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Although he didnt participate in any all-star games, Araizas ascension has continued through the pre-draft process. Thats what teams are still trying to figure out. DBs and Specialists. Team Contract Type Status Year Signed Yrs Total APY Guarantees We explored a massive trade-down scenario in a recent seven-round mock draft. Yet, in San Diego State punter Matt Araiza, the 2022 NFL Draft class might possess the most high-profile and highly skilled . 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. School: San Diego State. Like clockwork. He is exceptional on fourth down, averaging 51.2 yards per punt in his most recent season. The Ray Guy Award bears his name. 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. Araiza may be the greatest college punter of all time. The prolific punter also showcased his versatility as a powerful placekicker, hitting 77% of his 48 attempts with a career long of 53 yards. He was a sixth-round pick of the team at the 2022 NFL draft. In fact, there hasnt been an NFL starter in the 21st century built as big as the Aussie. 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. In yesterdays game, Matt Araiza elevated his NCAA record with his 16th punt of 60+ yards this year. Araiza sits neatly at the intersection of crusty old Football Guys and the new wave of analytically inclined general managers. There have been multiple third-round selections, while FSU punter John Stark was a second-round choice in 1982. According to Austin Gayle of Pro Football Focus, 63 percent of Araiza's punts were downed inside the 20; another 27 were downed inside the 10. That said, it wouldnt be surprising at all if somebody took him as early as Round 3. He also has the ability to make tackles, with speed and athleticism. Punter prospects are rare, multiple in the same class are even more so. 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? 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. The rest of the league has moved to embrace the off-script creators, players who can go and get a bucket all by themselves with their arms or legs when the offensive structure breaks down. The coach offered Faalele a scholarship on the spot. All other NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. Landing both prospects would fill position needs, but that's a dream scenario because Gardner will likely be long gone if the Chargers decide to stay at No. We've received your submission. Talk about flipping the field. Hes not just the last line of defense, either. But I can tell you, we just tried to do what was right, Beane said. However, he set a new single-season program record for field goals with 22. Surely theres some NFL team that takes him earlier than you would expect. NFL footage NFL Productions LLC. Hes unlikely to be the first defensive lineman off the board. 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. From the aforementioned information, it appears that Araiza is an elite punting prospect. Ive never seen a team do thisTheres a returner at the 30 (50 yards deep from the LOS)Then there's a DEEPER returner at the 10 (SEVENTY YARDS AWAY)AND IT WENT OVER BOTH THEIR HEADS https://t.co/m7Hlsa2tLa. Not only has he shown his prowess as a punter, but Coach Maalouf adds he kicked off as well and was good at it. But why wasnt he on the field for Georgia on third down? a general manager told NBCs Peter King at the combine. Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. Does a terrific job selling fake punts. According to PFF, Araiza had the eighth-lowest kickoff return percentage in the country at less than 15%. Araiza has as many 80-yard punts in just this season as the NFL has produced since 2013. That might scare some people given the hype and eventual failures of Roberto Aguayo, but some team will still take a shot on him earlier than the average punter. However, 17 punters have actually been selected on what we would now call Day 2 of the NFL Draft. 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. His season average of 51.19 yards set a new single-season record. 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. There have only been 10 punts of 80 yards in the entirety of college football this century. 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. That said, Matt Araiza is a generational talent at punter. In addition to his prowess as a punter, Araiza has a 73.5% success rate as a field-goal kicker. My names David Ojabo. So why not invest a valuable resource in a player who can boom the ball farther, higher, and with more accuracy than anyone else at his position? Talk about ineptitude.) This season Araiza hasnt had a single kick punt or field goal blocked. He showcases very good touch and a repeatable delivery. The first two punters went off the board in the fourth round with the Ravens selecting Jordan Stout and the Buccaneers taking Jake Camarda. 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. Punters are NFL Draft prospects, too always have been, always will be. The term generational talent is incredibly cliche and should be avoided more often than not, as hyperbolic analysts can throw it around to simply describe prospects who are very good, regardless of whether theyre far and away better than other players at their position over the last few decades. 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 . Khalil Shakir is going down the well of a former Buffalo Bills great to hopefully improve in Year 2: Eric Moulds. That is the nickname San Diego State's Matt Araiza has received from his incredible collegiate career. 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. Multiple punters selected in the draft are also not as rare as youd think. Mock Draft Database Sites; NFL NBA NHL MLB. The team admits learning about the allegation in July. For starters, college football allows for any player to go downfield after the snap on a punt. Araiza seems like he's going to be a good fit in Buffalo. @matt_araiza. All 2022 NFL Draft Projections are taken from the latest Sporting News NFL Mock Draft by Vinnie Iyer. 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's Matt Araiza, meanwhile, might have the strongest leg in the draft. That is an incredibly high projection for a special teams player, as punters and kicker often . The San Diego, California native has a. as the Aztecs kicker. 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. In 2021, Araiza has emerged as something of a rockstar in the punting community. It's probable that he would have hit a fourth for 55 yards . It's not clear why Araiza dropped all the way down to the sixth round, but there are plenty of theories. Araiza has a cannon for a leg, shown with his. 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. He is a big-armed, big-bodied quarterback who plays in the classic, dropback, Carson Palmer style. That says two things in particular: one, that I am a sad enough person to have scouted dozens of punters, and two, that Araiza is a special talent at his position. He believes it is worth taking chances on other positions earlier in the draft rather than a punter. As the 2022 NFL Draft nears, its time to put our money where our mouth is and start making some predictions about the class. Furthermore, Todd Sauerbrun, Rohn Stark, Johnny Evans, and Tom Skladany were all punters selected in the second round. Possesses a monster leg, gets tremendous hang time on punts, and allows coverage teams to get downfield and make the play. He probably wont be the first defensive lineman selected from his own team. Analysis: Araiza took a step to the forefront last season and was a rockstar punter for the Aztecs. Of course, Ray Guys first-round selection in 1973 is an anomaly. 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. When and how often will Davis play? Above is a plot of the average. 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. This provides for a quicker delivery and is the standard in the NFL. 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. Tracker; Grades; Spending; Tenders; Draft. With his all-around contributions, Stout truly puts the special in special teams. 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. According to the NFL Mock Draft Database, . Matt Araiza draft projection. Aidan Hutchinson and Kayvon Thibodeaux will feature as top picks later this month. The Bills may not have knownaboutthe allegations hanging over punter Matt Araiza when they drafted him, but at least two other teams had an inkling that something had happened. The TCU Horned Frogs and the Georgia Bulldogs will tie a bow on the After a pair of epic College Football Playoff Semifinals on New Years Eve, the Arnold Classic 2023 Live Online: How To watch From Anywhere, Where To Watch Tim Hortons Brier 2023 Live Online, Curling Update: How To watch Tim Hortons Brier 2023 Live Here, Rough N Rowdy 20: Preview, Fight Card, Venue and Live Online, Ian Garry vs Song Kenan Prediction, UFC 285 Card, Betting Odds and Picks, Where To Watch Jake Paul vs Tommy Fury Live Free Online, South American U-20 Championship 2023 Live Online For Final day, 2023 Scotties Tournament of Hearts Final Day Live TV Channel, Super Bowl Coin Toss Results History, Betting Odds and Props 2023, Best Super Bowl Halftime Show Prop Bets and Picks. What Would a Zero-RB Fantasy Football Draft Look Like in 2022? 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. For this reason, I believe its time for me to do something Ive only done once before: a special teamer breakdown. Araiza leads the punter predictions for this 2022 NFL Draft. March 25, 2022 5 min read. 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. He wound up at the same school as Odafe Oweh, a first-round pick for the Baltimore Ravens in last years draft. If this was 2005, Strong would be in play to be the first name called. 2023 Mock Drafts 2024 Mock Drafts 2025 Mock Drafts. go off the board in the second round. Araiza can be quite a weapon for NFL teams adding a punter in the 2022 draft. NFL 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. 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 it is important to recognize that some of these punters have not had as many seasons as others theyve competed against, some believe a player like Araiza should be one of the top NFL punters immediately upon entering the league. Copyright 2019-2023. Araiza's controversial stay in the NFL with the Buffalo Bills is well noted. He converted all but one of his 97 career extra-point attempts, too. 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. Simply put, Araiza is the best punting prospect to enter the NFL Draft in quite some time. No other player this season has two 80+ yard punts. Two NFL teams had Matt Araiza red flags before draft. Finally, Araiza has shown toughness and athletic ability during his time at San Diego State. Matt Araiza had two punts of more than 80 yards last season, including an 86-yarder that was the longest punt in college football. . As a FG kicker, his completion percentage has declined with every college season. Consistency, then Penn State punter Jordan Stout should be called Mr. Despite that, things haven't really changed from out first look at it. He played fewer than half of Georgias defensive snaps in 2021 and played only 18% of third-down snaps. Punts in between the 30s (2021 only):Jordan Stout, Penn State (36 Punts)Inside 20 83%Inside 10 53%Touchback 6%Average Field Pos. The. 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. Reportedly other teams did. Punters can be prolific athletes, too! 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. They also dont currently have a fourth-round pick, barring some wheeling and dealing on Draft Day. Chicago Bears 2023 Free Agency Roundtable: Signing we dont want to see. Matt Araiza Position: PunterHeight: 61Weight: 200 lbsAge: 21College: San Diego State Aztecs. But how have other drafted punters panned out in the NFL? During his first two seasons with the Aztecs, he hit long field goals of 48 yards (Wyoming 19, Colorado 20). 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. 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. These arent just courtesy of a lucky bounce either these punts are traveling through the air. All the more impressive, the 2021 season was Araiza's first taking on full-time punting duties for the Aztecs. 1. player. Weve been studying the players for 11 months. Camarda has averaged 46.8, 46.6, and 46.7 yards per punt, respectively, over the past three seasons. The San Diego State punter has a career-long 53-yard field goal to his name. Some national NFL Draft analysts with NFL information have openly stated that he might be selected on Day 2. Following a flourish of free agency action, theres a clearer picture of NFL team needs. 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. When it comes to punters, the bigger surprise is that the Buccaneers took Camarda over Araiza. Moreover, his lack of blocked kicks demonstrates that Araiza consistently gets good elevation. That isnt the case for Araiza, whose naturally quick delivery makes it easy for him to get the ball out and seriously flip field position for his team. The relationship is not close to being statistically significant here, and the R-squared value is almost negligible. Before we produce the punting protagonists of this 2022 NFL Draft prediction, its worth discussing the place this class could hold in NFL history. Can he step, drop, and reset to cut off Khalil Mack trying to knife inside? These traits make for an incredibly impressive athlete, but how would he test at the NFL Combine? The Aztec junior is an offensive weapon that frequently puts his defense in favorable spots. His 32 vertical jump was the same as Chris Olave, our 15th-highest-ranked prospect. Vendetta Sports Media is sponsored by Monkey Knife Fight, the fastest growing DFS site in the industry. At 6ft 9in (!) 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. He quickly became a nationally known name after delivering a 82-yard punt in the preseason. and 387lb (!!) Coach Marwan Maalouf, currently coaching special teams at the University of Miami and longtime NFL special teams coach, thinks highly of Araiza. Daniel Faalele after Minnesotas win over Colorado in September. The former San Diego State punter didn't get selected until the Bills made him the first pick of the sixth round (180th overall). Scroll through to view photos of P Matt Araiza, Buffalo's pick in the sixth round, 180th overall in the 2022 NFL Draft. They both feature within draftable range on my recently released 2022 NFL Draft Top 300 Big Board. Used as a field-goal kicker for San Diego State and shows the ability to hit them from long distance. No wonder the "punt god" is generating NFL draft buzz. They call him Punt God. Matt Araiza, Daniel Bellinger and Cameron Thomas, though, have gotten the most buzz . Entry: 2022 Draft, Round 6, #180 overall (Bills) Contract History. Incredible run. All Rights Reserved. Araiza can take up one spot on a roster, rather than a team having to carry a player at both punter and placekicker. In this graphic, there appears to be nearly no association between where a player was selected and his average AV per season. That isnt the case with Araiza, who ran pro-style formations at San Diego State. According to NYup.com, Moulds shared a video of Shakir working out with him. The previous year, he punted five times for 249 yards, averaging 49.8 yards per punt. 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. 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 . 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. 154) - 1 - Cincinnati Bengals (No. For his career, Araiza averaged 51.1 yards per punt. T Formation Conversation: Live from the NFL Combine. Inconsistent accuracy on his field goals. The San Diego State punter set a 4.68-second 40-yard dash while registering a 101 broad and 32 vertical jump. 16.0. Starting with the Punt God himself, lets examine the punter prospects that make up this unlikeliest of NFL Draft predictions. 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. Punter. Do It All. During a college career that started at Virginia Tech before his transfer to the Nittany Lions, Stout has been a kickoff specialist, punter, field-goal and extra-point kicker, and even turned his hand to playing quarterback on a fake punt against Michigan in his final season. FREE Boxing fight stream. The NFL Draft doesn't usually surprise us much when it comes to punting, but on Saturday it came with two big surprises. 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 . Matt Araiza Scouting Report. In 2021, the Bills only punted a total of 52 times, which was tied for the fifth-lowest total in the NFL. However, even in recent history, multiple punters were selected in 2019 and 2020. Coffin corners, hang-time, and inside the 20 are phrases being used in evaluation that barely see the light of day ordinarily. Terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. With only two defenders shooting downfield, returning teams dont have to worry as much about initial pressure up the middle and have more of an opportunity to rush the punter. DB/Specialist Pre-Draft Notes (2022 NFL Draft) by Shane Hallam April 21, 2022 0 520. The roster has been set for awhile in the defensive trenches. The 22-year-old was expected to be the Bills' starting punter after playing well during the preseason. A fifth-round selection for Araiza would not be particularly noteworthy in the history of punters taken in the NFL draft. Davis was the force behind college footballs most dominant defense last season, fueling a Georgia group that carried their team to the national championship. Get the latest on Buffalo Bills P Matt Araiza including news, stats, videos, and more on CBSSports.com . 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. Punter Bryan Anger famously went five picks before Russell Wilson in 2012 with the 70th overall pick. That's no fault to the other guys on the offensive or defensive side of the . 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). 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. Copyright 2023 Sporting News Holdings Limited. All this high school success mattered very little when it came to the recruiting process. Redshirting his 2018 season, Araiza learned under San Diego State kicker John Barron II. Gambling problem? The number of seasons for each punter includes every season where at least half of a season was played. Round 5 - Philadelphia Eagles (No. 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. 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. For whatever reason, punters have been a popular position to pick in this year's draft. In Araizas scouting report, we break through the numbers and noise to scrutinize his pro potential ahead of the 2022 NFL Draft. However, this style doesnt really translate to the NFL. Matt Araiza came into the 2022 NFL Draft as a fan favorite. 1. What Matt Araiza did in college football was revolutionary from a position where it's tough to disrupt how the game is played. Araiza must ensure that his strides and ball striking remain consistent from kick to kick. 2. While college kickers take their share of criticism, the level of scrutiny and the ability to quickly lose your job in the NFL requires an exceptional level of equilibrium. 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 only makes two steps upon catching the ball, as opposed to a running start that some college punters use. Above is a plot of the average Approximate Value (AV) of a punter per season who has been drafted in the last 15 seasons. the 341 lb Davis ran the 40-yard dash in 4.78 seconds. Consistent directional punter that can kick it out to the sidelines or place it inside the 10-yard line. Jimmypinthe416 says: August 28, 2022 at 11:39 am Was belichik lying when he drafted Hernandez. MORE:NFL Draft prospects 2022: Updated big board of top 150 players, rankings by position. (Interestingly, I found out while researching this that Cleveland used second round picks in both 1977 and 1978 to draft a punter. Stop by our 2nd City Gridiron YouTube channel for Bear Bones LIVE at FIVE as we get in on some mock draft fun! Matt Araiza came into the 2022 NFL Draft as a fan favorite. Mocks. The [] In a sign of things to come at the collegiate level, his 37 career field goals set a San Diego Section record. As soon as the ball left Matt Araiza's foot, the competition between the rookie and Matt Haack was over. No punter has been selected in the first two rounds of the NFL Draft since 1995. Araiza was widely viewed as the top punting prospect after a 2021 college season that ended with him winning the Ray Guy award. As a result, theres an ever-growing feeling that his floor in the 2022 NFL Draft will be the fifth round. The temptation to declare it the greatest punting class of all time is understandable. 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.