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. Gennaro Filice provides draft grades for each NFC East team. Reacting to the pick, NFL Network broadcaster Rich Eisen said: Let me tell you something, Buffalo Bills fans, you should be very, very happy. Labeled the "Punt God," Araiza set an NCAA record with a 51.2-yard average on his punts in 2021. 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. Matt Araiza is not your average NFL Draft prospect. + Show More. In the NFL, only two players can release, so additional time to get downfield is significant. Braden Mann, the punter who previously held the FBS record with a 50.98 average, was drafted by the New York Jets in the 6th round in 2020. 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. Defensive end Cameron Thomas was chosen in the third round by Arizona and tight end Daniel Bellinger went in the fourth round to the New York Giants. 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. Coach Marwan Maalouf, currently coaching special teams at the University of Miami and longtime NFL special teams coach, thinks highly of Araiza. According to PFF, Dunkle registered a 38.0 pass-blocking grade and committed two penalties against Arizona and a 55.6 grade against Utah the following week on 18 pass opportunities in each game. But how have other drafted punters panned out in the NFL? By Oliver Hodgkinson April 14, 2022 Jump Around This Article Click to show Punters are NFL Draft prospects, too always have been, always will be. Chad Reuter identifies 12 rookies picked on Day 3 of the NFL draft who could be in line for starter snaps in Year 1. Who will take advantage of potential opportunities? Is MJF the Second Coming of CM Punk? Brugler praised Thomas lateral quickness and constant effort to get to the ball. The selection of Araiza gave SDSU four players in the 2022 NFL Draft. Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use, which became effective December 20, 2019. A half-century ago, Pink Floyd unleashed a classic that still lingers on the Billboard charts and in college dorms to this day. April 26, 2022 7:52 am, By Ted McGovern | Araiza has a cannon for a leg, shown with his. He is exceptional on fourth down, averaging 51.2 yards per punt in his most recent season. The San Diego State punter was better than Camarda in almost every metric last season. Well, that was just a way onto the football roster. 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Smith on Skip and Kaepernick, Martin Luther King Jr., the Revolutionary With Dr. Peniel Joseph. Avid sports fan and historian of basketball, baseball, football and soccer. The number of seasons for each punter includes every season where at least half of a season was played. Please enter a valid email and try again. As for Araiza, the Bills could potentially be getting a steal with their selection of the player known as "Punt God.". If you look at his numbers, it's pretty clear that Araiza has one of the strongest legs of any punting prospect in NFL history. Hes going to make stops at all different points of the field, said Brugler. (Derrick Tuskan / San Diego State Athletics), Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, College baseball wrapup: USD right-hander James Sashin reaping rewards for persistence and hard work, Aztecs QB Jalen Mayden gets full offseason to grow in starting role, College baseball weekend: Tony Gwynn Legacy event a reminder of Hall of Famers legendary life, Aztecs looking for feedback from football season-ticket holders, Aztecs announce executive staff hire at transformative moment for schools athletic department, Aztecs begin offseason drills with a spring in their step, No. Dunkle also earned First Team All-American by Pro Football Network and Second Team All-American by the Associated Press. 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. This seems like a cute questionthe football equivalent of asking someone whether theyd eat the worlds grossest food for a million dollars. 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? Watch where Araiza ends up on this play! NFL Draft Profile: Rhys Byrns, Punter, Louisiana-Lafayette Ragin' Cajuns - Football Alliance. The former San Diego State punter didn't get selected until the Bills made him the first pick of the sixth round (180th overall). Somehow, were both getting what we want. 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. He converted all but one of his 97 career extra-point attempts, too. 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.. NFL and the NFL shield design are registered trademarks of the National Football League.The team names, logos and uniform designs are registered trademarks of the teams indicated. 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. The Aztecs Punt God gained a national following for his record-setting exploits last season. The San Diego State product has shot up draft boards (relatively) thanks to a season in which he set an NCAA record by averaging 51.19 yards per punt, eclipsing the record set by Texas A&M's Braden Mann in 2018. How high is his ceiling at the NFL level? A story of soccer to San Diego, from punter to Punt God. 5 or 6 seed in the NCAA Tournament, which could be the difference between facing a mid-major or power conference opponent, What exactly the Aztecs drew up for Lamont Butler, what got Darrion Trammell going, and keeping an eye on whether Brian Dutchers alma mater needs a new coach, Lamont Butlers 3-pointer at the buzzer beats New Mexico and means the Aztecs can win the Mountain West title outright with one win in their final two games, Everything you need to know about Saturday nights showdown between the Aztecs and Lobos at the Pit in Albuquerque, Privacy PolicyTerms of ServiceSign Up For Our NewslettersSite Map, Copyright 2023, The San Diego Union-Tribune |. Although Araiza saw plenty of action at San Diego State, he might not see the field much in Buffalo. Somehow, hes close to the best in the nation at all three. His older brother has long thought so. Will Aidan Hutchinson supercharge the Lions' pass rush? I already know Ill be playing one of the those teams (at Baltimore) this upcoming season. According to PFF, Dunkle registered a 38.0 pass-blocking grade and committed two penalties against Arizona and a 55.6 grade against Utah the following week on 18 pass opportunities in each game. 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. Did the talent-poor Falcons get the roster infusion they needed? What happened to the Giants after Round 1? I dont think Ive ever seen a ball travel like that before.. 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. March 25, 2022 5 min read. Araiza could have pursued soccer as a career. Cameron Thomas, Matt Araiza, and William Dunkle decided to forego their senior seasons on the Mesa and declare for the NFL Draft. Stout was among three finalists for the 2021 Ray Guy Award that went to Araiza as the nations top collegiate punter. But its no secret that he enjoys punting the most. Araiza also boomed an 86-yard punt last season, which was the longest in college football. They are drafting you based on what they think you will do.. I never saw that coming. 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. Bills get the Punt God in the SIXTH ROUND. These sites are not endorsed by, sponsored by, or affiliated with with these teams or institutions. Did the Packers blow it by once again passing on the receiver position in Round 1? 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. He has incredible poise and does not lose his cool and, for much of the 2021 season, led special teams in tackles. MORE:NFL Draft prospects 2022: Updated big board of top 150 players, rankings by position. , our 15th-highest-ranked prospect. These were certified piss missiles not to be confused with lucky bounces and rolls. "He was like, 'You're outkicking your coverage. Broad jump 10 and 1 (or 121). Matt Araiza is a certifiable weapon. Pat McAfee later called the Big Punt a Piss Missile, which is just about the highest honor a punter can receive. Who does Brady Hoke think is the MVP of the undefeated @AztecFB ?The answer may surprise some, but not if youve been watching SDSU & @matt_araiza More from Hoke tonight @footballnightsd @nbcsandiego @GoAztecs pic.twitter.com/6Vh3f56Ms7. At the time, a young Araiza couldnt have imagined becoming a national punting icon. 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. The Aztecs are 7-0 and ranked 21st in the AP poll, with two wins over Pac-12 opponents. February 28, 2023 6:16 pm SI NFL Draft Bible. Georgias Dominant Title Defense and a Curtain Call for the Ages, The Mandalorian Season 3, Episode 1 Instant Reactions. But the answer is simple: yes. !, the nickname Araiza was given during his record-breaking 2021 season. 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. But, thats not all Araiza can do. Arm length 30 1/2 He's boomed multiple 80-yarders . This is a statement of fact rather than a prediction. So, Im going to try and do it as long as possible.. As Matt Araiza prepares to break positional norms in the 2022 NFL Draft class, his talents as a punter can be traced back to his roots at Rancho Bernardo High in San Diego. In the past 22 years, there have been several third-round selections at punter. While the PFF analytics are excellent indicators of success, NFL teams will trust their evaluations from watching game tape and in-person workouts. Stout was slightly ahead of him at 44.5 while Camarda was well below both guys at 41.6. They try to be consistent, perfecting their motion so its the same every time. Players are identified as a Pro Bowler if they were selected for the Pro-Bowl at any time in their career. So, what's next for this group -- in 2022 and beyond? Araizas leg strength is remarkable; however, he will need to cut down on the power in certain instances to further achieve NFL success. Now that hes finally showing off his best skill, hes immediately emerged as a punting legend. San Diego State punter Matt Araiza has a leg that can boot the football 80 yards. Nonetheless, the "Punt God" is headed to the AFC East champions. Right now, that involves training hard and recovering sensibly. Should he be the Mountain West Player of the Year? 21, 54 and 85. From the aforementioned information, it appears that Araiza is an elite punting prospect. He was named to several First and Second All-American Teams by various national media outlets. That shows up when he has to make a tackle. Araiza also played cornerback for a while. It's not clear why Araiza dropped all the way down to the sixth round, but there are plenty of theories. According to PFF, Araiza had the eighth-lowest kickoff return percentage in the country at less than 15%. 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. That was a fun year, and also the year I broke the record for field goals. 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. Some games you get a bunch of short field goals, he says. A story of soccer to San Diego, from punter to Punt God. Araiza has a cannon for a leg, shown with his 86-yard punt against San Jose State in October. What makes me a top prospect in this year's draft is my ability to aggressively attack the ball, play smart football, and contribute a relentless work ethic to make my team better. Thomas will have a chance to separate himself from other edge rushers in his tier as the draft process unfolds with the combine and private team workouts to prove he belongs in one of the top 32 spots., A redshirt junior entering this season, Thomas quickly showed scouts he is a pro prospect with his play to start the season. This punter would make the average opponent worse than the 2021 Jets, who score on 22.1 percent of their drives. While that makes him significantly less employable as an NFL kickerif a righty kicker gets hurt, teams would never reach out to a lefty for tryouts, since its complicated to have a holder relearn how to get the snap down in reverseit makes him significantly more employable as a punter, as its believed that lefty punters put reverse spin on the ball that makes it tougher to catch. To put that in perspective, there were only six punts of 70 or more yards by every NFL punter combined last season. 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). Yet, hed only punted in one game prior to this season. But, thats not all Araiza can do. Araiza had the seasons longest punt, 86 yards against San Jose State. But Araiza described them to me as not being fun or real football. As a result, he stayed close to home, a decision that has meant more to him than he ever knew. 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