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. From the aforementioned information, it appears that Araiza is an elite punting prospect. Special teamers are usually able to be secured as an undrafted free agent or in Round 7, but an elite punting prospect like Araiza who can flip field position at an incredible rate is worth that investment. C.J. He also has the FBS record for 60+ yard punts. The likes of Mitch Wishnowsky and Max Duffy from recent draft classes utilized this style of punting before entering the NFL. Punt God. The temptation to declare it the greatest punting class of all time is understandable. At the very least, remember the name Matt Araiza and the punt god designation following him. While college kickers take their share of criticism, the level of scrutiny and the ability to quickly lose your job in the NFL requires an exceptional level of equilibrium. Did I mention that Araiza has a powerful leg? Twenty-nine percent of his punts went for touchbacks. San Diego State. 5th Year Option Projections; Free Agency. Araiza has a cannon for a leg, shown with his. He quantified the athletic ability displayed on punt return coverage with an excellent showing at the NFL Combine. Both are a long shot to be drafted at the end of the month. You cant even tell that traveling more than 60 yards through the air is a difficult task for a punter by how easy Araiza makes it look. the 341 lb Davis ran the 40-yard dash in 4.78 seconds. 2022 NFL Draft Predictions: Matt Araiza leads class of at least three punters picked, The punter prospects projected to be drafted in this 2022 NFL Draft prediction, Ryan Stonehouse and Cameron Dicker round out punter predictions for the 2022 NFL Draft. Araiza was selected by the Bills in the sixth round (180th overall) of the 2022 NFL Draft. 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. But how have other drafted punters panned out in the NFL? Stroud Shares Praise for Justin Fields, Fields former OSU teammate and top draft prospect spoke highly of the Bears QB at a Combine media session, Trevis Gipson to particpate in NFL Career Tours. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. It is officially mock draft season! One of the most exciting prospects in the 2022 NFL Draft is San Diego State Universitys Matt Araiza. Yes, thats right Araiza truly flipped the field for the Aztecs, changing the line-of-scrimmage from their own 11-yard-line to the 3-yard-line of the Spartans. 154) - 1 - Cincinnati Bengals (No. Increasing his punt average with every year, Stout earned an invite to the Senior Bowl, where he impressed in sometimes torrid conditions. The previous year, he punted five times for 249 yards, averaging 49.8 yards per punt. Before we get into the sexier traits of punter scouting if such a thing exists I want to get into San Diego States punt formation being a benefit for Araiza. 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. The biggest thing to note from the preseason is Epenesa. Although he didnt participate in any all-star games, Araizas ascension has continued through the pre-draft process. Before the 2022 NFL Draft, NFL Draft analyst Lance Zierlein projected Araiza to go in the third round. The Buffalo Bills released rookie punter Matt Araiza on Saturday night. Although drafting a punter often indicates this player will be the unquestioned starter, the position simply is not at a premium where the best at the position and an average player are not too far apart from one another. Of course, there were more rounds and selections back then. When it comes to punters, the bigger surprise is that the Buccaneers took Camarda over Araiza. Araiza served as SDSU's placekicker while he was in college, so he's never had to hold. Shakir, a fifth-round rookie in 2022, got off to a slow start in his career. Araiza, one of the Buffalo Bills' sixth round picks in the 2022 NFL Draft, boomed a . Fewer punters have been more consistent than the Georgia prospect. * 21+ (19+ CA-ONT) (18+ NH/WY). Hes not just the last line of defense, either. We've been studying the players for 11 months. go off the board in the second round. But there are questions about Davis viability at the NFL level. Vinnie Iyer of The Sporting News, for example, projects Araiza to go 174th overall to the defending AFC champion Bengals. The rest of the league has moved to embrace the off-script creators, players who can go and get a bucket all by themselves with their arms or legs when the offensive structure breaks down. The TCU Horned Frogs and the Georgia Bulldogs will tie a bow on the After a pair of epic College Football Playoff Semifinals on New Years Eve, the Arnold Classic 2023 Live Online: How To watch From Anywhere, Where To Watch Tim Hortons Brier 2023 Live Online, Curling Update: How To watch Tim Hortons Brier 2023 Live Here, Rough N Rowdy 20: Preview, Fight Card, Venue and Live Online, Ian Garry vs Song Kenan Prediction, UFC 285 Card, Betting Odds and Picks, Where To Watch Jake Paul vs Tommy Fury Live Free Online, South American U-20 Championship 2023 Live Online For Final day, 2023 Scotties Tournament of Hearts Final Day Live TV Channel, Super Bowl Coin Toss Results History, Betting Odds and Props 2023, Best Super Bowl Halftime Show Prop Bets and Picks. Araizas leg power is also demonstrated as a field goal and kickoff specialist. That ability to flip the field to pin opponents deep in their own half, no matter where his own offense stalls out serves as a cheat code. Hawaii had two returners lined up with one much farther back than the traditional return distance and the punt still went over both of their heads. He also has the ability to make tackles, with speed and athleticism. The Ray Guy Award bears his name. There have been multiple third-round selections, while FSU punter John Stark was a second-round choice in 1982. Araiza must ensure that his strides and ball striking remain consistent from kick to kick. SUBSCRIBEto the Vendetta YouTube Channel! Before you scoff at this notion and dismiss it based on the allegation that Reeder is a "terrible" NFL player who wasn't even drafted, let's look at how the 2 players measure up. Punters can be prolific athletes, too! 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. This versatility only adds to his value heading into the NFL Draft since he can be the kickoff specialist as well as fill in as an emergency kicker should the starter suffer an injury during a game. Punters are NFL Draft prospects, too always have been, always will be. These arent just courtesy of a lucky bounce either these punts are traveling through the air. A two-star prospect, Araiza was the 20th-ranked kicker in the 2018 class. Pro Football Network, LLC. According to NYup.com, Moulds shared a video of Shakir working out with him. AZ, CO, CT, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, (select parishes), MD, MI, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OR, PA, TN, VA, WV, WY, CA-ONT only.Eligibility restrictions apply. Odds & lines subject to change. Inconsistent accuracy on his field goals. Matt Araiza NFL Draft projections. Additionally, Ray Guy was a first-round pick in 1973, with the award for punting success named after him. Think thats an exaggeration? The biggest surprise is that college football's top punter, Matt Araiza, wasn't the first punter off the board this year. Apr 22, 2022. Nicknamed "Punt God," the San Diego state product is well known for averaging 80 yards of bounce and an NCAA-record 51.19 yards per punt in 2021. . So that builds his value to your team especially if you have an older kicker who now you can take the kickoff duty from.. The only other times it happened came in 1993 and 2007. The coach offered Faalele a scholarship on the spot. While Ive just talked you through a brief history lesson of punting in the NFL Draft, the San Diego State product is coming off a historic season of college football punting. Can he shuffle his size-18 feet quickly enough to keep up with Von Miller off the edge? Certainly, the conversation around Araiza as a potential Day 2 prospect fuels that narrative. Matt Araiza draft projection. This is what enablers do.. All 2022 NFL Draft Projections are taken from the latest Sporting News NFL Mock Draft by Vinnie Iyer. Chase Daniel: Young's Height Is Non-Issue, Stroud: I Don't Want to Be Drafted By Bears, Smith-Njigba: Packers Looking at Receivers, Dave Wannstedt: Mike McCarthy's 'Run the Damn Ball' Comment Ill-Advised, Samari Rolle: Forbes Worthy of Comp to Me, Friday's DB Workout Displayed Clear No. Brugler's take: The Ray Guy Award winner last season, Araiza has a booming leg and showed it off as a punter and kicker (field goals, extra points, kickoffs . My names David Ojabo. One theory on why he fell is because he's never held for extra point or field goals. Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. All Rights Reserved. The [] After hitting an 86-yard punt against Hawaii, Araiza has become something of a social media starlet, earning the nickname Punt God.. Jump around this article Click to show Punters are NFL Draft prospects, too always have been, always will be. One other theory is that teams are afraid Araiza might outkick his coverage in the NFL. As a San Diego native, there was naturally just one choice. MORE:NFL Draft prospects 2022: Updated big board of top 150 players, rankings by position. These traits make for an incredibly impressive athlete, but how would he test at the NFL Combine? It's not often the best player on a team is the punter, but that was the case for the Aztecs last season. Do you mind if I try playing football?. P Matt Araiza earned $216,148 in his NFL career. Ill make a bold statement and say that, if the Bears trade down and acquire a pick in Round 4, I wouldnt be furious if they took Araiza with that selection. San Diego State P Matt Araiza. Versatility is next to ability or something of that nature. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. Bills rookie punter Matt Araiza, who has quickly risen to fame with a strong leg and a catchy nickname, faces a very serious off-field issue before his first NFL game.According to the Los Angeles . Current. Use our promo code VENDETTA or use the link below to get a 100% instant matchon any deposit. He was an unanimous All-American and the Ray Guy Award winner in 2021, making FBS history as the single-season leader with 51.19 yards . Nicknamed "Punt God," the San Diego State product became well known for booming punts 80 yards and averaging an NCAA-record 51.19 yards . For whatever reason, punters have been a popular position to pick in this year's draft. That demonstrates a level of composure that will be invaluable at the next level. To put that in perspective, there were only six punts of 70 or more yards by every NFL punter combined last season. NFL Draft: Meet Matt Araiza, Punt God His booming kicks made fourth-and-long must-watch TV at San Diego State. In 2021, the Bills only punted a total of 52 times, which was tied for the fifth-lowest total in the NFL. The LA Chargers have 11 picks in the 2022 NFL Draft and there is a chance that the team could draft San Diego State punter Matt Araiza. What Would a Zero-RB Fantasy Football Draft Look Like in 2022? Being a left-footed punter, teams will have to adjust their formations to help fit his needs. He has a repeatable and pro-ready approach with consistently polished footwork. Matt Araiza came into the 2022 NFL Draft as a fan favorite. Stout was one of the top punters in this year's class and it wasn't a total shocker to see him become the first punter taken. Araiza denied the allegations in a statement released by his agent on Friday, but has not spoken publicly himself. He also set school records in the 110-meter and 300-meter hurdles during his high school career. He was also one of four players in the nation who handled all three kicking duties (punts, PATs/field goals and kickoffs), Araiza was 18-of-28 . The 21-year-old is a special teams star who won the. T Formation Conversation: Live from the NFL Combine. Punting out of the end zone can be tough for some punters, as there isnt much margin for error if pressure gets into the backfield, and there is more of a condensed space to operation out of. Consistency, then Penn State punter Jordan Stout should be called Mr. Kenny Pickett College Football Highlights 2021, Aaron Rodgers is Using Leverage to Help Davante Adams, DEBUT Tom Brady, Joe Burrow and Josh Allen! 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. Updated. Field Pos. It is officially mock draft season! As a FG kicker, his completion percentage has declined with every college season. Stout was slightly ahead of him at 44.5 while Camarda was well below both guys at 41.6. He has the power to flip the field with one kick. While his NFL.com draft profile suggests Araiza could use some work on his directional or pooch punting, he is a field-flipper, as evidenced by his 18 punts of 60 yards or longer in 2021. Araiza knocked it out of the park, posting numbers comparable to some highly ranked prospects. Meanwhile, Araiza saw some sophomore struggles, completing only 71% of his field goals and missing an extra point for the first time in his career. Araiza has made three 50-yard field goals so far this season, the second most in NCAA football. Brewer. The San Diego, California native has a career kicking percentage of over 73% as the Aztecs kicker. Araiza is averaging 54.0 yards per punt, which would crush the NCAA and NFL records51.0 in college (set in 2018 by Braden Mann) / 51.4 in the NFL (set in 1940 by Slingin' Sammy Baugh). They'll give up some big returns, but they'll also have some giant flips of field position.". Araiza sits neatly at the intersection of crusty old Football Guys and the new wave of analytically . The only question now is whether the franchise that selects him is stocked up on enough XXXXXXXXL gear. Additionally, Ray Guy was a first-round pick in 1973, with the award for punting success named after him. It also helps that Araiza is a quality kickoff specialist, as he has finished in the top-5 in the FBS in average distance on kickoffs in 2020, and his touchback percentage of 84.9 percent was the fourth-most in the nation in 2021. Gambling problem? . 6-keys: media/spln/nfl/reg/free/stories, at Thats what teams are still trying to figure out. But why wasnt he on the field for Georgia on third down? a general manager told NBCs Peter King at the combine. Before the 2022 NFL Draft, NFL Draft analyst Lance Zierlein projected Araiza to go in the third round. Both Stout and Camarda carry draftable grades from NFL scouts. By. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. 901 In the first of these predictions pieces, Matt Araiza leads a cast of at least three punters selected in the 2022 NFL Draft. Not too shabby. Colorado States Ryan Stonehouse featured just behind Araiza this year, with an average of 50.9 yards per punt. From there, lift off. Now, he is one of the rarest prospects in football: a punter with buzz. More than just power, Araiza has a punting style that causes the ball to roll forward if it is not caught. Former Saints punter Thomas Morstead recently explained to the Athletic why that's a concern. Matt Araiza was selected in the sixth-round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Araiza also boomed an 86-yard punt last season, which was the longest in college football. He played fewer than half of Georgias defensive snaps in 2021 and played only 18% of third-down snaps. Lets start with the obvious. 2004-2023 CBS Interactive. Predicting Four 2023 Middle Linebacker Free Agent Destinations The 2023 NFL offseason should be stacked, Von Miller Eyeing GM Career Post Retirement NFL legend and current Buffalo Bills Edge rusher, Former OSU quarterback C.J. The. Despite those struggles. Araiza was widely viewed as the top punting prospect after a 2021 college season that ended with him winning the Ray Guy award. Matt Araiza boots 90-yard punt (!! He was an unanimous All-American and the Ray Guy Award winner in 2021, making FBS history as the single-season leader with 51.19 yards per punt. Starting with the Punt God himself, lets examine the punter prospects that make up this unlikeliest of NFL Draft predictions. MattAraiza. That's no fault to the other guys on the offensive or defensive side of the . Its time to look at five of the upcoming classs most intriguing (rather than the best) prospects. That was surprising.. 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. NFL Draft Provile. "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. His ceiling could be much higher. The redshirt freshman hit 85% of his field goals, nailed every extra point attempt, and smashed 78% of his kickoffs through the back of the end zone. Theres simply no escaping it. Meanwhile, he averaged 41.7 yards on 120 punts that tallied over 5,000 yards. Hutchinson was an effort player; Ojabo the beat-them-out-of-their-cleats, vintage, get-off-and-go rusher. The punt went for a touchback, but when you still factor the flipping from San Diego States 21-yard line to Hawaiis 20-yard line, thats still a 59-yard flip with the touchback. The injury has continued to plague his career, forcing further surgeries in 2020 and 2021. During his first two seasons with the Aztecs, he hit long field goals of 48 yards (Wyoming 19, Colorado 20). There have only been two draft classes since the turn of the century where a punter hasnt been selected in the NFL Draft. In 1976 and 1978, a whopping eight punters were drafted. Yet, in San Diego State punter Matt Araiza, the 2022 NFL Draft class might possess the most high-profile and highly skilled . Currently, Matt Araiza is projected to go around the 5th or 6th round, but that could easily change as we get closer . It's not clear why Araiza dropped all the way down to the sixth round, but there are plenty of theories. Above is a plot of the average. Araiza knocked it out of the park, posting numbers comparable to some highly ranked prospects. Weve been studying the players for 11 months. 17 for the first round of the draft. Team Contract Type Status Year Signed Yrs Total APY Guarantees Zac Al-Khateeb is a content producer for The Sporting News. Some national NFL Draft analysts with NFL information have openly stated that he might be selected on Day 2. Matt Araiza had two punts of more than 80 yards last season, including an 86-yarder that was the longest punt in college football. In 2020, he made 71.4%, and in 2021, hes down to 64.3%. the collingsworth family net worth, kahalagahan sa kasalukuyang panahon ng china,