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. I know how I did at the Pro Day. 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. The current Ray Guy Award winner is no stranger to accolades. 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. Behind guard Max Rices 12 straight points at the end, host Broncos score the games final 14 in the final five minutes to stun Aztecs, Stats and storylines to watch on Tuesday night, when San Diego State takes on Boise State at ExtraMile Arena, San Diego State sits on the cusp of a No. We have an 86 yard punt EIGHTY SIX (CC @RKalland) pic.twitter.com/KIi5d3VTTO. Ten years from now well know the truth. With Camarda now in Tampa, that likely spells the end of Bradley Pinion's three-year run with the. It was not an issue in college, where everyone at the line can release downfield after the snap. 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. He was the striker for his high school soccer team, banging home game-winning goals in playoff games. [1][2] The league also held a supplemental draft after the regular draft and before the regular season. Check if your spelling is correct, or try removing filters. Which teams knocked it out of the park? Araiza has a cannon for a leg, shown with his 86-yard punt against San Jose State in October. And, I was the only sophomore on the team at that time. Draft doings The Chargers will arrive at the combine still armed with their original seven picks one in each round in the upcoming draft. But with Araiza, its easy. His selection will depend more on his hangtime and ability to prevent big returns than his record-setting statsin the NFL, returners are faster and better, and might be able to get under the balls that are flying over college players heads. 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. Cornerback Tayler Hawkins accepted an invite to the Hula Bowl, which takes place on January 15 in Orlando, FL. There will be a big red circle on that day on my calendar. With Camarda now in Tampa, that likely spells the end of Bradley Pinion's three-year run with the team. Playing sports is what I love. 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. Oops. A fifth-round selection for Araiza would not be particularly noteworthy in the history of punters taken in the NFL draft. Chad Reuter ranks his favorite picks in each round. As for Araiza, the Bills could potentially be getting a steal with their selection of the player known as "Punt God.". To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy. He has 28 punts of 50-plus yards; the NCAA record is 32, set in 1994. I have a way bigger fan base because my Moms a teacher in the school district I grew up in. When I originally went out for the football team, it wasnt to be a kicker. The selection of Araiza gave SDSU four players in the 2022 NFL Draft. 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. National Championship Game Recap: What Went Wrong? 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. And what's up with the Commanders' value assessment? Height 6 and 1 1/8 Did anyone nail their first three picks more than the Eagles? Since NFL defenses vary their fronts constantly, Thomas versatility to play inside or outside will give him a boost to climb teams draft boards. 2023 USFL College Draft: Three Players From Mountain West Selected, San Diego State Football: Three Questions For Spring Practice. Araiza will be selected early on Day Two, if not late in the first round. What Matt Araiza did in college football was revolutionary from a position where it's tough to disrupt how the game is played. San Diego State punter Matt Araiza speaks during the NFL Scouting Combine on Saturday, March 5, 2022, at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis. 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? The NFL scouting combine an intense and significant event in the pre-draft process is underway in Indianapolis. The Punter That Was Promised would be the most valuable player in football by a wide margin. But Araiza took a while to realize that kicking was his path. 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. Georgia police have secured a warrant to arrest highly-touted draft prospect Jalen Carter, according to a report from Seth Emerson. But being at San Diego State for four years, really living it, it made me laugh that I even considered going anywhere else. From the aforementioned information, it appears that Araiza is an elite punting prospect. At some positions, NFL teams can struggle to identify the best players. #BillsMafia pic.twitter.com/ifbf6FjLa0, Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) April 30, 2022. 21 UCLA women top ASU in OT in Pac 12 opener 81-70, Irving senses Mavs urgency in new star pairing with Doncic. Araiza should win the Ray Guy Award, which goes to the nations best punter. From the aforementioned information, it appears that Araiza is an elite punting 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. 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. Mountain West Football: Who Had The Most Turnover Luck In 2022? Players are identified as a Pro Bowler if they were selected for the Pro-Bowl at any time in their career. 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. Brugler predicts Bellinger will be the second San Diego State player drafted (after Cameron Thomas). Copyright 2019-2023. Anger averaged 44.2 yards per punt as a senior at Cal; Araiza is outpacing that mark by almost 10 yards per punt. Thomas has been a really solid player for [SDSU], Brugler said. 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. 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. 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. Maybe hell hit one 90 yards this week! When it comes to punters, the bigger surprise is that the Buccaneers took Camarda over Araiza. Brugler praised Thomas lateral quickness and constant effort to get to the ball. Per the report, police implicated Carter in street racing, which . This, surprises me. Highest Punter Ever Drafted Russell Erxleben was drafted No. The Punt God is averaging far more yards per punt than Anger did his senior year. Three juniors, all local San Diego kids, were named to the Associated Press All-American Teams. Araiza knocked it out of the park, posting numbers comparable to some highly ranked prospects. John Stark from Florida State made it into the second round, way back in 1982. They attend expensive camps and begin perfecting their form. He was the San Diego sectional kicker of the year in all three years he kicked, and broke the county record for career field goals. 2 and the words: PUNT GOD! San Diego State punter Matt Araiza is no ordinary prospect in the 2022 NFL Draft. 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. 40-yard time 4.68 seconds I saw the first one (when Stout was selected). Of course you would use a first-round pick on the Punter That Was Promised. (AV) of a punter per season who has been drafted in the last 15 seasons. 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. Not only has he shown his prowess as a punter, but Coach Maalouf adds he kicked off as well and was good at it. 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? 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. 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.. I thought I was going to play soccer overseas in Europe, he says, so that was the goal for a while., Most kickers and punters specialize in their chosen paths from an early age. 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. Araiza projects as a punter, because thats where hes setting records, and because hes a lefty. 1 to 32. The NFL Draft doesn't usually give us very many surprises when it comes to punting, but it came through with two big surprises on Saturday. Vinnie Iyer of The Sporting News, for example, projects Araiza to go 174th overall to the defending AFC champion Bengals. A story of soccer to San Diego, from punter to Punt God. Not only did Matt Araiza launch a punt, but he also made the tackle (via @CBSSportsNet) #ForTheBrand | @PatMcAfeeShow pic.twitter.com/r1BvgmKKjS. Will Aidan Hutchinson supercharge the Lions' pass rush? Araizas potential as a kicker and punter was immediately obvious at Rancho Bernardo. The San Diego, California native has a career kicking percentage of over 73% as the Aztecs kicker. 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. 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? I knew with punting, I was only a couple of adjustments away from what I did this last year. Apparently, NFL scouts focused their attention on other punters as well. Time will tell. The Aztecs are 7-0 and ranked 21st in the AP poll, with two wins over Pac-12 opponents. 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. In reality, he is an offensive weapon, the kind that ra-ra football coaches . 10-yard split time 1.61 seconds 180 overall pick in the sixth round on Saturday. 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. He had an excellent showing in the combine, punting with stunning accuracy before impressing attendees with his sprinting. Anger is the only punter chosen earlier than the fourth round since 2005. But its no secret that he enjoys punting the most. 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. 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. On Wednesday, Georgia police announced a warrant for Carter's arrest on suspicion of reckless driving and racing. Araiza may be the greatest college punter of all time. 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. Twenty-nine percent of his punts went for touchbacks. Pat McAfee later called the Big Punt a Piss Missile, which is just about the highest honor a punter can receive. 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. 133). Thomas, a redshirt junior who earned his degree this December, accepted an invite to play in the Senior Bowl and will look to showcase his top-tier talent to NFL teams. 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. We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. Well, that was just a way onto the football roster. Really dependable ball skills. 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. Plus, Nadine Smith on the Agendas Behind Wrestling Documentaries. 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 2022 NFL Draft surprisingly saw just one QB taken in the first two rounds, but that doesn't doom the entire crop to irrelevance. 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. [Scouts] see the traits, says Brugler. The Aztecs are playing for the Mountain West title Saturday and Araiza was going to have a big role again. San Diego States Matt Araiza is the third punter in school history selected in the NFL Draft. I know the type of season I put on. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. Most punters dont achieve that distance in a career. Thomas won the Mountain West Defensive Player of the Year after collecting 20.5 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks this past season. section: | slug: 2022-nfl-draft-shocker-bills-land-punt-god-matt-araiza-who-surprisingly-gets-taken-behind-two-other-punters | sport: football | route: article_single.us | Im excited for the challenge. I dont think I realized how important it was when I made the decision, Araiza said. 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. 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. By Oliver Hodgkinson January 31, 2022 Jump around this article Click to show Matt Araiza is not your average NFL Draft prospect. NFL footage NFL Productions LLC. Matt Araiza knew the Big Punt was different. Araiza was widely viewed as the top punting prospect after a 2021 college season that ended with him winning the Ray Guy award. You can go as far as your work ethic can take you. So, I think that was probably when I knew I had a shot.. However, it was there that the power of his left leg was harnessed with a view to a long-term career goal. "For a specialist, it's so random," Araiza said. 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. against San Jose State in October. Araiza knocked it out of the park, posting numbers comparable to some highly ranked prospects. 23 overall by the then-Oakland Raiders in 1973. Its not ordinary to find a punter dominating social media and football conversations across the country. In the past 22 years, there have been several third-round selections at punter. 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