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. 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. 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. County of San Diego; State of California; Federal . 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. 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. 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. While praising Bell for his vision and ability to find the cutback lane, he highlights the struggles in pass protection and ball security. Matt Araiza is one of the more fascinating prospects of the 2022 NFL Draft which is saying something, considering he's a punter. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. He. 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. Is Araiza the Punter That Was Promised? In the past 22 years, there have been several third-round selections at punter. Could Aaron Rodgers help Christian Watson compete for hardware from the jump in Green Bay? All four players have the talent to compete and excel at the next level. Stout was slightly ahead of him at 44.5 while Camarda was well below both guys at 41.6. These traits make for an incredibly impressive athlete, but how would he test at the NFL Combine? Welcome to Buffalo, @Matt_Araiza! 2004-2023 CBS Interactive. to gain some insight on how teams are evaluating the Aztecs enrollees as the draft process is set to begin. So, what's next for this group -- in 2022 and beyond? 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). 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. 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. 2023 USFL College Draft: Three Players From Mountain West Selected, San Diego State Football: Three Questions For Spring Practice. All other NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. His broad jump of 10 1 was better than many who are projected to be high draft selections, including Aidan Hutchinson, David Bell, Isaiah Spiller, Brian Robinson Jr., and Trey McBride. Watch where Araiza ends up on this play! Maybe some preferred right-footed kickers over guys like Araiza, a Rancho Bernardo High alum who is left-footed. Yes, he was already on pace to set the all-time yards-per-punt record, and yes, Araiza had hit an 86-yard punt the week before. Every front office in the NFL may have Araiza at a different spot on their boards come the last week in April, but the standout college special teams player should hear his name called during the 2022 NFL Draft. At the time, a young Araiza couldnt have imagined becoming a national punting icon. Players are identified as a Pro Bowler if they were selected for the Pro-Bowl at any time in their career. The Aztecs Punt God gained a national following for his record-setting exploits last season. The 1979 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. Something went wrong. The Big Punt traveled more than 80. Georgias Dominant Title Defense and a Curtain Call for the Ages, The Mandalorian Season 3, Episode 1 Instant Reactions. Another attribute teams love about Thomas is his versatility to play up and down the line of scrimmage. It was fun, Araiza grinned while reflecting on the craziness of the past season. Before that, the last one came in 2013. In the latest. Theyre three different skills that each require practice, and a human leg can swing only so many times before it gets overworked. Hes quick to find the football, and hes always in pursuit mode.. [Scouts] see the traits, says Brugler. Hes a smooth athlete. 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. 16.0. Its been huge to have that impact on my home town as well. 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. 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. The only two FBS teams that gave him offers were San Diego State and UMass. San Diego State punter Matt Araiza has created a loyal following with his ridiculously strong leg. Given the recent trends of where punters have been drafted, it would make sense for Araiza to be selected on Day 3 since only Bryan Anger has been taken before then in the past 15 years. Averaging 51.19 yards per punt, Araiza is the all-time single-season average punt distance leader. But that's only half-true: Araiza is also statistically the most talented punter prospect of all time. But he still wasnt punting. 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. Foot meets ball; fireworks ensue. Only one punter, Pressley Harvin III, was drafted last year, taken by the Pittsburgh Steelers with the 254th pick (7th round). Vertical jump 32 As for Araiza, the Bills could potentially be getting a steal with their selection of the player known as "Punt God.". March 25, 2022 5 min read. r collecting 20.5 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks this past season. Araiza knocked it out of the park, posting numbers comparable to some highly ranked prospects. 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. On Wednesday, Georgia police announced a warrant for Carter's arrest on suspicion of reckless driving and racing. Its a loaded defensive end class, Brugler said. San Diego State punter Matt Araiza speaks during the NFL Scouting Combine on Saturday, March 5, 2022, at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis. Bellinger recently signed with JB Sports, Inc., the same agency that represents San Francisco 49ers tight end, George Kittle. San Diego State punter Matt Araiza is no ordinary prospect in the 2022 NFL Draft. Obviously, one of the benefits in my decision to pick San Diego State was being close to home. This, surprises me. 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. John Stark from Florida State made it into the second round, way back in 1982. Bills get the Punt God in the SIXTH ROUND. 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. Arm length 30 1/2 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). 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. The San Diego State punter was better than Camarda in almost every metric last season. He is also highly accurate as a punter, with 37 of his 79 punts (46.8%) landing inside the opponents 20-yard line in 2021 against just 15 touchbacks. Marc Ross spotlights 10 rookies set up for success in the 2022 NFL season and beyond. What Matt Araiza did in college football was revolutionary from a position where it's tough to disrupt how the game is played. The Punter That Was Promised would be the most valuable player in football by a wide margin. This is a statement of fact rather than a prediction. In this years tight end class, Brugler ranked Ferguson 12th, one spot higher than Bellinger. Araiza doesnt just punt, though: He was the Aztecs place kicker before taking on double duty. A hundred percent, a hundred percent, said Araiza, who watched the draft from home with family and friends. Hed be worthy of going first. The 2022 NFL Draft surprisingly saw just one QB taken in the first two rounds, but that doesn't doom the entire crop to irrelevance. published this week, Ryan Wilson has the Chargers drafting Thomas with the 20th pick in the first round. The draft was held May 34, 1979, at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City, New York. 1 to 32. It wasn't surprising that San Diego State punter Matt Araiza lasted until the sixth round of the 2022 NFL Draft, where the Buffalo Bills chose Araiza. 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. Angers cumulative yard per punt average in four years at California was 43.5, including a high of 45.6 in his junior season. As his team keeps winning games and his punts keep soaring over the heads of baffled punt returners, he also raises a question: Just how valuable can a punter truly be? 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. 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Smith on Skip and Kaepernick, Martin Luther King Jr., the Revolutionary With Dr. Peniel Joseph. Brugler predicts Bellinger will be the second San Diego State player drafted (after Cameron Thomas). Maybe hell hit one 90 yards this week! I wonder whether at some point they will simply stand farther back. I knew I just had to figure out a few things, dial in a few things, get some consistency and adjust to the college operation time. Check if your spelling is correct, or try removing filters. Bucky Brooks highlights 10 perfect rookie-team fits from the 2022 NFL Draft. He's expected to be one of the players chosen in the 2022 NFL draft next month. All the more impressive, the 2021 season was Araiza's first taking on full-time punting duties for the Aztecs. I have a way bigger fan base because my Moms a teacher in the school district I grew up in. The Punt God has found a new home. 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He is exceptional on fourth down, averaging 51.2 yards per punt in his most recent season. 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. "This is a great year for. #BillsMafia pic.twitter.com/ifbf6FjLa0, Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) April 30, 2022. . EVT caught up with, Dane Brugler, NFL Draft Analyst for The Athletic. So, Im going to try and do it as long as possible.. So that builds his value to your team especially if you have an older kicker who now you can take the kickoff duty from.. In the NFL, only two players can release, so additional time to get downfield is significant. The Punt God is averaging far more yards per punt than Anger did his senior year. While a lot of kids growing up dream of playing in the NFL, at that time it wasnt even a consideration for Araiza. 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. No other punter. He was named to several First and Second All-American Teams by various national media outlets. Chad Reuter ranks his favorite picks in each round. In this graphic, there appears to be nearly no association between where a player was selected and his average AV per season. 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). 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. He spent time at Qualcomm Stadium watching the San Diego Chargers, enjoying the passionate environment in person but still holding soccer in his heart. San Diego State hosts Fresno State on Saturday night. The number of seasons for each punter includes every season where at least half of a season was played. In fact, the San Diego State punter and placekicker had his eye on playing in his school's brand-new stadium next season while going for a master's degree. Despite all the success on the football field for Rancho Bernardo, Araiza was largely overlooked in the 2018 recruiting cycle. 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. From the aforementioned information, it appears that Araiza is an elite punting prospect. 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. pic.twitter.com/8W8mTfGHTj. 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. 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). The NCAA record holder is extremely familiar with breaking records. Araiza knocked it out of the park, posting numbers comparable to some highly ranked prospects. Draft doings The Chargers will arrive at the combine still armed with their original seven picks one in each round in the upcoming draft. Few could have seen this meteoric rise to success. But how high, exactly, can we expect a team to take Araiza, winner of the 2021 Ray Guy Award? Im pretty confident in that regard.. Only two punters have been drafted in the second round: Todd Sauerbrun (Chicago, 1995) and Rohn Stark (Baltimore, 1982). As mentioned before, Araiza is incredibly versatile and can help the special teams unit in an impactful way. 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. The 21-year-old is a special teams star who won the. 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. Did the Packers blow it by once again passing on the receiver position in Round 1? Araiza will be selected early on Day Two, if not late in the first round. Logically, the first media question to. Araizas performances have been record-setting. The league also held a supplemental draft after the regular draft and before the regular season. He converted all but one of his 97 career extra-point attempts, too. 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. Watching Araiza help the Aztecs win game after game feels like unlocking a portal to a world where the sports millions of complicated schemes and strategies dont matter. Araiza will remember that for some time to come, a perceived snub he will use as motivation. I know what I bring to the NFL. Over the past half-decade, 12 punters have been drafted. The first specialist chosen was LSU kicker Cade York, who went to Cleveland in the fourth round, six picks before Stout was taken. What was surprising even shocking, to some is that two punters were selected Saturday ahead of Araiza. He visited Buffalo years ago on a family vacation and is thrilled to return, even if it means purchasing a heavier jacket. Surely there's some NFL team that takes him earlier than you would expect. 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. Araiza found a home at SDSU, not far from where he grew up. San Diego State ranks seventh in overall special teams FEI, which takes into account all aspects of special teams. Although he was the top punting prospect in the draft, Araiza ended up being the third punter selected. Soccer was, for sure, the first sport I wanted to play professionally. 133). Bell will need to distinguish himself throughout the draft process if he wants to earn a shot at impressing a team and a spot in training camp. If a team is uncomfortable with your holding skills, that could absolutely lead you to dropping in the draft. He is exceptional on fourth down, averaging 51.2 yards per punt in his most recent season. Dunkle also earned First Team All-American by Pro Football Network and Second Team All-American by the Associated Press. There have been first-round punters in the past, most recently in 1979. The 21-year-old is a special teams star who won the 2021 Ray Guy Award, given to the best punter in college football. Well, that was just a way onto the football roster. Copyright 2019-2023. Show me in the rule book where it says a punter cant win the Heisman! The relationship is not close to being statistically significant here, and the R-squared value is almost negligible. He's boomed multiple 80-yarders . MORE:NFL Draft prospects 2022: Updated big board of top 150 players, rankings by position. Hang time was the primary concern for Araiza in the weeks and months leading up to the draft. They attend expensive camps and begin perfecting their form. Did one NFC West team just accumulate more prospect talent than the rest of the division combined? Certainly, a benefit for Araiza is his ability to also excel at kickoffs and handle place-kicking duties if necessary, providing more reason to use a middle-round pick on the Ray Guy Award winner. Araizas potential as a kicker and punter was immediately obvious at Rancho Bernardo. Aztecs head coach Brady Hoke recently said that Araiza is the teams MVP. But then came the 50-, 60-, 70-. Waring caught 31 passes for 372 yards and three touchdowns, almost identical to Bellingers final season. Although Araiza saw plenty of action at San Diego State, he might not see the field much in Buffalo. But Araiza took a while to realize that kicking was his path. I know how I did at the Pro Day. The Aztecs are 7-0 and ranked 21st in the AP poll, with two wins over Pac-12 opponents. 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. One of those is national recognition for its most talented players who caught the eyes of NFL scouts looking for the next great professional prospect. This begs the question: how well will Matt Araiza transition to the NFL? Something I hadnt really told anyone yet is if my professional football career ends and I still have a bit of gas in the tank, Im going to go out and try to play semi-pro soccer somewhere. Should he be the Mountain West Player of the Year? All Rights Reserved. One other theory is that teams are afraid Araiza might outkick his coverage in the NFL. That shows up when he has to make a tackle. Punters are an often-overlooked asset on a football squad but San Diego State punter/kicker Matt Araiza has been frequently referenced as the most talented punt prospect in recent history. When youre playing a field position battle, this guy will just flip the field and put the ball inside the other 20 with just one swing of his leg. Thomas won the Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year after collecting 20.5 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks this past season. I want my life to be an adventure, Araiza said. The Raiders drafted him with the 23rd pick in 1973. Is MJF the Second Coming of CM Punk? I know how I did at the combine. 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. Araiza, who began his career at San Diego State as a kicker, also converted 96 of 97 extra point attempts and 50 of 68 field goal attempts (73.5 percent), with a long of 54. I dont think Ive ever seen a ball travel like that before.. But since 2000, nobody has gone higher than Bryan Anger, who was picked 70th by the Jaguars in 2012. The Buffalo Bills tweeted out the announcement with a picture of Araiza wearing his red and black Aztecs jersey with now-familiar No. Specialists often aren't taken until. This season, hes put it to devastating use week in and week out. 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. Gennaro Filice provides draft grades for each NFC West team. As a matter of fact, he already seems to be fully embracing his new team. The San Diego, California native has a. as the Aztecs kicker. Most punters dont achieve that distance in a career. That motor really helps him frequently make tackles away from the line of scrimmage that a lot of defensive ends just dont make. The 21-year-old is a special teams star who won the 2021 Ray Guy Award, given to the best punter in college football. 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). February 28, 2023 6:16 pm SI NFL Draft Bible. But with Araiza, its easy. He converted all but one of his 97 career extra-point attempts, too. 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. Araiza also boomed an 86-yard punt last season, which was the longest in college football. 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. All Rights Reserved. To generate that fan base was a really cool experience and it was awesome to see.
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