Current. DB/Specialist Pre-Draft Notes (2022 NFL Draft) by Shane Hallam April 21, 2022 0 520. They ignored us, [when] I warned them [what] would happen could be avoided if they just kept their heads in the sand. According to the Associated Press, executives from two different NFL teams became aware that Araiza had been involved in an incident in the lead-up to the draft, though they didnt know the extent of the allegations. * 21+ (19+ CA-ONT) (18+ NH/WY). In the first of these predictions pieces, Matt Araiza leads a cast of at least three punters selected in the 2022 NFL Draft. While a running start can provide for more power, power is far from an issue with Araiza. He showcases very good touch and a repeatable delivery. MKFs unique style and gameplay make betting fun and easy. Corey Bojorquez has also shown inconsistency. Copyright 2023 Sporting News Holdings Limited. Increasing his punt average with every year, Stout earned an invite to the Senior Bowl, where he impressed in sometimes torrid conditions. Matt Araiza is one of the only players in the 2022 NFL Draft who can make an immediate impact. This reinforces the significance of gross versus net punting averages. He is exceptional on fourth down, averaging 51.2 yards per punt in his most recent season. As for Araiza, the Bills could potentially be getting a steal with their selection of the player known as "Punt God.". 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 WCG crew ran through several free agency questions in this roundtable, and today we listed the one signing we expect Ryan Poles to make. Although on-field punter drills werent televised, onlookers inside Lucas Oil Stadium reported that Araiza was impressive during those sessions at the NFL Combine. If he passes those criteria while youre working him out and he hits the Duke well, able to turn the ball over, then yes, you check off the boxes., Once a special teams coach feels comfortable with Araizas ability, the coach may want to suggest the rest of the front office look into acquiring him in the draft. They call him Punt God. But when you boom not just one, but two punts over 80 yards, you earn some attention. As a San Diego native, there was naturally just one choice. Yet, in San Diego State punter Matt Araiza, the 2022 NFL Draft class might possess the most high-profile and highly skilled punter prospect in recent history. Our written profile to add to our NIL Apparel and Podcast Interview of College Football's #1 Punter #sdsu #NFLDraft. At least three punters will be selected in the 2022 NFL Draft that is the prediction. 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. We have an 86 yard punt EIGHTY SIX (CC @RKalland) pic.twitter.com/KIi5d3VTTO. It's not often the best player on a team is the punter, but that was the case for the Aztecs last season. Some draft projections have listed Araiza as a potential Day 2 selection, when rounds 2-3 will be conducted. Matt Araiza is one of the more fascinating prospects of the 2022 NFL Draft which is saying something, considering he's a punter. Araiza seems like he's going to be a good fit in Buffalo. holy crap.you know what I just realized? Redshirting his 2018 season, Araiza learned under San Diego State kicker John Barron II. But how high, exactly, can we expect a team to take Araiza, winner of the 2021 Ray Guy Award? At 6ft 9in (!) Of course, there were more rounds and selections back then. 6-keys: media/spln/nfl/reg/free/stories, at The left-footer with the big leg has been widely projected by draft analysts as the top . 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. Thanks for contacting us. Punters are NFL Draft prospects, too always have been, always will be. Can he step, drop, and reset to cut off Khalil Mack trying to knife inside? Araiza has a cannon for a leg, shown with his. That, combined with the more condensed splits in the NFL, makes a rugby-style delivery tough to impossible to pull off consistently. More than just power, Araiza has a punting style that causes the ball to roll forward if it is not caught. Punters are NFL Draft prospects, too always have been, always will be. Araiza also boomed an 86-yard punt last season, which was the longest in college football. 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. He quickly became a nationally known name after delivering a 82-yard punt in the preseason. General manager Tom Telesco spoke to the media on Thursday and was asked about Araiza in the draft. 2022 NFL Draft Team Mock Drafts. He wound up at the same school as Odafe Oweh, a first-round pick for the Baltimore Ravens in last years draft. These primarily center around consistency. The Buffalo Bills have claimed they did not know about allegations recently made in a lawsuit against former punter Matt Araiza prior to the 2022 NFL draft. Login. Do you mind if I try playing football?. Now for the burning question: where will Araiza be drafted in April? 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. 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 . WCGs Lead Draft Analyst shares brief anecdotes on each of his top performers from Day 2 of the 2023 NFL Combine. He also set school records in the 110-meter and 300-meter hurdles during his high school career. Certainly, the conversation around Araiza as a potential Day 2 prospect fuels that narrative. Matt Araiza 2022 NFL Draft Profile. MattAraiza. In yesterdays game, Matt Araiza elevated his NCAA record with his 16th punt of 60+ yards this year. 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 . An all-around special teams contributor, the 2021 unanimous All-American had kickoff duties for San Diego State. If I can get my punter as an UDFA instead of using a draft selection on him, that would be preferable.. He followed that up with a Thanos-like performance at the scouting combine: the 341 lb Davis ran the 40-yard dash in 4.78 seconds, the fastest for any player over 330 lb at the combine since 2006; Davis later had a standing broad jump of 10ft 3in, the record for a player over 300 pounds; he tacked on a 34in vertical leap for good measure, a doubletake-worthy figure for someone of his size. Araiza also succeeds as a kickoff specialist, recording 62 touchbacks on 73 attempts. This versatility only adds to his value heading into the NFL Draft since he can be the kickoff specialist as well as fill in as an emergency kicker should the starter suffer an injury during a game. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. Stroud doesnt want to go to the Bears because Justin Fields, OPINION: Cocaine Bear is stupid, but in a really good way When the idea of, CONTENT 2018 2022 VENDETTA SPORTS MEDIA ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | Privacy Policy | Terms and Conditions, Why Mitchell Trubisky Is Destined To Fail In The NFL, Barstool Sports Employee Jordyn Woodruff Joins OnlyFans, Sean Allen Sucks At Fantasy Hockey: 2022 Edition, Predicting Four 2023 Middle Linebacker Free Agent Destinations, Von Miller Eyeing GM Career Post Retirement, C.J. 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. With his power and quick punting style, gunners often have minimal time to cover Araizas punts. Or are they? While his NFL.com draft profile suggests Araiza could use some work on his directional or pooch punting, he is a field-flipper, as evidenced by his 18 punts of 60 yards or longer in 2021. 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. I was 17 years old and I had no idea who Matt Araiza was," she said. The San Diego State punter set a 4.68-second 40-yard dash while registering a 101 broad and 32 vertical jump. He was an unanimous All-American and the Ray Guy Award winner in 2021, making FBS history as the single-season leader with 51.19 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. Meanwhile, Texas specialist Cameron Dicker has punting and kicking versatility. 17 for the first round of the draft. NFL draft projection. 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. 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. Hang time and accuracy are just as important in the NFL. Negatives: Takes a while to get the ball off his foot. For the . Personally, I would not draft a punter, regardless of how good he is, until the 7th-round the 6th-round at the earliest. This is what enablers do.. Araiza was widely viewed as the top punting prospect after a 2021 college season that ended with him winning the Ray Guy award. All other NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. He kicks returners back a considerable amount that the potential for big returns is still limited. Let them know that we sent you! But why wasnt he on the field for Georgia on third down? a general manager told NBCs Peter King at the combine. In 2021, the Bills only punted a total of 52 times, which was tied for the fifth-lowest total in the NFL. Look how Hawaii prepped for Matt Araiza. 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. Additionally, Ray Guy was a first-round pick in 1973, with the award for punting success named after him. The Bills may not have known about the allegations hanging over punter Matt Araiza when they . San Diego State's Matt Araiza headlines a potentially historic 2022 NFL Draft class with at least three punters picked in our projections. No other player this season has two 80+ yard punts. The NFL Draft doesn't usually surprise us much when it comes to punting, but on Saturday it came with two big surprises. 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. But, thats not all Araiza can do. Mock Draft Database Sites; NFL NBA NHL MLB. Punter prospects in the NFL Draft are more commonplace than youd presume. C.J. Punts in between the 30s (2021 only):Jordan Stout, Penn State (36 Punts)Inside 20 83%Inside 10 53%Touchback 6%Average Field Pos. Pro Football Network, LLC. 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. Indeed, it wouldnt be jaw-dropping to see Araiza a punter! The only question now is whether the franchise that selects him is stocked up on enough XXXXXXXXL gear. As a junior, Araiza would be eligible for the NFL Draft in both 2022 and 2023. He reportedly said, "Bills Mafia, there is no off-season.". Even these statistical accomplishments usually wouldnt attract the adoration that Araiza has received in this NFL Draft process. ), wins college football weekend, deserves the Heisman . 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 truth of the matter, however, is that Araiza is just the tip of the iceberg of a talented punting class. All 2022 NFL Draft Projections are taken from the latest Sporting News NFL Mock Draft by Vinnie Iyer. 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 . Ojabo is now anticipated to go in the late stages of the first round, though he could fall further if teams fear that some of the first-step quickness that made him such a tantalizing prospect has been sapped by the injury. 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. With his all-around contributions, Stout truly puts the special in special teams. Punter. He has the power to flip the field with one kick. An all-around special teams contributor, the 2021 unanimous All-American had kickoff duties for San Diego State. His performances earned him an invitation to the Senior Bowl, where Jim Nagy had this to say about the 2022 NFL Draft prospect: Had calls with some of [the] top kicking gurus and overwhelming opinion is Georgias Jake Camarda is among best punting prospects to come out in past 5-10 years. 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. Bills get the Punt God in the SIXTH ROUND. San Diego State wasnt prepared for this 10-man rush of the punter, but that didnt matter to Araiza. Of course, Ray Guys first-round selection in 1973 is an anomaly. Hawaii had to employ an insane punt coverage against him. Win at all costs happens with every team. This wasnt just a one-off occurrence either. As mentioned before, Araiza is incredibly versatile and can help the special teams unit in an impactful way. The whole nfl knew. In 2019, he hit 84.6% of his kicks. NFL GMs have got to love that. Among the players expected to hear his name is punter Matt Araiza out of San Diego State. Past. Here are the San Diego State Aztecs headed for the 2022 NFL Draft, from Cameron Thomas to Matt Araiza. 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. 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 | 174) - 1. against San Jose State in October. On his list of the top 150 prospects on NFL.com, Daniel Jeremiah listed Araiza at No. The reigning Ray Guy Award winner as the nation's top punter, Araiza set an FBS record with a 51.19-yard . Khalil Shakir is going down the well of a former Buffalo Bills great to hopefully improve in Year 2: Eric Moulds. A three-time CIF San Diego State section Kicker of the Year and a sophomore first-team All-American, Araizas athletic accolades werent restricted to the football field. Faalele looks more like a long-lost third Clegane brother than a starting NFL tackle. 174. 2023 NFL Enterprises LLC. With Araiza now in Buffalo, that puts veteran punter Matt Haack on the hot seat. August 28, 2022 2:44pm. 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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In a sign of things to come at the collegiate level, his 37 career field goals set a San Diego Section record. From the aforementioned information, it appears that Araiza is an elite punting prospect. But there are questions about Davis viability at the NFL level. 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. . With the 175th pick of the 2022 NFL Draft, the LA Rams select punter Matt Araiza out of San Diego State. With the NFL Draft fast approaching, six former San Diego State players soon may learn their football fates. Punter Bryan Anger famously went five picks before Russell Wilson in 2012 with the 70th overall pick. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. Inconsistent accuracy on his field goals. The redshirt freshman hit 85% of his field goals, nailed every extra point attempt, and smashed 78% of his kickoffs through the back of the end zone. Manage Settings Now, he is one of the rarest prospects in football: a punter with buzz. 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. 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. Call 1-800-GAMBLER. He possesses all the tools to start in the NFL and will be a very early draft pick for a punter. 901 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. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. As a result, theres an ever-growing feeling that his floor in the 2022 NFL Draft will be the fifth round. Araiza has a pure fourth-round grade on my board, and he is one point away in my grading scale from what would be considered the greatest punting prospect of all time. NFL punter Matt Araiza and two San Diego State football players accused in gang-rape lawsuit. August 26, 2022. Tracker; Grades; Spending; Tenders; Draft. Of course, draft analysis, projections and rumors will be dominating the headlines until then. These arent just courtesy of a lucky bounce either these punts are traveling through the air. 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. Nicknamed "Punt God," the San Diego State product became well known for booming punts 80 yards and averaging an NCAA-record 51.19 yards . During his three-year stint as the starter for Rancho Bernardo, Araiza boomed a 71-yard long punt. The San Diego State product has shot up draft boards (relatively) thanks to a season in which he set an NCAA record by averaging 51.19 yards per punt, eclipsing the record set by Texas A&M's Braden Mann in 2018. , our 15th-highest-ranked prospect. Araiza, one of the Buffalo Bills' sixth round picks in the 2022 NFL Draft, boomed a . The 21-year-old is a special teams star who won the 2021 Ray Guy Award, given to the best punter in college football. Dicker The Kicker has a 46.3-yard career punting average and 75.9% career field-goal completion. Araiza must ensure that his strides and ball striking remain consistent from kick to kick. Vendetta Sports Media is sponsored by Monkey Knife Fight, the fastest growing DFS site in the industry. 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. The 2022 NFL Draft is quickly approaching, with the first round kicking off on Thursday, April 28th. Additionally, Ray Guy was a first-round pick in 1973, with the award for punting success named after him. Did I mention that Araiza has a powerful leg? Field Pos. He is exceptional on fourth down, averaging 51.2 yards per punt in his most recent season. Before the 2022 NFL Draft, NFL Draft analyst Lance Zierlein projected Araiza to go in the third round. Can he shuffle his size-18 feet quickly enough to keep up with Von Miller off the edge? NFL footage NFL Productions LLC. Pro Football Network, LLC. Think thats an exaggeration? The San Diego, California native has a career kicking percentage of over 73% as the Aztecs kicker. He can be seen putting his high school track athleticism to good use getting downfield. Bills rookie punter Matt Araiza, who has quickly risen to fame with a strong leg and a catchy nickname, faces a very serious off-field issue before his first NFL game.According to the Los Angeles . Reportedly other teams did. That was surprising.. Matt Araiza did the unthinkable for a punter during the 2021 college football season. He is a big-armed, big-bodied quarterback who plays in the classic, dropback, Carson Palmer style. 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. What Would a Zero-RB Fantasy Football Draft Look Like in 2022? 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. It is not a good look for a franchise that prides itself on culture and character. Coffin corners, hang-time, and inside the 20 are phrases being used in evaluation that barely see the light of day ordinarily. You dont get the award that celebrates collegiate punting excellence without being exceptional. 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. Banners rationale is driven by the notion of replacement value. Zac Al-Khateeb is a content producer for The Sporting News. Furthermore, Todd Sauerbrun, Rohn Stark, Johnny Evans, and Tom Skladany were all punters selected in the second round. During his first two seasons with the Aztecs, he hit long field goals of 48 yards (Wyoming 19, Colorado 20). The only other times it happened came in 1993 and 2007. Based on Over The Cap's projections, . Obviously, the ability to pin your opponent deep in their own territory represents a significant advantage. The coach offered Faalele a scholarship on the spot. Brugler's take: The Ray Guy Award winner last season, Araiza has a booming leg and showed it off as a punter and kicker (field goals, extra points, kickoffs . I recognize that my train of thought may be different from the rest of the league. Araiza in 2021 booted 79 punts for 4,044 yards for an NCAA-record 51.18 yards per punt. I didnt know what a first down was or anything, Faalele told ESPN in 2018. The LA Chargers could consider drafting Matt Araiza in the 2022 NFL Draft. Drawing attention across the media landscape driven by the king of punters himself, Pat McAfee Araiza has broken records with his ridiculously powerful left leg. For reference, the NFL single-season record for average punt is 51.4 yards. Araiza served as SDSU's placekicker while he was in college, so he's never had to hold. 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. 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. Consistency. Consistent ball striking, hang time, and placement are key factors in punter evaluation. Jimmypinthe416 says: August 28, 2022 at 11:39 am Was belichik lying when he drafted Hernandez. Although Araiza saw plenty of action at San Diego State, he might not see the field much in Buffalo. The former San Diego State punter didn't get selected until the Bills made him the first pick of the sixth round (180th overall). @matt_araiza. 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. Theres simply no escaping it. Davis was the force behind college footballs most dominant defense last season, fueling a Georgia group that carried their team to the national championship. Starting with the Punt God himself, lets examine the punter prospects that make up this unlikeliest of NFL Draft predictions. The Packers in 2021 saw Mason Crosby struggle and it may have been the end of his Packers career. Since 2000, just two draft classes (2017 and 2011) have not had a punter selected to the NFL. We've received your submission. 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. Use our promo code VENDETTA or use the link below to get a 100% instant matchon any deposit. Together, they were unblockable. 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. 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. Although he was the top punting prospect in the draft, Araiza ended up being the third punter selected. 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 . Matt Araiza is the greatest collegiate punter I have ever watched. The fact that Araiza can punt, take field goals, and act as the kickoff man for a team is a crucial element of his scouting report.

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