Stout was one of the top punters in this year's class and it wasn't a total shocker to see him become the first punter taken. against San Jose State in October. 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 . Chicago Bears 2023 Free Agency Roundtable: Signing we dont want to see. Updated. The San Diego, California native has a. as the Aztecs kicker. Talk about flipping the field. Draft Order & Rookie Pools; . No other punter in history has more 50+ and 60+ yard punts in a single season. Araiza knocked it out of the park, posting numbers comparable to some highly ranked prospects. While his power has never been in question, the San Diego State punter displayed accuracy while placing punts with aplomb in front of the eyes of the NFL. The WCG crew ran through several free agency questions in this roundtable, and today we gave our pick for the signings we want the Bears to avoid. San Diego State wasnt prepared for this 10-man rush of the punter, but that didnt matter to Araiza. He converted all but one of his 97 career extra-point attempts, too. Mock drafts will dance around the internet for the next two months they've already started and in a cozy 5th-Round spot nestled will be the name Matt Araiza because every team should want a glimpse of the field-position machete.. And if Araiza's draft stock remains at the 5th Round or lower . P Matt Araiza earned $216,148 in his NFL career. What I was asked to do was different from a skill set (perspective) than maybe other players have. Hawaii had two returners lined up with one much farther back than the traditional return distance and the punt still went over both of their heads. 2021 ALL-MOUNTAIN WEST SECOND TEAM (COACHES): PK - Matt Araiza, Jr., San Diego State,.Araiza, a finalist for the Ray Guy Award, has already set NCAA records in 50-yard punts (38) and 60-yard punts (18) in a season, and is on track to break Braden Mann's record of 50.98 set in 2018 while with Texas A&M. 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. Simply put, Araiza is the best punting prospect to enter the NFL Draft in quite some time. These primarily center around consistency. The 2022 NFL Draft is quickly approaching, with the first round kicking off on Thursday, April 28th. Araizas punting style with a nose-down punt leaves improvement for coffin corners. 2:39 pm ET, did he lead the nation in punting average, 2023 NFL free agent interior offensive linemen, NFL free agent offensive tackles: Sizing up 2023 market, Free agent WR market: Breaking down available talent, NFL 2023 free agency: Top TEs set to hit open market, NFL 2023 free agency: Top RBs set to hit open market, 'Punt God' Matt Araiza not first punter taken, NFL Combine: QB, WR, TE run 40s, compete in drills, Mock Draft: Panthers, Colts trade up for QBs, Rodgers' trade value, logistics, best fit, Pascal robbed at gunpoint, assaulted; WR 'doing fine', Bryce Young measures similar to former No. An immobile quarterback with a sketchy knee will be a no-no for most teams, and depending on how concerned teams are about the injury he could slip all the way to day three of the draft. Position: K. 6-2 , 200lb (188cm, 90kg) Draft: 6th round, 180th overall of the 2022 NFL draft by the Buffalo Bills. Team Contract Type Status Year Signed Yrs Total APY Guarantees 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. As the 2022 NFL Draft nears, it's time to put our money where our mouth is and start making some predictions about the class. Just the 270th-ranked player in California and 2,609th nationally, Araiza held only three offers, with San Diego State winning out over UMass and FCS-level Montana. Versatility is next to ability or something of that nature. In this past season alone, Araiza had the following: I have not seen a punter with the sheer power that Araiza displays on a consistent basis. Matt Araiza, punter, San Diego State . Before the 2022 NFL Draft, NFL Draft analyst Lance Zierlein projected Araiza to go in the third round. 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. Pro Football Network strives to passionately deliver purposeful, captivating, and exceptional football content. Vendetta Sports Media is sponsored by Monkey Knife Fight, the fastest growing DFS site in the industry. Furthermore, Todd Sauerbrun, Rohn Stark, Johnny Evans, and Tom Skladany were all punters selected in the second round. Of course, draft analysis, projections and rumors will be dominating the headlines until then. The coach offered Faalele a scholarship on the spot. If youre sitting comfortably, lets begin. SUBSCRIBEto the Vendetta YouTube Channel! Hi coach, Ojabo said. At least three punters will be selected in the 2022 NFL Draft that is the prediction. 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. #Bills #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/EA1iEWkdyA. Since 2000, just two draft classes (2017 and 2011) have not had a punter selected to the NFL. Punters are NFL Draft prospects, too always have been, always will be. The NFL only allows the two end defenders to do so. Pro football is a game of land acquisition, played four downs at a time. Before we get into the sexier traits of punter scouting if such a thing exists I want to get into San Diego States punt formation being a benefit for Araiza. and that Bill Belichick is already salivating over using a second-round pick on him in the 2022 NFL Draft. Many even called him the 'Punt God.' Above is a plot of the average Approximate Value (AV) of a punter per season who has been drafted in the last 15 seasons. Matt Araiza is San Diego State's record-setting punter. They call him Punt God. The 2022 NFL draft is a little over two weeks away. In yesterdays game, Matt Araiza elevated his NCAA record with his 16th punt of 60+ yards this year. His ceiling could be much higher. The reigning Ray Guy Award winner as the nation's top punter, Araiza set an FBS record with a 51.19-yard . 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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Araiza knocked it out of the park, posting numbers comparable to some highly ranked prospects. I am sure he is very upset and disappointed that his career with the Bills ended not because he played poorly but because of false allegations leveled against him by a young lady and her attorney, Araizas lawyer, Kerry Armstrong, told the AP. Four punters were chosen in the 2016 NFL Draft. Both batches of decision-makers agree on one overriding idea: Field position really, really matters. @matt_araiza. Araiza denied the allegations in a statement released by his agent on Friday, but has not spoken publicly himself. He possesses all the tools to start in the NFL and will be a very early draft pick for a punter. Matt Araiza Scouting Report. San Diego State's Matt Araiza, meanwhile, might have the strongest leg in the draft. On his list of the top 150 prospects on NFL.com, Daniel Jeremiah listed Araiza at No. Despite Araiza's incredible 2021 season, he is not expected to be among the highest-drafted punters of all time. Araiza, one of the Buffalo Bills' sixth round picks in the 2022 NFL Draft, boomed a . Chatter among leaky scouts has suggested that Faalele may be too big to play tackle in the league, that he will struggle to dip and sink to wall off the leagues premier dip-and-rip pass-rushers. I didnt know the positions or what roles they played. He is exceptional on fourth down, averaging 51.2 yards per punt in his most recent season. Araiza was selected by the Bills in the sixth round (180th overall) of the 2022 NFL Draft. He also set the FBS mark for 50-yard punts with his 33rd of the season. Hes also hit a 60+ yarder in each of his four years for the Bulldogs. Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. Additionally, Ray Guy was a first-round pick in 1973, with the award for punting success named after him. 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). Call 1-800-GAMBLER. He has a repeatable and pro-ready approach with consistently polished footwork. This season, Araiza has set r. 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? He was also one of four players in the nation who handled all three kicking duties (punts, PATs/field goals and kickoffs), Araiza was 18-of-28 . Bills get the Punt God in the SIXTH ROUND. Stout will likely end up replacing the longtime Ravens punter, who turns 40 in August. No other player this season has two 80+ yard punts. For whatever reason, punters have been a popular position to pick in this year's draft. The LA Chargers have 11 picks in the 2022 NFL Draft and there is a chance that the team could draft San Diego State punter Matt Araiza. Track the most effective teams on first down in the league, and youll notice they just so happen to be the most effective defenses. He maintained composure in a penetrated backfield, and he was able to send the ball 65 yards through the air with ease. For his career, Araiza averaged 51.1 yards per punt. It's probable that he would have hit a fourth for 55 yards . All Rights Reserved. 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. His season average of 51.19 yards set a new single-season record. 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. The San Diego State punter was better than Camarda in almost every metric last season. 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. Teams worried about Davis role on third down should instead be focused on how he can tip the scales in their favor on the most important down of all. 154) - 1 - Cincinnati Bengals (No. He only makes two steps upon catching the ball, as opposed to a running start that some college punters use. In 2021, Araiza has emerged as something of a rockstar in the punting community. The buzz over this punting class begins with Araiza. Punter prospects in the NFL Draft are more commonplace than youd presume. , our 15th-highest-ranked prospect. In Araizas scouting report, we break through the numbers and noise to scrutinize his pro potential ahead of the 2022 NFL Draft. Kiper's updated Big Board for the 2022 NFL draft: Ranking the best prospects at every position 1y Mel Kiper Jr. Araiza, who had one year left of eligibility, set the record for punting average in . During his three-year stint as the starter for Rancho Bernardo, Araiza boomed a 71-yard long punt. Colorado States Ryan Stonehouse featured just behind Araiza this year, with an average of 50.9 yards per punt. 901 Hutchinson was an effort player; Ojabo the beat-them-out-of-their-cleats, vintage, get-off-and-go rusher. However, even in recent history, multiple punters were selected in 2019 and 2020. I would rather draft depth at other positions, such as defensive back and linebacker, where the players can develop while contributing on special teams.. 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 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. Araiza served as SDSU's placekicker while he was in college, so he's never had to hold. His 32 vertical jump was the same as Chris Olave, our 15th-highest-ranked prospect. The big-legged San Diego native is considered one of the best prospects at his position in years and many are eager to see where he lands. The 21-year-old is a special teams star who won the. A fifth-round selection for Araiza would not be particularly noteworthy in the history of punters taken in the NFL draft. We've received your submission. Based on Over The Cap's projections, . 1 pick, Richardson logs colossal measurements at combine, Commanders rip 'blatantly false' team sale report, Top QB in draft has one team he doesn't want to play for. 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). Its time to look at five of the upcoming classs most intriguing (rather than the best) prospects. You must be logged in to post a comment Meanwhile, he averaged 41.7 yards on 120 punts that tallied over 5,000 yards. If this was 2005, Strong would be in play to be the first name called. * 21+ (19+ CA-ONT) (18+ NH/WY). The relationship is not close to being statistically significant here, and the R-squared value is almost negligible. Im tougher, stronger, more athletic than Odafe Oweh. While I ordinarily like to steer clear of pro comparisons, there are striking similarities between Stout and four-time first-team All-Pro punter Johnny Hekker. He converted all but one of his 97 career extra-point attempts, too. Negatives: Takes a while to get the ball off his foot. But how have other drafted punters panned out in the NFL? 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. Punter. And yet in a weak quarterback class, Strong remains the most gifted thrower of the bunch, a fact that should matter when a quarterbacks principal responsibility is to pass the ball. No wonder the "punt god" is generating NFL draft buzz. For more 2022 NFL Draft coverage and player profiles, check out our NFL Draft page. Finally, Araiza has shown toughness and athletic ability during his time at San Diego State. 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. However, what makes Araiza special is that he also kicks field goals and does kickoffs. Punters are NFL Draft prospects, too always have been, always will be. Araiza can be quite a weapon for NFL teams adding a punter in the 2022 draft. March 25, 2022 5 min read. Certainly, the conversation around Araiza as a potential Day 2 prospect fuels that narrative.
