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. 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. + Show More. 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 is what it is. When it comes to punters, the bigger surprise is that the Buccaneers took Camarda over Araiza. SDSU ranks 117th out of 130 teams in offensive SP+, but its winning anyway because it dominates field position and keeps opponents off the scoreboard. I loved European football, soccer. But how high, exactly, can we expect a team to take Araiza, winner of the 2021 Ray Guy Award? Camarda was not even a semifinalist for the award, not that pro scouts necessarily concern themselves with such things. EVT caught up with, Dane Brugler, NFL Draft Analyst for The Athletic. But with Araiza, its easy. No one in our family had control over that. Obviously, one of the benefits in my decision to pick San Diego State was being close to home. Its been huge to have that impact on my home town as well. 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? It was awesome. San Diego State punter Matt Araiza is unlike anyone who has ever played the position before. 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. With Camarda now in Tampa, that likely spells the end of Bradley Pinion's three-year run with the. Bucky Brooks highlights 10 perfect rookie-team fits from the 2022 NFL Draft. Players are identified as a Pro Bowler if they were selected for the Pro-Bowl at any time in their career. 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. The league also held a supplemental draft after the regular draft and before the regular season. But, I knew I had the potential and once I got rocking and rolling, everything would work out as it did.. More than 300 prospects for the . Will Malik Willis develop into a high-end QB for the Titans? 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. Quarterbacks can put up gaudy stats because of their offensive scheme; wide receivers who dominate in college can look lost in the pros. San Diego States Matt Araiza is having the greatest punting season in college football history. "He was like, 'You're outkicking your coverage. Soon after San Diego State's bowl win in December, Araiza declared early for the drafta rarity for a punterand began the transition from player to prospect. Jalen Carter Named Subject of Arrest Warrant After Fatal Crash That Killed Georgia Teammate, Seattle Seahawks 2023 NFL Draft Prospects To Target at the NFL Combine Include Brian Branch, Nolan Smith, 2023 NFL Draft Big Board: Top 25 Prospects Heading Into NFL Combine Include Jalen Carter, Brian Branch, and Bijan Robinson, Boston Colleges Jaiden Woodbey Is Less Tweener, More Swiss Army Knife. Hang time was the primary concern for Araiza in the weeks and months leading up to the draft. #Bills #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/EA1iEWkdyA. Although he was the top punting prospect in the draft, Araiza ended up being the third punter selected. at 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. Please check the opt-in box to acknowledge that you would like to subscribe. One of the most exciting prospects in the 2022 NFL Draft is San Diego State Universitys Matt Araiza. John Stark from Florida State made it into the second round, way back in 1982. As mentioned before, Araiza is incredibly versatile and can help the special teams unit in an impactful way. That was somewhat of a goal. 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. One theory on why he fell is because he's never held for extra point or field goals. Brugler assesses that Araiza, the top punter in the draft, will likely be a Day 3 draftee (rounds four through seven) and could go early in Day 3 depending on how impressive he performs during team workouts. San Diego State hosts Fresno State on Saturday night. I already know Ill be playing one of the those teams (at Baltimore) this upcoming season. , our 15th-highest-ranked prospect. Its the most Aztecs drafted since four were taken in 2012. 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. 2023 NFL Enterprises LLC. The San Diego State punter is logical and industrious in his approach to the game both on and off the field. Former Eagles President and Browns CEO Joe Banner gave his take on how he would approach this unique prospect. "The coach I had for my first eight years in New Orleans, if I hit a punt over 55 yards, he was mad," Morstead said. . They attend expensive camps and begin perfecting their form. But then came the 50-, 60-, 70-. Who failed to address serious needs? The one thing I dont think I ever realized was the level of popularity. 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. ET. Bill Belichick has a notable fixation on left-footed kickers. 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. However, it was there that the power of his left leg was harnessed with a view to a long-term career goal. In the past 22 years, there have been several third-round selections at punter. 16.0. He spends the evenings with his award-winning legs cast in a recovery boot. Since 2001, NFL teams starting drives from inside their own 5-yard line have scored just 16.8 percent of the time. Will Deadly January Car Accident Tank Jalen Carters Draft Stock? As for being the third punter drafted? H, es going to make stops at all different points of the field, said Brugler. It's not clear why Araiza dropped all the way down to the sixth round, but there are plenty of theories. While the PFF analytics are excellent indicators of success, NFL teams will trust their evaluations from watching game tape and in-person workouts. 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. Punts in between the 30s (2021 only):Jordan Stout, Penn State (36 Punts)Inside 20 83%Inside 10 53%Touchback 6%Average Field Pos. Araiza shattered the all-time record of 32 punts of 50 or more yards in a single season, by achieving 39. He believes it is worth taking chances on other positions earlier in the draft rather than a punter. 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. Remove quotes around phrases to match each word individually: "blue drop" will match less than blue drop. But as soon as Araiza started kicking, it became clear that he had a gift for it. His, was better than many who are projected to be high draft selections, including. All the more impressive, the 2021 season was Araiza's first taking on full-time punting duties for the Aztecs. It isnt much of a challenge anymore. EVT caught up with Dane Brugler, NFL Draft Analyst for The Athletic, to gain some insight on how teams are evaluating the Aztecs enrollees as the draft process is set to begin. This is the most yards per punt a player has ever averaged in a single NCAA season, illustrating his sheer dominance. Of the 27 punters drafted in the past 15 seasons, just six of these players have made a Pro Bowl these six punters only made one Pro Bowl each. His worse pass-blocking grade came the next week against Towson, registering a 34.3 grade on 26 passing opportunities. Will Aidan Hutchinson supercharge the Lions' pass rush? Georgia police have secured a warrant to arrest highly-touted draft prospect Jalen Carter, according to a report from Seth Emerson. Stout was among three finalists for the 2021 Ray Guy Award that went to Araiza as the nations top collegiate punter. 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. The Punter That Was Promised would be the most valuable player in football by a wide margin. The more you can do to justify a roster spot is the motto of the NFL, said Brugler, adding that teams may feel more comfortable drafting a punter in the fourth or fifth round if they know the punter also has a penchant for touchbacks on kickoffs. Georgia punter Jake Camarda was taken three picks later by Tampa Bay. 8 min read. The Buffalo Bills held the first overall pick in the draft, acquired from the San Francisco 49ers in the trade which sent O. J. Simpson to his hometown team. Above is a plot of the average Approximate Value (AV) of a punter per season who has been drafted in the last 15 seasons. Before that, the last one came in 2013. Somehow, hes close to the best in the nation at all three. The former San Diego State punter didn't get selected until the Bills made him the first pick of the sixth round (180th overall). 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). 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. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. Teams are not drafting you based on what you have done, notes Brugler. There are times where he gets crossed up in pass protection, and his feet get a little stuck in the mud, something Brugler saw on tape against Utah and Arizona, two Power 5 opponents the Aztecs played this year. Vinnie Iyer of The Sporting News, for example, projects Araiza to go 174th overall to the defending AFC champion Bengals. Hes quick to find the football, and hes always in pursuit mode., Another attribute teams love about Thomas is his versatility to play up and down the line of scrimmage. Since NFL defenses vary their fronts constantly, Thomas versatility to play inside or outside will give him a boost to climb teams draft boards. The announcers were astounded. An all-around special teams contributor, the 2021 unanimous All-American had kickoff duties for San Diego State. But being at San Diego State for four years, really living it, it made me laugh that I even considered going anywhere else. And, I was the only sophomore on the team at that time. They'll give up some big returns, but they'll also have some giant flips of field position.". Spent pretty much countless hours at that field with my Dad, just practicing all different types of stuff for soccer. San Diego. 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? The Punt God has found a new home. All four players have the talent to compete and excel at the next level. released on November 30, 2021, Brugler slotted Thomas to the Dallas Cowboys with the 25th pick of the first round, adding, Thomas has been nearly unblockable this season for the Aztecs, currently leading college football with 72 pressures., Thomas won the Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year afte. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. Araiza was chosen with the first pick in the sixth round, the 180th pick overall. I grew up playing three on three on this tiny indoor field, and thats kind of where my love for soccer and sports started. Araiza also played cornerback for a while. He was named to several First and Second All-American Teams by various national media outlets. Though the Buffalo Bills got the third punter of the 2022 NFL Draft's final day, they certainly got the one with the most fanfare. A half-century ago, Pink Floyd unleashed a classic that still lingers on the Billboard charts and in college dorms to this day. No other punter. Matt Araiza is one of the more fascinating prospects of the 2022 NFL Draft which is saying something, considering he's a punter. Normally punters arent stars of undefeated teams, but Araiza is an exception. Copyright 2019-2023. 21 UCLA women top ASU in OT in Pac 12 opener 81-70, Irving senses Mavs urgency in new star pairing with Doncic. Kicking? If a team is uncomfortable with your holding skills, that could absolutely lead you to dropping in the draft. Did the talent-poor Falcons get the roster infusion they needed? Also, a higher average yards per punt does not always mean better sometimes you want to directionally punt, so this can be misleading. 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. But since 2000, nobody has gone higher than Bryan Anger, who was picked 70th by the Jaguars in 2012. In his Mock Draft 1.0 released on November 30, 2021, Brugler slotted Thomas to the Dallas Cowboys with the 25th pick of the first round, adding, Thomas has been nearly unblockable this season for the Aztecs, currently leading college football with 72 pressures.. I know how I did at the combine. By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. Weight 200 pounds In the fourth round, Baltimore selected Penn State Punter Jordan Stout with the 130th overall pick. That group includes not only several picks taken inside the top 100 overall players, but also four players taken in the second round and another two taken in the first round. I wonder whether at some point they will simply stand farther back. But, Araiza isnt an ordinary punter. His older brother has long thought so. San Diego State Aztecs punter Matt Araiza has been the talk of the college football universe this season, with his ridiculous distance and precision playing a major role in San Diego State's victories. By Ted McGovern As for Araiza, the Bills could potentially be getting a steal with their selection of the player known as "Punt God.". Ill kind of get to squash that whole warm-weather kicker thing.. Im watching for different reasons than San Diego State fans. And remember, the Big Punt wasnt even Araizas longest punt of the year. 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 . But he still wasnt punting. 0. Hes quick to find the football, and hes always in pursuit mode.. A story of soccer to San Diego, from punter to Punt God. Hes a smooth athlete. Araiza can literally flip the field. This is no better illustrated than noting that he achieved TWO 80+ yard punts. Draft doings The Chargers will arrive at the combine still armed with their original seven picks one in each round in the upcoming draft. Vertical jump 32 He. According to the NFL Mock Draft Database, the highest he is projected to go is in the fifth round picks 144 through 179. 12.0Matt Araiza, SDSU (48 Punts)Inside 20 63%Inside 10 27%Touchback 29%Avg. All Rights Reserved. Then theres his NFL potential: Just how high will Araiza be drafted? Show me in the rule book where it says a punter cant win the Heisman! Since NFL defenses vary their fronts constantly, Thomas versatility to play inside or outside will give him a boost to climb teams draft boards. Hes averaging 54.0 yards per punt, which would smash the NCAA and NFL records51.0 in college and 51.4 in the NFL, the latter set by Slingin Sammy Baugh in 1940. 21, 54 and 85. I knew with punting, I was only a couple of adjustments away from what I did this last year. When asked if there were any other Aztec players with potential draft stock, Brugler named left tackle Zach Thomas and running back Greg Bell as two guys who have a shot to be late-round picks or priority free agents (PFA). 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. Early success formed a catalyst for what was to come later. He had an excellent showing in the combine, punting with stunning accuracy before impressing attendees with his sprinting. The first two punters went off the board in the fourth round with the Ravens selecting Jordan Stout and the Buccaneers taking Jake Camarda. Araiza was widely viewed as the top punting prospect after a 2021 college season that ended with him winning the Ray Guy award. Field Pos. By submitting your email, you agree to our. Araizas ascension to the summit of his position and the attention that has come with it has been one of the storylines of the college football season. 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. By Oliver Hodgkinson January 31, 2022 Jump around this article Click to show Matt Araiza is not your average NFL Draft prospect. By earning the moniker Punt God, attracting the attention of Pat McAfee, and winning the Ray Guy Award, Araiza has elevated punting to national attention while putting himself in the NFL shop window. Araizas potential as a kicker and punter was immediately obvious at Rancho Bernardo. Over the past half-decade, 12 punters have been drafted. For context, two Pro Bowl punters are named each year, leaving about an 20% clip of the Pro Bowl punters in the last 15 seasons being players who were drafted. 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. The Jets and Giants put on quite a show, while a couple of marquee teams raised eyebrows. His big brother saw it on a random field in San Diego, and he set records as soon as he started to kick in high school and college. Marc Ross spotlights 10 rookies set up for success in the 2022 NFL season and beyond. Some games you get a bunch of short field goals, he says. Brugler praised Thomas lateral quickness and constant effort to get to the ball. 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