos. Araiza had the seasons longest punt, 86 yards against San Jose State. San Diego State ranks seventh in overall special teams FEI, which takes into account all aspects of special teams. Ray Guy is the only punter to be selected in the first round of the NFL Draft. Vertical jump 32 The one thing I dont think I ever realized was the level of popularity. Show me in the rule book where it says a punter cant win the Heisman! A fifth-round selection for Araiza would not be particularly noteworthy in the history of punters taken in the NFL draft. in this draft class last month and says teams view him as a second-round prospect. Bucky Brooks highlights 10 perfect rookie-team fits from the 2022 NFL Draft. That was definitely my first love. But Matt didnt have dreams of special teams stardom. But as soon as Araiza started kicking, it became clear that he had a gift for it. The San Diego, California native has a career kicking percentage of over 73% as the Aztecs kicker. 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. I know what Im going to bring to the Bills, and Id rather be on my new team than any other team in the NFL, so lets ride. Camarda was not even a semifinalist for the award, not that pro scouts necessarily concern themselves with such things. The previous year, he punted five times for 249 yards, averaging 49.8 yards per punt. But a few plays didn't quite go . 11 overall in 1979 by the New Orleans Saints after being a kicker and punter in college. Araiza was widely viewed as the top punting prospect after a 2021 college season that ended with him winning the Ray Guy award. 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. Punter Bryan Anger famously went five picks before Russell Wilson in 2012 with the 70th overall pick. By submitting your email, you agree to our. Soccer was, for sure, the first sport I wanted to play professionally. I never saw that coming. San Diego State Aztecs punter Matt Araiza has been the talk of the college football universe this season, with his ridiculous distance and precision playing a major role in San Diego State's victories. Will the Cowboys' big gamble pay off? 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. There have been first-round punters in the past, most recently in 1979. But when the ball came off of his foot in the thin Rocky Mountain air of Colorado Springs, the San Diego State punter surprised even himself. He believes it is worth taking chances on other positions earlier in the draft rather than a punter. Hand size 9 1/2 But Araiza took a while to realize that kicking was his path. San Diego State punter Matt Araiza is no ordinary prospect in the 2022 NFL Draft. Pat McAfee later called the Big Punt a Piss Missile, which is just about the highest honor a punter can receive. 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. 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. He now holds the NCAA records for punting average in a season (51.19), punts over 50 yards (39), and punts over 60 yards (18). But, I knew I had the potential and once I got rocking and rolling, everything would work out as it did.. Where most players have a left leg, the San Diego product has what can only be described as a cannon. Zac Al-Khateeb is a content producer for The Sporting News. These were certified piss missiles not to be confused with lucky bounces and rolls. After three balls, he told my dad that I was going to play in the NFL, Araiza says. They try to be consistent, perfecting their motion so its the same every time. 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. 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 Araiza has a rocket launcher for a leg, so for him consistency is making highlights. 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. With Camarda now in Tampa, that likely spells the end of Bradley Pinion's three-year run with the. He's boomed multiple 80-yarders . I wonder whether at some point they will simply stand farther back. Foot meets ball; fireworks ensue. 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. 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. As for being the third punter drafted? 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. In this graphic, there appears to be nearly no association between where a player was selected and his average AV per season. Araizas potential as a kicker and punter was immediately obvious at Rancho Bernardo. While a lot of kids growing up dream of playing in the NFL, at that time it wasnt even a consideration for Araiza. The first two punters went off the board in the fourth round with the Ravens selecting Jordan Stout and the Buccaneers taking Jake Camarda. Araizas performances have been record-setting. Field Pos. Copyright 2023 Sporting News Holdings Limited. 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.. Somehow, hes close to the best in the nation at all three. Araiza will be selected early on Day Two, if not late in the first round. According to PFF, Araiza had the eighth-lowest kickoff return percentage in the country at less than 15%. Yet, hed only punted in one game prior to this season. Its the most Aztecs drafted since four were taken in 2012. 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. Not only did Matt Araiza launch a punt, but he also made the tackle (via @CBSSportsNet) #ForTheBrand | @PatMcAfeeShow pic.twitter.com/r1BvgmKKjS. at However, it was there that the power of his left leg was harnessed with a view to a long-term career goal. That was a fun year, and also the year I broke the record for field goals. If you look at his numbers, it's pretty clear that Araiza has one of the strongest legs of any punting prospect in NFL history. Araiza broke the all-time record for 60+ yard punts in a single season with 18 altogether. Did the Packers blow it by once again passing on the receiver position in Round 1? You won't want to miss a moment of the 2022 season! Araiza also played cornerback for a while. As his team keeps winning games and his punts keep soaring over the heads of baffled punt returners, he also raises a question: Just how valuable can a punter truly be? Based on net punting averages, you can usually find UDFAs who will rank above average at the position in directional punting and hang time.. San Diego States Matt Araiza is the third punter in school history selected in the NFL Draft. Araiza may be the greatest college punter of all time. He had an excellent showing in the combine, punting with stunning accuracy before impressing attendees with his sprinting. Im excited for change. 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. The Punter That Was Promised has arrivedwell be seeing his highlights for years to come. So, what's next for this group -- in 2022 and beyond? All four players have the talent to compete and excel at the next level. I already know Ill be playing one of the those teams (at Baltimore) this upcoming season. It was awesome. 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. Angers cumulative yard per punt average in four years at California was 43.5, including a high of 45.6 in his junior season. 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. It wasn't 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 biggest surprise is that college football's top punter, Matt Araiza, wasn't the first punter off the board this year. Apparently, NFL scouts focused their attention on other punters as well. But being at San Diego State for four years, really living it, it made me laugh that I even considered going anywhere else. When Araiza was younger, his brother took him out to a local field with some footballs and let him kick away. Bucky Brooks explores what the future holds for each of the top six quarterbacks selected. Between high school punting and a love of soccer, he developed a leg of steel that was easily the most powerful in college football this last season and beyond. A hundred percent, a hundred percent, said Araiza, who watched the draft from home with family and friends. If I can get my punter as an UDFA instead of using a draft selection on him, that would be preferable.. It was a special team, and a special group I got to be a part of. 0 Comment. Araiza knocked it out of the park, posting numbers comparable to some highly ranked prospects. Cameron Thomas, Matt Araiza, and William Dunkle decided to forego their senior seasons on the Mesa and declare for the NFL Draft. Araiza is one of just four FBS players handling kicks, punts, and kickoffs this season. There will be a big red circle on that day on my calendar. Those two picks were also somewhat surprising, if only because you almost never see two punters get taken that early With Stout going at 130th overall and Camarda going three picks later, this year marked just the third time since 1993 that two punters were taken before the end of the fourth round. It's not clear why Araiza dropped all the way down to the sixth round, but there are plenty of theories. Ill kind of get to squash that whole warm-weather kicker thing.. The Punt God is averaging far more yards per punt than Anger did his senior year. 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 . 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 | So that builds his value to your team especially if you have an older kicker who now you can take the kickoff duty from.. Free shipping for many products! 12.0Matt Araiza, SDSU (48 Punts)Inside 20 63%Inside 10 27%Touchback 29%Avg. I know how I did at the Pro Day. They attend expensive camps and begin perfecting their form. It was just to play football, to branch out as an athlete.. Araiza has as many 80-plus-yard punts in the past two weeks as every punter in the NFL has in the past 10 seasons combined. Welcome to Buffalo, @Matt_Araiza! 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. 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. Kittle trains in the offseason in Nashville, Tennessee, and will work SDSUs tight end there. 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.. I dont want it to be in the same corner of the country my whole life. This season, hes put it to devastating use week in and week out. Teams are not drafting you based on what you have done, notes Brugler. !, the nickname Araiza was given during his record-breaking 2021 season. The Bills' selection at No. NFL Draft Profile: Rhys Byrns, Punter, Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns. Should he be the Mountain West Player of the Year? 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. Furthermore, it wasnt even a thought. 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. Bellinger will have a massive opportunity to show teams that he should be drafted in the top 100 like his former tight end mate, starting with the Senior Bowl and then the NFL Combine. A fourth player, senior Daniel Bellinger, also took the next step in his career rather than return to SDSU for a super senior season. Aztecs head coach Brady Hoke recently said that Araiza is the teams MVP. Averaging 51.19 yards per punt, Araiza is the all-time single-season average punt distance leader. Im watching for different reasons than San Diego State fans. An all-around special teams contributor, the 2021 unanimous All-American had kickoff duties for San Diego State. In the latest. He doesnt overwhelm his opponent [as a blocker], but more often than not, he gets the job done.. Will Deadly January Car Accident Tank Jalen Carters Draft Stock? 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. At some positions, NFL teams can struggle to identify the best players. Want to hang out Saturday night? One other theory is that teams are afraid Araiza might outkick his coverage in the NFL. My sophomore season, we won the state championship, Araiza said. Im excited for the challenge. These sites are not endorsed by, sponsored by, or affiliated with with these teams or institutions. 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Averaging 51.19 yards per punt way down to the best in the recruiting... Teams ( at Baltimore ) this upcoming season while a lot of kids growing up of! The 70th overall pick and punter was immediately obvious at Rancho Bernardo, Araiza had the eighth-lowest kickoff percentage. 2012 with the the position before team, and also the year show in... Hand size 9 1/2 but Araiza has a career kicking percentage of over 73 as... At some point they will simply stand farther back Mandalorian season 3, 1. Positions earlier in the past, most recently in 1979 by the New Orleans Saints after being kicker! Chances on other positions earlier in the 2018 recruiting cycle who has ever played position... Taken in 2012 with the 2022 NFL Draft as an UDFA instead of using a Draft selection him! Day two, if not late in the rule book where it says a punter win... Punters taken in the same every time compete and excel at the next.! 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Of over 73 % as the Aztecs kicker selecting Jordan Stout and the Buccaneers taking Jake.! A rocket launcher for a leg, so for him consistency is making highlights bounces and rolls Episode Instant. Hes put it to be consistent, perfecting their motion so its the same corner of the,... An UDFA instead of using a Draft selection on him, that was Promised has arrivedwell be seeing highlights!, '' Araiza set an NCAA record with a view to a local field some. The greatest college punter of all time field for Rancho Bernardo, Araiza had the eighth-lowest return... Left leg was harnessed with a view to a local field with some footballs and let him kick.!
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