san diego state punter draft
To put that in perspective, there were only six punts of 70 or more yards by every NFL punter combined last season. 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. Can Chris Olave revitalize the Saints' aerial attack? That motor really helps him frequently make tackles away from the line of scrimmage that a lot of defensive ends just dont make. A kicker or punter has never finished in the top 10 of Heisman Trophy voting, but thats just because they fashioned the statue after a guy running instead of a guy punting. 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. But, thats not all Araiza can do. I know what I bring to the NFL. Hes a smooth athlete. 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. Matt Araiza is not your average NFL Draft prospect. But its no secret that he enjoys punting the most. And, I was the only sophomore on the team at that time. Araiza set a school record for made field goals in a season and ranked sixth in the nation in touchback percentage in 2019. The selection of Araiza gave SDSU four players in the 2022 NFL Draft. And what's up with the Commanders' value assessment? In reality, he is an offensive weapon, the kind that ra-ra football coaches . 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. We have a ton of connections and basically a ton of people rooting for me on Saturdays which was really fun.. This seems like a cute questionthe football equivalent of asking someone whether theyd eat the worlds grossest food for a million dollars. There have been first-round punters in the past, most recently in 1979. Draft doings The Chargers will arrive at the combine still armed with their original seven picks one in each round in the upcoming draft. 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 . I would rather draft depth at other positions, such as defensive back and linebacker, where the players can develop while contributing on special teams.. 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. Three juniors, all local San Diego kids, were named to the Associated Press All-American Teams. 2023 USFL College Draft: Three Players From Mountain West Selected, San Diego State Football: Three Questions For Spring Practice. Banners rationale is driven by the notion of replacement value. Bills select San Diego St. punter Matt Araiza in sixth round of 2022 NFL Draft Published: Apr 30, 2022 at 04:09 PM Grant Gordon Digital Content Editor Though the Buffalo Bills got the third. 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. He visited Buffalo years ago on a family vacation and is thrilled to return, even if it means purchasing a heavier jacket. But with Araiza, its easy. 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. Bucky Brooks highlights 10 perfect rookie-team fits from the 2022 NFL Draft. 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. NFL footage NFL Productions LLC. 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. 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. 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. Plus, Nadine Smith on the Agendas Behind Wrestling Documentaries. Vertical jump 32 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). His worse pass-blocking grade came the next week against Towson, registering a 34.3 grade on 26 passing opportunities. Will Deadly January Car Accident Tank Jalen Carters Draft Stock? NFL+ gives you the freedom to watch LIVE out-of-market preseason games, LIVE local and primetime regular season and postseason games on your phone or tablet, the best NFL programming on-demand, and MORE! (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) By . The Punt God is averaging far more yards per punt than Anger did his senior year. 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. Araiza projects as a punter, because thats where hes setting records, and because hes a lefty. Dunkle also earned First Team All-American by Pro Football Network and Second Team All-American by the Associated Press. 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. The social media explosion, and all the fans, the almost cult-like fans sometimes. 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? San Diego State's Matt Araiza is putting punters on the map, and his scouting report reveals why he's a highly rated 2022 NFL Draft prospect. 130) and Georgia's Jake Camarda to the Buccaneers (fourth round, No. 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. When it comes to punters, the bigger surprise is that the Buccaneers took Camarda over Araiza. Waring caught 31 passes for 372 yards and three touchdowns, almost identical to Bellingers final season. Araiza was chosen with the first pick in the sixth round, the 180th pick overall. As for being the third punter drafted? 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. Obviously, one of the benefits in my decision to pick San Diego State was being close to home. They'll give up some big returns, but they'll also have some giant flips of field position.". But Araiza took a while to realize that kicking was his path. Mountain West Football: Who Had The Most Turnover Luck In 2022? Despite all the success on the football field for Rancho Bernardo, Araiza was largely overlooked in the 2018 recruiting cycle. NFL Draft Profile: Rhys Byrns, Punter, Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns - Football Alliance. Matt Araiza is downright dynamite.. (AV) of a punter per season who has been drafted in the last 15 seasons. He believes it is worth taking chances on other positions earlier in the draft rather than a punter. 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. + Show More. Are the Bears failing Justin Fields? Copyright 2019-2023. In the latest. We were all kind of surprised. Araiza in 2021 booted 79 punts for 4,044 yards for an NCAA-record 51.18 yards per punt. Will Aidan Hutchinson supercharge the Lions' pass rush? San Diego State punter Matt Araiza is no ordinary prospect in the 2022 NFL Draft. I already know Ill be playing one of the those teams (at Baltimore) this upcoming season. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for 2022 Bowman Draft Paper Base #BD-73 Jakob Marsee - San Diego Padres at the best online prices at eBay! Ray Guy, the only punter in the Hall of Fame, was drafted No. But at the very least, Araiza has ensured that pro scouts will look at him, which didnt happen for him coming out of high school. H, es going to make stops at all different points of the field, said Brugler. Teams are not drafting you based on what you have done, notes Brugler. How Far Can This Version of James Harden Take the Sixers? He spends the evenings with his award-winning legs cast in a recovery boot. Pat McAfee later called the Big Punt a Piss Missile, which is just about the highest honor a punter can receive. 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. Averaging 51.19 yards per punt, Araiza is the all-time single-season average punt distance leader. Not only has he shown his prowess as a punter, but Coach Maalouf adds he kicked off as well and was good at it. Anger averaged 44.2 yards per punt as a senior at Cal; Araiza is outpacing that mark by almost 10 yards per punt. Time will tell. Using AV from Pro-Football-Reference, this somewhat normalizes the impact of a punter on his team. 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. 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. Free shipping for many products! While a lot of kids growing up dream of playing in the NFL, at that time it wasnt even a consideration for Araiza. Just three years ago, another Aztec tight end with limited production in his collegiate career, Kahale Warring, was drafted by the Houston Texans with the 86th pick (3rd round) in the NFL Draft. 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). He also boomed an 86-yarder against San Jose State at sea level. What I was asked to do was different from a skill set (perspective) than maybe other players have. Hang time was the primary concern for Araiza in the weeks and months leading up to the draft. Before that, the last one came in 2013. Bellinger began training with Jeremy Holt, Owner of AthELITE Performance, yesterday in Music City, USA, along with tight ends Chase Allen (Iowa State) and Jake Ferguson (Wisconsin) in preparation for the NFL Draft. Araiza has a cannon for a leg, shown with his 86-yard punt against San Jose State in October. After the first game, I was kinda starting to visualize that. 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. A fifth-round selection for Araiza would not be particularly noteworthy in the history of punters taken in the NFL draft. Oops. Bell will need to distinguish himself throughout the draft process if he wants to earn a shot at impressing a team and a spot in training camp. Yet, hed only punted in one game prior to this season. But if the Aztecs go undefeated, and Araiza remains their most valuable player, shouldnt he get something more? That was a huge honor, Araiza said. The San Diego, California native has a career kicking percentage of over 73% as the Aztecs kicker. Im excited for the challenge. to gain some insight on how teams are evaluating the Aztecs enrollees as the draft process is set to begin. Since NFL defenses vary their fronts constantly, Thomas versatility to play inside or outside will give him a boost to climb teams draft boards. 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. He is exceptional on fourth down, averaging 51.2 yards per punt in his most recent season. 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. 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. 180 overall pick in the sixth round on Saturday. In 2020, he dialed in 71.4%, and in 2021, he achieved 64.3%. 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. Freshman year of high school. 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 | 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. The former San Diego State punter didn't get selected until the Bills made him the first pick of the sixth round (180th overall). He is exceptional on fourth down, averaging 51.2 yards per punt in his most recent season. 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. Hand size 9 1/2 Middle Tennessee State punter Kyle Ulbrich is . The biggest surprise is that college football's top punter, Matt Araiza, wasn't the first punter off the board this year. 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. You won't want to miss a moment of the 2022 season! 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. 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. In 2021, the Bills only punted a total of 52 times, which was tied for the fifth-lowest total in the NFL. Avid sports fan and historian of basketball, baseball, football and soccer. . More than 300 prospects for the . Georgia police have secured a warrant to arrest highly-touted draft prospect Jalen Carter, according to a report from Seth Emerson. And opponents often have to go 90 yards against that incredible defense, because of Araizas amazing punts. Only two punters have been drafted in the second round: Todd Sauerbrun (Chicago, 1995) and Rohn Stark (Baltimore, 1982). Hes going to make stops at all different points of the field, said Brugler. The Bills' selection at No. Ill kind of get to squash that whole warm-weather kicker thing.. Araiza knocked it out of the park, posting numbers comparable to some highly ranked prospects. Only two punters since 1982 were drafted in the second round of the NFL Draft; Rohn Stark with the 34th pick in 1982 by the Baltimore Colts and Todd Sauerbrun with the 56th pick in 1995 by the Chicago Bears. Arm length 30 1/2 Dan Hanzus takes stock of the NFL hierarchy with his post-draft Power Rankings. 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. 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? Check if your spelling is correct, or try removing filters. To demonstrate the rarified air that the San Diego State punter is kicking in, fellow NFL Draft prospect Jake Camarda has a career-long of 68 yards. One of the most exciting prospects in the 2022 NFL Draft is San Diego State University's Matt Araiza. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. He's hit more 60-yard punts this year than anyone ever. Also, a higher average yards per punt does not always mean better sometimes you want to directionally punt, so this can be misleading. 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. San Diego State punter Matt Araiza is no ordinary prospect in the 2022 NFL Draft. Something went wrong. Georgia punter Jake Camarda was taken three picks later by Tampa Bay. MORE:NFL Draft prospects 2022: Updated big board of top 150 players, rankings by position. San Diego State ranks seventh in overall special teams FEI, which takes into account all aspects of special teams. Few could have seen this meteoric rise to success. When Araiza was younger, his brother took him out to a local field with some footballs and let him kick away. Hed be worthy of going first. 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. The San Diego State punter was better than Camarda in almost every metric last season. Although Araiza saw plenty of action at San Diego State, he might not see the field much in Buffalo. 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. 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 | 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 defense is legitimately good, ranking third in the FBS in yards allowed per play. That was something I never saw coming. 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. Will Malik Willis develop into a high-end QB for the Titans? From the aforementioned information, it appears that Araiza is an elite punting prospect. But, thats not all Araiza can do. He was named to several First and Second All-American Teams by various national media outlets. Two Arrest Warrants Issued for Potential Top Draft Pick Jalen Carter, Rodgers: 'This Is My Life,' Retirement Decision Will Come 'Soon Enough', Telesco: Keenan Allen Isn't Going Anywhere, Jets GM: 'Lot of Things to Like' About Carr, Bengals: Higgins Trade Rumors 'Ridiculous', Bears GM: Fields Is Our Starting QB in 2023, Joe Thomas: Why It's Time to Put Cameras In Player Interview Rooms, Scouts' Predictions: Small-School Players Who Will Become Household Names, Marc Trestman: Stroud Future Franchise QB, Chris Johnson: Predicting Indy's Fastest 5, Head of Pro Scouting, NFL Player Personnel Executive, One of the most exciting prospects in the 2022 NFL Draft is San Diego State Universitys Matt Araiza. 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. San Diego State punter Matt Araiza speaks during the NFL Scouting Combine on Saturday, March 5, 2022, at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis. 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. Araiza, a. With the 2022 NFL Draft in the books, Adam Schein breaks down what he loved and loathed from the league's Vegas venture. Whats legacy, anyway? John Stark from Florida State made it into the second round, way back in 1982. Quarterbacks can put up gaudy stats because of their offensive scheme; wide receivers who dominate in college can look lost in the pros. 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. 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. ET. All these coaches have an opinion of their own and like to make their own decisions, Araiza said. The Raiders drafted him with the 23rd pick in 1973. Is Araiza the Punter That Was Promised? Araiza should win the Ray Guy Award, which goes to the nations best punter. 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. !, the nickname Araiza was given during his record-breaking 2021 season. He spent time at Qualcomm Stadium watching the San Diego Chargers, enjoying the passionate environment in person but still holding soccer in his heart. 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. Araizas performances have been record-setting. Cameron Thomas, Matt Araiza, and William Dunkle decided to forego their senior seasons on the Mesa and declare for the NFL Draft. The announcers were astounded. Dunkle also earned First Team All-American by Pro Football Network and Second Team All-American by the Associated Press. If a team is uncomfortable with your holding skills, that could absolutely lead you to dropping in the draft. Personally, I would not draft a punter, regardless of how good he is, until the 7th-round the 6th-round at the earliest. 133). Reacting to the pick, NFL Network broadcaster Rich Eisen said: Let me tell you something, Buffalo Bills fans, you should be very, very happy. Their first three selections are Nos. But, Araiza isnt an ordinary punter. The 21-year-old is a special teams star who won the 2021 Ray Guy Award, given to the best punter in college football. By Ted McGovern Now that hes finally showing off his best skill, hes immediately emerged as a punting legend. 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? Raiders drafted him with the 23rd pick in 1973 benefits in my decision pick!, football and soccer caught 31 passes for 372 yards and three touchdowns, almost identical to Bellingers season. Before that, the 180th pick overall personally, I would not Draft punter... Its no secret that he enjoys punting the most Turnover Luck in 2022 your... Food for a leg, shown with his award-winning legs cast in a recovery boot kickoff duties San! And because hes a lefty averaging far more yards per punt than Anger did his year! Was better than Camarda in almost every metric last season elite punting prospect that motor helps! Want to miss a moment of the 2022 NFL Draft down, averaging 51.2 yards per than... At Cal ; Araiza is an elite punting prospect NFL, at that time it wasnt even a consideration Araiza! According to a local field with some footballs and let him kick.... 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