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. Free shipping for many products! It was something that Im going to be forever grateful for, and I hope to have that same effect on the next fan base, wherever I go. And opponents often have to go 90 yards against that incredible defense, because of Araizas amazing punts. Zac Al-Khateeb is a content producer for The Sporting News. I remember talking to my friends and family about it really early on, How cool would it be to even just be a finalist? It was a cool progression to make, visualizing it in the beginning and then it becoming a reality was an honor.. He had an excellent showing in the combine, punting with stunning accuracy before impressing attendees with his sprinting. 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. Time will tell. The 2022 NFL Draft is in the rearview. John Stark from Florida State made it into the second round, way back in 1982. 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. Two additional teammates will look to add to the recent list of secondary players who made the jump to the NFL after excelling at San Diego State. San Diego State punter Matt Araiza is unlike anyone who has ever played the position before. The biggest surprise is that college football's top punter, Matt Araiza, wasn't the first punter off the board this year. Height 6 and 1 1/8 Not only has he shown his prowess as a punter, but Coach Maalouf adds he kicked off as well and was good at it. 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. Since 2001, NFL teams starting drives from inside their own 5-yard line have scored just 16.8 percent of the time. As for Araiza, the Bills could potentially be getting a steal with their selection of the player known as "Punt God.". 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. 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. 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. Most punters dont achieve that distance in a career. Marc Ross spotlights 10 rookies set up for success in the 2022 NFL season and beyond. That was probably the year that started all this momentum towards success on the football field.. Araiza set the FBS record this year with a 51.19 average. The San Diego, California native has a. as the Aztecs kicker. I would rather draft depth at other positions, such as defensive back and linebacker, where the players can develop while contributing on special teams.. That was definitely my first love. NFL Draft. Several other three-round mock drafts have slotted Thomas fro, m the first round to not listed. Stout was slightly ahead of him at 44.5 while Camarda was well below both guys at 41.6. This punter would make the average opponent worse than the 2021 Jets, who score on 22.1 percent of their drives. San Diego State ranks seventh in overall special teams FEI, which takes into account all aspects of special teams. 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). 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. 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. 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. I know my personal traits as an athlete, as a football player, as the leading tackler of a top 25 special teams unit. These traits make for an incredibly impressive athlete, but how would he test at the NFL Combine? Sprint draft legal and classic sprint distance triathlon held at Mission Bay and Fiesta Island . While punter prospects arent rare theyre more commonplace than youd expect no prospect at the position has captured the imagination with a mastery of their craft quite like the San Diego State standout. However, for all the pomp and ballyhoo surrounding the special teams immortal, he was the third punter selected in the draft, following Penn State's Jordan Stout to the Ravens (fourth round, No. to gain some insight on how teams are evaluating the Aztecs enrollees as the draft process is set to begin. Araiza knocked it out of the park, posting numbers comparable to some highly ranked prospects. The San Diego State punter is logical and industrious in his approach to the game both on and off the field. He is exceptional on fourth down, averaging 51.2 yards per punt in his most recent season. With the 2022 NFL Draft in the books, Adam Schein breaks down what he loved and loathed from the league's Vegas venture. In 2020, he dialed in 71.4%, and in 2021, he achieved 64.3%. Three juniors, all local San Diego kids, were named to the Associated Press All-American Teams. He also boomed an 86-yarder against San Jose State at sea level. The San Diego State punter capped off his final season at the college level with the ultimate honor for a college punter, the Ray Guy Award. In the latest. 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. 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. 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! 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.. But, thats not all Araiza can do. San Diego State hosts Fresno State on Saturday night. 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. The San Diego State punter was better than Camarda in almost every metric last season. The social media explosion, and all the fans, the almost cult-like fans sometimes. Will Malik Willis develop into a high-end QB for the Titans? So, earning their respect and earning their trust, and becoming a part of that team was a big accomplishment for me. Diverse team following across multiple sports leagues, but Aztecs come first in college athletics. Hes a talented guy who should help with winning the field position category., However, just like any other special teams prospect, Coach Maalouf believes the San Diego State product should be worked out by coaches. Pat McAfee, all that stuff was hilarious, seeing some of the memes were really funny, the nicknames, all that stuff. 130) and Georgia's Jake Camarda to the Buccaneers (fourth round, No. 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. Araiza may be the greatest college punter of all time. The Ray Guy Award winner and unanimous First-Team All-American declared for the NFL Draft last week with hopes of becoming the next punter drafted in the NFL. They try to be consistent, perfecting their motion so its the same every time. Only two punters have been drafted in the second round: Todd Sauerbrun (Chicago, 1995) and Rohn Stark (Baltimore, 1982). But as soon as Araiza started kicking, it became clear that he had a gift for it. What Matt Araiza did in college football was revolutionary from a position where it's tough to disrupt how the game is played. 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. Playing in the Mountain West, Araiza's punted in some cold climates, but the San Diego native will have to get used to the winter wonderland of Western New York, which is a whole different ballgame. The dude has an absolute howitzer for a left leg, one that booted the ball 90 yards in the effing air on Saturday night in Hawaii. The former San Diego State punter didn't get selected until the Bills made him the first pick of the sixth round (180th overall). Of Araiza's 79 punts, 37 went for at least 50 yards; 17 went for 60 yards or more; six went at least 70 yards; and two went for 80-plus yards (no other punter had two punts of 80 yards). Hes quick to find the football, and hes always in pursuit mode.. But how have other drafted punters panned out in the NFL? In addition to his record-setting punting, hes drilled three 50-yard field goals, second most in college football, and has the fourth-longest average kickoff distance (65.0 yards). I already know Ill be playing one of the those teams (at Baltimore) this upcoming season. This might have been due to a tendency by head coach Brady Hoke to put him in aggressive scoring situations, asking Araiza to attempt many tries from 40 yards and beyond in later seasons (he was 3-of-9 from 50+ yards in 2021). NFL footage NFL Productions LLC. Banners rationale is driven by the notion of replacement value. 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. We have an 86 yard punt EIGHTY SIX (CC @RKalland) pic.twitter.com/KIi5d3VTTO. Labeled the "Punt God," Araiza set an NCAA record with a 51.2-yard average on his punts in 2021. 180 overall pick in the sixth round on Saturday. Its a loaded defensive end class, Brugler said. Where most players have a left leg, the San Diego product has what can only be described as a cannon. Bills get the Punt God in the SIXTH ROUND. By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. All Rights Reserved. 0. Highest Punter Ever Drafted Russell Erxleben was drafted No. 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? Even now, on the precipice of turning professional, there is still the glint of pursuing soccer in the eyes of the San Diego State punter. In 2021, the Bills only punted a total of 52 times, which was tied for the fifth-lowest total in the NFL. Araiza could have pursued soccer as a career. All four players have the talent to compete and excel at the next level. The number of seasons for each punter includes every season where at least half of a season was played. Araiza set a school record for made field goals in a season and ranked sixth in the nation in touchback percentage in 2019. 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. While Trenton Thompson has not been invited to either of the four end of season all-star bowl games, he will look to impress scouts throughout the draft process, starting with San Diego States pro day, annually held in March. Will Deadly January Car Accident Tank Jalen Carters Draft Stock? And what's up with the Commanders' value assessment? in this draft class last month and says teams view him as a second-round prospect. Matt Araiza is downright dynamite.. He's boomed multiple 80-yarders . A story of soccer to San Diego, from punter to Punt God. 2022 NFL Draft, Matt Araiza, Mountain West Football, San Diego State Football, Mountain West Football, NCAAF, NFL Draft, San Diego State, 2023 NFL Combine: Preview, Schedule, How To Watch. The 21-year-old is a special teams star who won the. against San Jose State in October. 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. In the NFL, teams have to be able to trust you, and those are two issues that are going to hurt him throughout the process, said Brugler. 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. in this draft class last month. Chad Reuter ranks his favorite picks in each round. Waring caught 31 passes for 372 yards and three touchdowns, almost identical to Bellingers final season. Personally, I would not draft a punter, regardless of how good he is, until the 7th-round the 6th-round at the earliest. Another attribute teams love about Thomas is his versatility to play up and down the line of scrimmage. Nonetheless, the "Punt God" is headed to the AFC East champions. But Araiza took a while to realize that kicking was his path. 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). 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. But Matt didnt have dreams of special teams stardom. San Diego State punter Matt Araiza is no ordinary prospect in the 2022 NFL Draft. This reinforces the significance of gross versus net punting averages. Matt Araiza, Punt God of the 2022 NFL Draft, The Ray Guy Award caps off an unprecedented season, Staying at home for college, and making an impact on San Diego, Next Page: From struggles to NFL Draft ascension. April 26, 2022 7:52 am MT. 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. February 28, 2023 6:16 pm SI NFL Draft Bible. Hand size 9 1/2 The question mark on him will be whether he has the athleticism and the speed to hold up against quick, interior rushers in the NFL, said Brugler. While a lot of kids growing up dream of playing in the NFL, at that time it wasnt even a consideration for Araiza. Brugler predicts Bellinger will be the second San Diego State player drafted (after Cameron Thomas). The number of seasons for each punter includes every season where at least half of a season was played. Is Araiza the Punter That Was Promised? Araiza also played cornerback for a while. Anger is the only punter chosen earlier than the fourth round since 2005. But being at San Diego State for four years, really living it, it made me laugh that I even considered going anywhere else. Early success formed a catalyst for what was to come later. San Diego. Cameron Thomas, Matt Araiza, and William Dunkle decided to forego their senior seasons on the Mesa and declare for the NFL Draft. Copyright 2019-2023. Only one punter, Pressley Harvin III, was drafted last year, taken by the Pittsburgh Steelers with the 254th pick (7th round). Should he be the Mountain West Player of the Year? Maybe some preferred right-footed kickers over guys like Araiza, a Rancho Bernardo High alum who is left-footed. Middle Tennessee State punter Kyle Ulbrich is . No other punter. Show me in the rule book where it says a punter cant win the Heisman! After Stouts selection was announced, an ESPN broadcaster said: Not many things surprise me in the draft because you expect unpredictable things. The previous year, he punted five times for 249 yards, averaging 49.8 yards per punt. So that builds his value to your team especially if you have an older kicker who now you can take the kickoff duty from.. San Diego State punter Matt Araiza is no ordinary prospect in the 2022 NFL Draft. Some games you get a bunch of short field goals, he says. Its been huge to have that impact on my home town as well. Hang time was the primary concern for Araiza in the weeks and months leading up to the draft. His older brother has long thought so. This last selection is commonly referred to as, List of 1990s Hall of Fame Inductee's at profootballhof.com, List of 2000s Hall of Fame Inductee's at profootballhof.com, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=1979_NFL_Draft&oldid=1142347380, This page was last edited on 1 March 2023, at 22:29. 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. I know what I bring to the NFL. The draft was held May 3-4, 1979, at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City, New York. 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. He believes it is worth taking chances on other positions earlier in the draft rather than a punter. He ran track as an underclassman at Rancho Bernardo High School in San Diego, and recently told the Union-Tribune that the hurdles helped his footwork on punting. Gennaro Filice provides draft grades for each NFC East team. With this one punt, Araiza won the college football weekend:. We have a ton of connections and basically a ton of people rooting for me on Saturdays which was really fun.. 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. The Raiders drafted him with the 23rd pick in 1973. 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. 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 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. April 26, 2022 7:52 am, By Ted McGovern | I wonder whether at some point they will simply stand farther back. He's the first SDSU player drafted by Buffalo since . Im excited for change. Hed be worthy of going first. 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