Former Saints punter Thomas Morstead recently explained to the Athletic why that's a concern. Araiza's controversial stay in the NFL with the Buffalo Bills is well noted. Araizas leg power is also demonstrated as a field goal and kickoff specialist. WCGs Lead Draft Analyst shares brief anecdotes on each of his top performers from Day 2 of the 2023 NFL Combine. He possesses all the tools to start in the NFL and will be a very early draft pick for a punter. 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. | NFL All Day Pack Opening, Jimbo Fisher Isnt Leaving Texas A&M Football, New Texas State Football Coach Wont Last Long, Best PrizePicks College Football DFS Picks and Player Props for CFP National Championship, TCU vs Georgia Prediction, Odds and College Football National Championship Betting Picks, Marcus Jones Draft Profile: Stats, Highlights and 2022 NFL Draft Projection, Cameron Dicker Draft Profile: Stats, Highlights and 2022 NFL Draft Projection, How To Watch Jake Paul vs Tommy Fury In Canada, Jake Paul vs Tommy Fury LIVE! The list of accomplishments is unreal. The likes of Mitch Wishnowsky and Max Duffy from recent draft classes utilized this style of punting before entering the NFL. 2023 Mock Drafts 2024 Mock Drafts 2025 Mock Drafts. With Araiza now in Buffalo, that puts veteran punter Matt Haack on the hot seat. San Diego State. Despite his relatively low recruiting profile, there was a level of expectation around the program when the versatile kicking weapon was finally handed the opportunity to play for the Aztecs in 2019. Positives: Strong-legged punter whos also an exceptional directional kicker. One of the most dangerous weapons in college football is San Diego State punter Matt Araiza. Terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. The NFL only allows the two end defenders to do so. The only other times it happened came in 1993 and 2007. No other punter in history has more 50+ and 60+ yard punts in a single season. According to the NFL Mock Draft Database, the highest he is projected to go is in the fifth round picks 144 through 179. NFL draft projection. He also has the ability to make tackles, with speed and athleticism. 2022 NFL Draft Predictions: Matt Araiza leads class of at least three punters picked, The punter prospects projected to be drafted in this 2022 NFL Draft prediction, Ryan Stonehouse and Cameron Dicker round out punter predictions for the 2022 NFL Draft. The San Diego State punter was better than Camarda in almost every metric last season. Chase Daniel: Young's Height Is Non-Issue, Stroud: I Don't Want to Be Drafted By Bears, Smith-Njigba: Packers Looking at Receivers, Dave Wannstedt: Mike McCarthy's 'Run the Damn Ball' Comment Ill-Advised, Samari Rolle: Forbes Worthy of Comp to Me, Friday's DB Workout Displayed Clear No. He reportedly said, "Bills Mafia, there is no off-season.". There have only been two draft classes since the turn of the century where a punter hasnt been selected in the NFL Draft. 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. 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. From his own end zone here, he manages to kick the ball roughly 70 yards through the air, and it bounces enough to make it an 86-yard punt in the stat book. Team Contract Type Status Year Signed Yrs Total APY Guarantees And no, thats not the type of gimmicky love youll see bestowed on some other athletes in minor roles. Of course, Davis didnt need to play third downs at Georgia because the damage was already done on the first two downs. Meanwhile, Araiza saw some sophomore struggles, completing only 71% of his field goals and missing an extra point for the first time in his career. Although Araizas leg strength is the crown jewel of his scouting report, there are times when hell need to take a little off his punts to achieve success at the next level. 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. If that seems confusing/odd/laughable (delete as applicable), think about this: In 2021 he hit 18 punts of 60-plus yards and a pair of 80-plus yarders. Matt Araiza is one of the only players in the 2022 NFL Draft who can make an immediate impact. The Ray Guy Award bears his name. Fewer punters have been more consistent than the Georgia prospect. 17 for the first round of the draft. go off the board in the second round. He can be seen putting his high school track athleticism to good use getting downfield. Predicting Four 2023 Middle Linebacker Free Agent Destinations The 2023 NFL offseason should be stacked, Von Miller Eyeing GM Career Post Retirement NFL legend and current Buffalo Bills Edge rusher, Former OSU quarterback C.J. 2022 NFL Draft Team Mock Drafts. The Bills may not have known about the allegations hanging over punter Matt Araiza when they . 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). The Buffalo Bills had no choice but to cut their youngpunter after so badly botching their response to our claim, Gilleon said in a statement, per the AP. But there are questions about Davis viability at the NFL level. No other punter has nailed two 80+ yard punts in 2021. But there are tantalising stories further down the board. When a guy leads college football in all major punting statistics including average yards, punt yards per game, punts inside the 20 yard line, and PATs made, he's going to draw NFL draft attention. Between high school punting and a love of soccer, he developed a powerful leg that has been comfortably the most powerful in college football this last season. Call 1-800-GAMBLER. All Combine and Draft-Related Analysis, News, Video, and Biographical Information for Matt Araiza The LA Chargers could consider drafting Matt Araiza in the 2022 NFL Draft. Achieving a historic 12-win season and earning a spot in the final College Football Playoff Top 25 Rankings brought many advantages for the San Diego State Aztecs. But why wasnt he on the field for Georgia on third down? a general manager told NBCs Peter King at the combine. That ability to flip the field to pin opponents deep in their own half, no matter where his own offense stalls out serves as a cheat code. To put that in perspective, there were only six punts of 70 or more yards by every NFL punter combined last season. While Ive just talked you through a brief history lesson of punting in the NFL Draft, the San Diego State product is coming off a historic season of college football punting. In our heart of hearts, I can lay my head down at night knowing that Ive tried to do whats right., The best insights from the ultimate insiders, 2023 NYP Holdings, Inc. 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That said, Matt Araiza is a generational talent at punter. , given to the best punter in college football. Field Pos. Matt Araiza Scouting Report. Odds & lines subject to change. Four punters were chosen in the 2016 NFL Draft. Now time for my prediction: I believe Matt Araiza will be selected in the later portion of Round 4, or in Round 5 of the 2022 NFL Draft. Former Eagles President and Browns CEO Joe Banner gave his take on how he would approach this unique prospect. With his cannon for a leg, positional versatility, and publicity few punters have ever attracted, Araiza has the potential to be selected significantly higher than most punters have in recent NFL Draft classes. FILE - San Diego State's Matt Araiza (2) celebrates his field goal against . Incredible run. Consistency, then Penn State punter Jordan Stout should be called Mr. Hi coach, Ojabo said. It's not often the best player on a team is the punter, but that was the case for the Aztecs last season. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. DBs and Specialists. I was 17 years old and I had no idea who Matt Araiza was," she said. Before the 2022 NFL Draft, NFL Draft analyst Lance Zierlein projected Araiza to go in the third round. PFN Draft Analyst Tony Pauline has Araiza graded as a top-100 player on his latest big board. Continue with Recommended Cookies, (Derrick Tuskan/San Diego State Athletics). Draft Order & Rookie Pools; . (Photo by Joshua Bessex/Getty Images) Finally, Araiza has shown toughness and athletic ability during his time at San Diego State. No punter has been selected in the first two rounds of the NFL Draft since 1995. The previous year, he punted five times for 249 yards, averaging 49.8 yards per punt. Cut (s): Eli Ankou, Prince Emili, Mike Love, Kingsley Jonathan, Brandin Bryant, Daniel Joseph, C.J. You cant even tell that traveling more than 60 yards through the air is a difficult task for a punter by how easy Araiza makes it look. The team admits learning about the allegation in July. If you were going to bet on a long shot, however, who better than two prospects whose whole careers have been about making those long shots? Tracking where Matt Araiza could be drafted in the 2022 NFL mock draft. San Diego State's Matt Araiza, meanwhile, might have the strongest leg in the draft. Eric D. Williams goes to practice with Matt Araiza, who could be the first punter selected on Day 2 of a draft since 2012. . Hang time and accuracy are just as important in the NFL. While a running start can provide for more power, power is far from an issue with Araiza. 2023 NFL Draft Top 25 Big Board: Young No. With the 175th pick of the 2022 NFL Draft, the LA Rams select punter Matt Araiza out of San Diego State. Vendetta Sports Media is sponsored by Monkey Knife Fight, the fastest growing DFS site in the industry. But how have other drafted punters panned out in the NFL? They call him Punt God. Showcasing an exceptionally powerful leg, he holds the Penn State field-goal record with a 57-yard strike against Pitt in 2019. He is a big-armed, big-bodied quarterback who plays in the classic, dropback, Carson Palmer style. Former Bills punter Matt Araiza and former SDSU teammates will not face charges in connection with an alleged gang rape of a minor that occurred at an off-campus party in October 2021, the San . Gambling problem? MKFs unique style and gameplay make betting fun and easy. 2022 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Matt Araiza. This season Araiza hasnt had a single kick punt or field goal blocked. Two NFL teams had Matt Araiza red flags before draft. It is not a good look for a franchise that prides itself on culture and character. The punt went for a touchback, but when you still factor the flipping from San Diego States 21-yard line to Hawaiis 20-yard line, thats still a 59-yard flip with the touchback. Araiza is averaging 54.0 yards per punt, which would crush the NCAA and NFL records51.0 in college (set in 2018 by Braden Mann) / 51.4 in the NFL (set in 1940 by Slingin' Sammy Baugh). the 341 lb Davis ran the 40-yard dash in 4.78 seconds. I didnt know what a first down was or anything, Faalele told ESPN in 2018. While a replication of Guys first-round selection is as unlikely as Pat Bradys 99-yard punt for Nevada in 1950, Araizas scouting report reveals an NFL-worthy talent who should hear his name called as early as Day 2 in the 2022 NFL Draft. Punter prospects in the NFL Draft are more commonplace than youd presume. A two-star prospect, Araiza was the 20th-ranked kicker in the 2018 class. T Formation Conversation: Live from the NFL Combine. In Araizas scouting report, we break through the numbers and noise to scrutinize his pro potential ahead of the 2022 NFL Draft. Being a left-footed punter, teams will have to adjust their formations to help fit his needs. Despite Araiza's incredible 2021 season, he is not expected to be among the highest-drafted punters of all time. Clouding Strongs status is a knee injury that he picked up playing basketball as a kid, one that saw him miss his senior year of high school football. More important than the distance is Araizas unusual control of the ball, allowing him to pin opposing offenses deep in their own half rather than just booming the ball out the back of the endzone. Matt Araiza had two punts of more than 80 yards last season, including an 86-yarder that was the longest punt in college football.He might be able to punt a football from San Diego to Buffalo. In addition to his prowess as a punter, Araiza has a 73.5% success rate as a field-goal kicker. Araiza has a cannon for a leg, shown with his. Most fans expected San Diego State's Matt Araiza to be the first punter selected in the 2022 NFL draft, but multiple prospects at his position came off the board before he heard his name called . But how have other drafted punters panned out in the NFL? Pro Football Network strives to passionately deliver purposeful, captivating, and exceptional football content. 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. Four drafted punters are actually less rare than one might imagine. Punters can be prolific athletes, too! That is an incredibly high projection for a special teams player, as punters and kicker often . The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. Matt Araiza had two punts of more than 80 yards last season, including an 86-yarder that was the longest punt in college football. I cant see him falling past Round 4, which seems like a weird thing to say about a punter, but thats definitely the case with him. , our 15th-highest-ranked prospect. As a junior, Araiza would be eligible for the NFL Draft in both 2022 and 2023. Versatility is next to ability or something of that nature. This unit was added to a lot this offseason. That is the nickname San Diego State's Matt Araiza has received from his incredible collegiate career. Certainly, the conversation around Araiza as a potential Day 2 prospect fuels that narrative. He is a threat to cover his own punts and kicks. Both batches of decision-makers agree on one overriding idea: Field position really, really matters. Get the latest on Buffalo Bills P Matt Araiza including news, stats, videos, and more on CBSSports.com . He also set the FBS mark for 50-yard punts with his 33rd of the season. Daniel Faalele after Minnesotas win over Colorado in September. There have been multiple third-round selections, while FSU punter John Stark was a second-round choice in 1982. Stop by our 2nd City Gridiron YouTube channel for Bear Bones LIVE at FIVE as we get in on some mock draft fun! School: San Diego State. This season, Araiza has set r. Vinnie Iyer of The Sporting News, for example, projects Araiza to go 174th overall to the defending AFC champion Bengals. Araiza in 2021 booted 79 punts for 4,044 yards for an NCAA-record 51.18 yards per punt. San Diego State's Matt Araiza headlines a potentially historic 2022 NFL Draft class with at least three punters picked in our projections. Banners rationale is driven by the notion of replacement value. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. 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. In fact, there hasnt been an NFL starter in the 21st century built as big as the Aussie. The San Diego, California native has a career kicking percentage of over 73% as the Aztecs kicker. Many even called him the 'Punt God.' The biggest thing to note from the preseason is Epenesa. It also helps that Araiza is a quality kickoff specialist, as he has finished in the top-5 in the FBS in average distance on kickoffs in 2020, and his touchback percentage of 84.9 percent was the fourth-most in the nation in 2021. Before you scoff at this notion and dismiss it based on the allegation that Reeder is a "terrible" NFL player who wasn't even drafted, let's look at how the 2 players measure up. We explored a massive trade-down scenario in a recent seven-round mock draft. The 21-year-old is a special teams star who won the 2021 Ray Guy Award, given to the best punter in college football. Negatives: Takes a while to get the ball off his foot. It is officially mock draft season! In 35 games across three years at San Diego State, he punted 84 times for 4,293 yards a 51.1 yards-per-punt rate. . March 25, 2022 5 min read. (AV) of a punter per season who has been drafted in the last 15 seasons. Even these statistical accomplishments usually wouldnt attract the adoration that Araiza has received in this NFL Draft process. The [] 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. But now Araiza is gone, released Saturday afternoon, and with the preseason games over, the Bills have to trim . He is exceptional on fourth down, averaging 51.2 yards per punt in his most recent season. Jump around this article Click to show Punters are NFL Draft prospects, too always have been, always will be. Born in Nigeria, Ojabo moved to Scotland in 2007 before heading to the US to attend high school. Forces a lot of fair catches. The Buffalo Bills are going to have a tough decision to make. Also, a higher average yards per punt does not always mean better sometimes you want to directionally punt, so this can be misleading. The prolific punter also showcased his versatility as a powerful placekicker, hitting 77% of his 48 attempts with a career long of 53 yards. I would rather draft depth at other positions, such as defensive back and linebacker, where the players can develop while contributing on special teams.. The truth of the matter, however, is that Araiza is just the tip of the iceberg of a talented punting class. All the more impressive, the 2021 season was Araiza's first taking on full-time punting duties for the Aztecs. Of course, draft analysis, projections and rumors will be dominating the headlines until then. My names David Ojabo. NFL GMs have got to love that. 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. Araiza has made three 50-yard field goals so far this season, the second most in NCAA football. Faalele is from Melbourne, and an assistant coach for Hawaii on a scouting trip to Australia discovered him while he was rehabbing an injury at a local gym. The Bears find themselves not only needing a new punter to replace Pat ODonnell and compete with Ryan Winslow, but they also have several other needs on the roster. During his first two seasons with the Aztecs, he hit long field goals of 48 yards (Wyoming 19, Colorado 20). Ethan Sears. P Matt Araiza earned $216,148 in his NFL career. With Camarda now in Tampa, that likely spells the end of Bradley Pinion's three-year run with the team. 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. Hawaii had to employ an insane punt coverage against him. Track the most effective teams on first down in the league, and youll notice they just so happen to be the most effective defenses. Above is a plot of the average Approximate Value (AV) of a punter per season who has been drafted in the last 15 seasons. What Would a Zero-RB Fantasy Football Draft Look Like in 2022? Talk about ineptitude.) An achilles injury at Michigans pro day has seen his stock take a hit and served as an example of the dark side of the draft process. He only makes two steps upon catching the ball, as opposed to a running start that some college punters use. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Commissioner.com is a registered trademark of CBS Interactive Inc. site: media | arena: nfl | pageType: stories | Indeed, it wouldnt be jaw-dropping to see Araiza a punter! Furthermore, its reported that Araiza routinely makes kicks from 50+ in practice. They also dont currently have a fourth-round pick, barring some wheeling and dealing on Draft Day. 901 For whatever reason, punters have been a popular position to pick in this year's draft. As soon as the ball left Matt Araiza's foot, the competition between the rookie and Matt Haack was over. Shakir, a fifth-round rookie in 2022, got off to a slow start in his career. 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. Pro Football Network strives to passionately deliver purposeful, captivating, and exceptional football content. Jimmypinthe416 says: August 28, 2022 at 11:39 am Was belichik lying when he drafted Hernandez. 16.0. If youre sitting comfortably, lets begin. Hes also hit a 60+ yarder in each of his four years for the Bulldogs. As Araiza prepares to break positional norms in the 2022 NFL Draft class, his prolific performances as a punter can be traced back to his roots at Rancho Bernardo High in San Diego. Or so it seems. He wound up at the same school as Odafe Oweh, a first-round pick for the Baltimore Ravens in last years draft. The big-footed San Diego native is considered one of the best prospects in his position over the years and many are eager to see . He had a scholarship offer before he even put a helmet on. Despite that, things haven't really changed from out first look at it. Araiza also succeeds as a kickoff specialist, recording 62 touchbacks on 73 attempts. For his career, Araiza averaged 51.1 yards per punt. What Matt Araiza did in college football was revolutionary from a position where it's tough to disrupt how the game is played. Among the players expected to hear his name is punter Matt Araiza out of San Diego State. The biggest surprise is that college football's top punter, Matt Araiza, wasn't the first punter off the board this year. ), wins college football weekend, deserves the Heisman . August 26, 2022. Matt Araiza, Daniel Bellinger and Cameron Thomas, though, have gotten the most buzz . Araiza, who was released by the Bills on Saturday, was accused of being involved in the gang rape of a 17-year-old, with details coming to light after a lawsuit was filed in San Diego County Superior Court accusing Araiza and two of his teammates at San Diego State. Mocks. I hope he is back in the NFL soon., Asked about the decision not to contact Gilleon, Bills GM Brandon Beane said in a press conference that Kathryn DAngelo, the teams attorney, heard what he had to say and thats when we began our process., Were not perfect. Position: K. 6-2 , 200lb (188cm, 90kg) Draft: 6th round, 180th overall of the 2022 NFL draft by the Buffalo Bills. He also has the FBS record for 60+ yard punts. Both are a long shot to be drafted at the end of the month. Faalele looks more like a long-lost third Clegane brother than a starting NFL tackle. Let them know that we sent you! The Packers in 2021 saw Mason Crosby struggle and it may have been the end of his Packers career. As the 2022 NFL Draft nears, its time to put our money where our mouth is and start making some predictions about the class. It's not clear why Araiza dropped all the way down to the sixth round, but there are plenty of theories. Kicking It With Matt Araiza: Former SDSU Kicker On His Punting Past, Present and NFL Future After declaring for the NFL Draft, former San Diego State kicker and Rancho Bernardo High School alum . Nicknamed "Punt God," the San Diego State product became well known for booming punts 80 yards and averaging an NCAA-record 51.19 yards . 2023 NFL Combine Hand Size Results: Notable Quarterback Measurements and More, 2023 NFL Combine Risers: Christian Gonzalez, Deonte Banks, and Brian Branch Perform Well, Anthony Richardson Combine Results: Florida Star Makes Case for QB1, Jahmyr Gibbs Landing Spots: Eagles, Saints, and Cardinals Most Popular in Mock Drafts. "He was like, 'You're outkicking your coverage. If we include the multi-faceted Travon Walker in the discussion, he may wind up being the third defensive lineman taken from Georgias all-world defensive front. As a San Diego native, there was naturally just one choice. Despite those struggles,Araizas game against UNLV gave the football world its first glimpse of him as a punter, nailing 4 of 5 punts over 50 yards.
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