But, thats not all Araiza can do. Araiza sits neatly at the intersection of crusty old Football Guys and the new wave of analytically inclined general managers. He reportedly said, "Bills Mafia, there is no off-season.". The Buffalo Bills had no choice but to cut their youngpunter after so badly botching their response to our claim, Gilleon said in a statement, per the AP. That's no fault to the other guys on the offensive or defensive side of the . August 28, 2022 2:44pm. But I can tell you, we just tried to do what was right, Beane said. Additionally, Ray Guy was a first-round pick in 1973, with the award for punting success named after him. Possesses a monster leg, gets tremendous hang time on punts, and allows coverage teams to get downfield and make the play. 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. , our 15th-highest-ranked prospect. For reference, the NFL single-season record for average punt is 51.4 yards. 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 | They both feature within draftable range on my recently released 2022 NFL Draft Top 300 Big Board. 16.0. Punter Bryan Anger famously went five picks before Russell Wilson in 2012 with the 70th overall pick. 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. 1. player. His performances earned him an invitation to the Senior Bowl, where Jim Nagy had this to say about the 2022 NFL Draft prospect: Had calls with some of [the] top kicking gurus and overwhelming opinion is Georgias Jake Camarda is among best punting prospects to come out in past 5-10 years. The left-footer with the big leg has been widely projected by draft analysts as the top . Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. 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. . Multiple punters selected in the draft are also not as rare as youd think. The 2022 NFL Draft is quickly approaching, with the first round kicking off on Thursday, April 28th. Matt Araiza, Daniel Bellinger and Cameron Thomas, though, have gotten the most buzz . Although Araiza saw plenty of action at San Diego State, he might not see the field much in Buffalo. The Bills, though, were aware that Araiza was the subject of a police investigation when they releasedMatt Haack his competition for the starting punter job on Monday. Such a talented punter can serve as a valuable asset for a defense, as burying the opposing offense deep into their own territory makes their lives a lot easier. He is exceptional on fourth down, averaging 51.2 yards per punt in his most recent season. Of course, draft analysis, projections and rumors will be dominating the headlines until then. Araizas leg power is also demonstrated as a field goal and kickoff specialist. What Would a Zero-RB Fantasy Football Draft Look Like in 2022? Of course, there were more rounds and selections back then. After the horrendous playoff performance, the Packers . Before the 2022 NFL Draft, NFL Draft analyst Lance Zierlein projected Araiza to go in the third round. His 32 vertical jump was the same as Chris Olave, our 15th-highest-ranked prospect. ), wins college football weekend, deserves the Heisman . Furthermore, its reported that Araiza routinely makes kicks from 50+ in practice. Before the 2022 NFL Draft, NFL Draft analyst Lance Zierlein projected Araiza to go in the third round. Kicking It With Matt Araiza: Former SDSU Kicker On His Punting Past, Present and NFL Future After declaring for the NFL Draft, former San Diego State kicker and Rancho Bernardo High School alum . against San Jose State in October. Look how Hawaii prepped for Matt Araiza. No wonder the "punt god" is generating NFL draft buzz. This is the most yards per punt a player has ever averaged in a single NCAA season, illustrating his sheer dominance. That said, it appears unlikely that Araiza will be a realistic target for them unless he somehow falls to Round 5. You dont get the award that celebrates collegiate punting excellence without being exceptional. Araiza is currently averaging 52.2 yards per punt. Of course, Davis didnt need to play third downs at Georgia because the damage was already done on the first two downs. 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. He has the power to flip the field with one kick. Other Aztecs are also headed for the NFL Draft as well. 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. An immobile quarterback with a sketchy knee will be a no-no for most teams, and depending on how concerned teams are about the injury he could slip all the way to day three of the draft. Following a flourish of free agency action, theres a clearer picture of NFL team needs. Incredible run. That is the nickname San Diego State's Matt Araiza has received from his incredible collegiate career. 147, a high fifth-round pick. (AV) of a punter per season who has been drafted in the last 15 seasons. 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. Zac Al-Khateeb is a content producer for The Sporting News. 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. But when you boom not just one, but two punts over 80 yards, you earn some attention. As a junior, Araiza would be eligible for the NFL Draft in both 2022 and 2023. Araiza is set to be one of the highest-selected punters in recent NFL Draft history. Drawing attention across the media landscape driven by the king of punters himself, Pat McAfee Araiza has broken records with his ridiculously powerful left leg. It's not often the best player on a team is the punter, but that was the case for the Aztecs last season. While a running start can provide for more power, power is far from an issue with Araiza. FREE Boxing fight stream. A two-star prospect, Araiza was the 20th-ranked kicker in the 2018 class. (Photo by Joshua Bessex/Getty Images) The 2022 NFL draft is a little over two weeks away. In Araizas scouting report, we break through the numbers and noise to scrutinize his pro potential ahead of the 2022 NFL Draft. His footprints adorn the record books at the position. Matt Araiza is the greatest collegiate punter I have ever watched. 5th Year Option Projections; Free Agency. Continue with Recommended Cookies, (Derrick Tuskan/San Diego State Athletics). But there are questions about Davis viability at the NFL level. Dicker The Kicker has a 46.3-yard career punting average and 75.9% career field-goal completion. No other punter has nailed two 80+ yard punts in 2021. Meanwhile, Texas specialist Cameron Dicker has punting and kicking versatility. 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. Former Eagles President and Browns CEO Joe Banner gave his take on how he would approach this unique prospect. In 2021, Araiza has emerged as something of a rockstar in the punting community. Additionally, Ray Guy was a first-round pick in 1973, with the award for punting success named after him. Starting with the Punt God himself, lets examine the punter prospects that make up this unlikeliest of NFL Draft predictions. He kicks returners back a considerable amount that the potential for big returns is still limited. 2022 NFL Draft Team Mock Drafts. An all-around special teams contributor, the 2021 unanimous All-American had kickoff duties for San Diego State. He is exceptional on fourth down, averaging 51.2 yards per punt in his most recent season. What I was asked to do was different from a skill set (perspective) than maybe other players have. 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. Punts in between the 30s (2021 only):Jordan Stout, Penn State (36 Punts)Inside 20 83%Inside 10 53%Touchback 6%Average Field Pos. Despite that, things haven't really changed from out first look at it. Matt Araiza, punter, San Diego State . In 1976 and 1978, a whopping eight punters were drafted. Surely theres some NFL team that takes him earlier than you would expect. Faalele is from Melbourne, and an assistant coach for Hawaii on a scouting trip to Australia discovered him while he was rehabbing an injury at a local gym. Yet, in San Diego State punter Matt Araiza, the 2022 NFL Draft class might possess the most high-profile and highly skilled punter prospect in recent history. Additionally, few of these punters have been widely recognized as the best at their position, even for one season. The Buffalo Bills released rookie punter Matt Araiza on Saturday night. Copyright 2019-2023. Chatter among leaky scouts has suggested that Faalele may be too big to play tackle in the league, that he will struggle to dip and sink to wall off the leagues premier dip-and-rip pass-rushers. NFL Draft Provile. Four drafted punters are actually less rare than one might imagine. There have only been two draft classes since the turn of the century where a punter hasnt been selected in the NFL Draft. 17 for the first round of the draft. . For starters, college football allows for any player to go downfield after the snap on a punt. An all-around special teams contributor, the 2021 unanimous All-American had kickoff duties for San Diego State. Stout will likely end up replacing the longtime Ravens punter, who turns 40 in August. MKFs unique style and gameplay make betting fun and easy. Khalil Shakir is going down the well of a former Buffalo Bills great to hopefully improve in Year 2: Eric Moulds. He quantified the athletic ability displayed on punt return coverage with an excellent showing at the NFL Combine. SOMEONE GET ME A TABLE!! The NFL only allows the two end defenders to do so. 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 . Consistent directional punter that can kick it out to the sidelines or place it inside the 10-yard line. Some national NFL Draft analysts with NFL information have openly stated that he might be selected on Day 2. According to the Associated Press, executives from two different NFL teams became aware that Araiza had been involved in an incident in the lead-up to the draft, though they didnt know the extent of the allegations. Araiza leads the punter predictions for this 2022 NFL Draft. Matt Araiza had two punts of more than 80 yards last season, including an 86-yarder that was the longest punt in college football.He might be able to punt a football from San Diego to Buffalo. 2. Araiza seems like he's going to be a good fit in Buffalo. He also has the ability to make tackles, with speed and athleticism. Moreover, his lack of blocked kicks demonstrates that Araiza consistently gets good elevation. The biggest surprise is that college football's top punter, Matt Araiza, wasn't the first punter off the board this year. The Bears find themselves not only needing a new punter to replace Pat ODonnell and compete with Ryan Winslow, but they also have several other needs on the roster. holy crap.you know what I just realized? Consistency. Consistent ball striking, hang time, and placement are key factors in punter evaluation. The victims lawyer, Dan Gilleon, said the Bills also ignored his warnings about Araiza in late July. Matt Araiza. August 26, 2022. Punters can be prolific athletes, too! In 2019, he hit 84.6% of his kicks. He also set the FBS mark for 50-yard punts with his 33rd of the season. Im tougher, stronger, more athletic than Odafe Oweh. 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. If you were going to bet on a long shot, however, who better than two prospects whose whole careers have been about making those long shots? The temptation to declare it the greatest punting class of all time is understandable. A two-star prospect, Araiza was the 20th-ranked kicker in the 2018 class. An achilles injury at Michigans pro day has seen his stock take a hit and served as an example of the dark side of the draft process. 1 CB, Paul Burmeister: Why Derek Carr Might Not Be QB to Win You a Championship, Tracker: Patriots Release QB Hoyer. If he passes those criteria while youre working him out and he hits the Duke well, able to turn the ball over, then yes, you check off the boxes., Once a special teams coach feels comfortable with Araizas ability, the coach may want to suggest the rest of the front office look into acquiring him in the draft. So why not invest a valuable resource in a player who can boom the ball farther, higher, and with more accuracy than anyone else at his position? His season average of 51.19 yards set a new single-season record. Redshirting his 2018 season, Araiza learned under San Diego State kicker John Barron II. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. If a team is uncomfortable with your holding skills, that could absolutely lead you to dropping in the draft. 2:39 pm ET, did he lead the nation in punting average, 2023 NFL free agent interior offensive linemen, NFL free agent offensive tackles: Sizing up 2023 market, Free agent WR market: Breaking down available talent, NFL 2023 free agency: Top TEs set to hit open market, NFL 2023 free agency: Top RBs set to hit open market, 'Punt God' Matt Araiza not first punter taken, NFL Combine: QB, WR, TE run 40s, compete in drills, Mock Draft: Panthers, Colts trade up for QBs, Rodgers' trade value, logistics, best fit, Pascal robbed at gunpoint, assaulted; WR 'doing fine', Bryce Young measures similar to former No. That was surprising.. P Matt Araiza earned $216,148 in his NFL career. Both batches of decision-makers agree on one overriding idea: Field position really, really matters. Even then, the potential power lingering in his left leg remained lowkey. What Matt Araiza did in college football was revolutionary from a position where it's tough to disrupt how the game is played. I recognize that my train of thought may be different from the rest of the league. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. 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. That isnt the case with Araiza, who ran pro-style formations at San Diego State. Hi coach, Ojabo said. However, he set a new single-season program record for field goals with 22. There have been multiple third-round selections, while FSU punter John Stark was a second-round choice in 1982. For this reason, I believe its time for me to do something Ive only done once before: a special teamer breakdown. # . They also dont currently have a fourth-round pick, barring some wheeling and dealing on Draft Day. 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. 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. 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. 12.0Matt Araiza, SDSU (48 Punts)Inside 20 63%Inside 10 27%Touchback 29%Avg. The 21-year-old is a special teams star who won the. All Rights Reserved. With the NFL Draft fast approaching, six former San Diego State players soon may learn their football fates. These arent just courtesy of a lucky bounce either these punts are traveling through the air. 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