The man they call 'Punt God' is going to be the first punter off of the board in the upcoming draft and could go as early as Day 2. He spends the evenings with his award-winning legs cast in a recovery boot. One of the most important punting stats is net punting average and Araiza finished the year at 44.3, which ranked sixth in the country. Araiza was widely viewed as the top punting prospect after a 2021 college season that ended with him winning the Ray Guy award. Didnt see the second one and my agent called me. Several other three-round mock drafts have slotted Thomas from the first round to not listed. They attend expensive camps and begin perfecting their form. He. Specialists often aren't taken until. NFL Draft Profile: Rhys Byrns, Punter, Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns - Football Alliance. Brugler predicts Bellinger will be the second San Diego State player drafted (after Cameron Thomas). 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. 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. 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. Right now, that involves training hard and recovering sensibly. Hes going to make stops at all different points of the field, said Brugler. Oops. The former MVP has adapted and evolved to become an excellent conductor of Phillys offense. We're not controlling field position.' 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. No other punter. The earliest a punter has been selected over that period was the fourth round, the Niners selecting Mitch Wishnowsky. These traits make for an incredibly impressive athlete, but how would he test at the NFL Combine? 18 San Diego State at Boise State, Aztecs have plenty to play for at Boise State, even after clinching Mountain West title, 3 thoughts: No. 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. San Diego State punter Matt Araiza is unlike anyone who has ever played the position before. The Aztecs are 7-0 and have the nation's 5th-ranked defense with a potent rushing offense. Gennaro Filice provides draft grades for each NFC South team. Bucky Brooks highlights 10 perfect rookie-team fits from the 2022 NFL Draft. The first specialist chosen was LSU kicker Cade York, who went to Cleveland in the fourth round, six picks before Stout was taken. Averaging 51.19 yards per punt, Araiza is the all-time single-season average punt distance leader. 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. Really dependable ball skills. 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. It was definitely a cool experience.. 180 overall pick in the sixth round on Saturday. 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. Is Brad Holmes' enthusiastic drafting paying dividends for the Lions? Thomas won the Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year after collecting 20.5 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks this past season. Waring caught 31 passes for 372 yards and three touchdowns, almost identical to Bellingers final season. Above is a plot of the average Approximate Value (AV) of a punter per season who has been drafted in the last 15 seasons. Can Chris Olave revitalize the Saints' aerial attack? But how high, exactly, can we expect a team to take Araiza, winner of the 2021 Ray Guy Award? 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. This begs the question: how well will Matt Araiza transition to the NFL? When it comes to punters, the bigger surprise is that the Buccaneers took Camarda over Araiza. He's expected to be one of the players chosen in the 2022 NFL draft next month. The San Diego, California native has a. as the Aztecs kicker. No one in our family had control over that. "This is a great year for. How high is his ceiling at the NFL level? As for Araiza, the Bills could potentially be getting a steal with their selection of the player known as "Punt God.". 21 UCLA women top ASU in OT in Pac 12 opener 81-70, Irving senses Mavs urgency in new star pairing with Doncic. I dont want it to be in the same corner of the country my whole life. Check if your spelling is correct, or try removing filters. Bill Belichick has a notable fixation on left-footed kickers. In 2020, he dialed in 71.4%, and in 2021, he achieved 64.3%. Araiza is the third punter in school history to be drafted, joining Mike Saxon (Detroit, 11th round, 1984) and Wayne Ross (Washington, 12th round, 1988). 18 Aztecs collapse in final minutes, fall at Boise State, Game preview: No. Araiza also boomed an 86-yard punt last season, which was the longest in college football. With Camarda now in Tampa, that likely spells the end of Bradley Pinion's three-year run with the team. While a lot of kids growing up dream of playing in the NFL, at that time it wasnt even a consideration for Araiza. However, it was there that the power of his left leg was harnessed with a view to a long-term career goal. 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. 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. , given to the best punter in college football. He believes it is worth taking chances on other positions earlier in the draft rather than a punter. 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. It's not clear why Araiza dropped all the way down to the sixth round, but there are plenty of theories. So whats his potential in the 2022 NFL Draft? Araiza also played cornerback for a while. The one thing I dont think I ever realized was the level of popularity. Harbaugh seems to prefer a finesse punter, which is what he's had over the years with Sam Koch, who's been Baltimore's punter since 2006. 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. 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. Though the Bills are hardly known for punting, on the rare occasions they do, Araiza will be expected to tip the field and also be a weapon on kickoffs (he had 62 touchbacks in 73 kickoffs). He was the striker for his high school soccer team, banging home game-winning goals in playoff games. All that matters is watching him boom footballs as far as he can. Angers cumulative yard per punt average in four years at California was 43.5, including a high of 45.6 in his junior season. Now that hes finally showing off his best skill, hes immediately emerged as a punting legend. Vinnie Iyer of The Sporting News, for example, projects Araiza to go 174th overall to the defending AFC champion Bengals. Im excited to go to a winning team, Super Bowl favorites, that will be awesome, Ariaza said by phone after the draft. I agree to receive the "Pick Six Newsletter" and marketing communications, updates, special offers (including partner offers), and other information from CBS Sports and the Paramount family of companies. Will Aidan Hutchinson supercharge the Lions' pass rush? He is exceptional on fourth down, averaging 51.2 yards per punt in his most recent season. I never saw that coming. did he lead the nation in punting average, McCarthy discusses taking over Cowboys' play-calling, Brett Favre welfare funds scandal explained, Reich says Carr 'checks a lot of boxes' after meeting, Lewan explains why Titans put his things in trash bags, Cardinals hire ND's all-time rushing leader as RB coach, Commanders GM: Howell has every chance to win QB job. He was being 100 percent serious, and hes 100 percent correct. 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 San Diego, California native has a career kicking percentage of over 73% as the Aztecs kicker. In the season opener against New Mexico State, Araiza boomed a 77-yarder. 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). Araiza had the seasons longest punt, 86 yards against San Jose State. Hes hit 14 punts of at least 60 yards, two shy of the NCAA record for the most in a full seasonand the Aztecs still have at least five games to go. I want my life to be an adventure, Araiza said. One other theory is that teams are afraid Araiza might outkick his coverage in the NFL. Bellinger recently signed with JB Sports, Inc., the same agency that represents San Francisco 49ers tight end, George Kittle. What happened to the Giants after Round 1? Dunkle also earned First Team All-American by Pro Football Network and Second Team All-American by the Associated Press. But, Araiza isnt an ordinary punter. 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. Brugler predicts Bellinger will be the second San Diego State player drafted (after Cameron Thomas). In 2015, he broke the San Diego sectional record for field goals in a single season, Rancho Bernardo won a state championship, and he was named to the MaxPreps sophomore All-American team. Sorry, I cantPunt God is playing Fresno State on CBS Sports Network at 10:30 p.m. Chad Reuter ranks his favorite picks in each round. Obviously, one of the benefits in my decision to pick San Diego State was being close to home. Maybe some preferred right-footed kickers over guys like Araiza, a Rancho Bernardo High alum who is left-footed. 12.0Matt Araiza, SDSU (48 Punts)Inside 20 63%Inside 10 27%Touchback 29%Avg. at Araiza is one of just four FBS players handling kicks, punts, and kickoffs this season. But its no secret that he enjoys punting the most. MORE:NFL Draft prospects 2022: Updated big board of top 150 players, rankings by position. He converted all but one of his 97 career extra-point attempts, too. In the past 22 years, there have been several third-round selections at punter. And, I was the only sophomore on the team at that time. 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. One of the most exciting prospects in the 2022 NFL Draft is San Diego State University's Matt Araiza. He could have even pursued a career in track after setting high school records in the 110m and 300m hurdles at Rancho Bernardo High School. Even if we factor in returns and touchbacks, Araiza is on pace for history: SDSUs net punting average is 46.7 yards per punt; since the NCAA started including touchbacks in net punting average, no team has been better than 45.0. It was awesome. Are the Bears failing Justin Fields? You won't want to miss a moment of the 2022 season! I know what I bring to the NFL. SOMEONE GET ME A TABLE!! Theyre rooting for wins; Im happiest when the offense goes three-and-out at its own 8-yard line so Araiza has maximum space to punt. After three balls, he told my dad that I was going to play in the NFL, Araiza says. Diverse team following across multiple sports leagues, but Aztecs come first in college athletics. 130) and Georgia's Jake Camarda to the Buccaneers (fourth round, No. Remove quotes around phrases to match each word individually: "blue drop" will match less than blue drop. Brugler ranked Thomas as the 7th-best edge rusher in this draft class last month and says teams view him as a second-round prospect. Its a loaded defensive end class, Brugler said. Around 20 minutes north of San Diego State University lies North County Soccer Park. With Camarda now in Tampa, that likely spells the end of Bradley Pinion's three-year run with the. 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. Playing sports is what I love. In this years tight end class, Brugler ranked Ferguson 12th, one spot higher than Bellinger. In 2019, he made 84.6% of his kicks. In addition to his record-setting punting, he's drilled three 50-yard field goals, second most in college football, and has the fourth-longest average kickoff distance (65.0 yards). 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. Im excited for the challenge. The 21-year-old is a special teams star who won the. In the NFL, only two players can release, so additional time to get downfield is significant. Theyre three different skills that each require practice, and a human leg can swing only so many times before it gets overworked. Freshman year of high school. But that's only half-true: Araiza is also statistically the most talented punter prospect of all time. Several other three-round mock drafts have slotted Thomas fro, m the first round to not listed. . But whats the legacy of the blockbuster album? I saw the first one (when Stout was selected). 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