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. San Diego State. Consistent directional punter that can kick it out to the sidelines or place it inside the 10-yard line. No punter has been selected in the first two rounds of the NFL Draft since 1995. Although Araiza saw plenty of action at San Diego State, he might not see the field much in Buffalo. In fact, there hasnt been an NFL starter in the 21st century built as big as the Aussie. Punters are NFL Draft prospects, too always have been, always will be. No other punter in history has more 50+ and 60+ yard punts in a single season. This season Araiza hasnt had a single kick punt or field goal blocked. Araiza is set to be one of the highest-selected punters in recent NFL Draft history. The biggest surprise is that college football's top punter, Matt Araiza, wasn't the first punter off the board this year. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Past. Even then, the potential power lingering in his left leg remained lowkey. However, what makes Araiza special is that he also kicks field goals and does kickoffs. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. 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. Can he step, drop, and reset to cut off Khalil Mack trying to knife inside? Getting off the field on third downs is a staple of shouty-man-on-TV analysis, but success on first downs is more predictive of long-term success. Winning the first down forcing a negative play or creating a second-and-ten is how defenses can keep up in the era of the chunk play offense. Use our promo code VENDETTA or use the link below to get a 100% instant matchon any deposit. 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. No other punter has nailed two 80+ yard punts in 2021. In his first season, Araiza handled kicking and kickoff duties, as his punting prowess remained hidden. 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 . 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. Since 2000, just two draft classes (2017 and 2011) have not had a punter selected to the NFL. Vendetta Sports Media is sponsored by Monkey Knife Fight, the fastest growing DFS site in the industry. 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. Matt Araiza is one of the only players in the 2022 NFL Draft who can make an immediate impact. 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. At least three punters will be selected in the 2022 NFL Draft that is the prediction. Moreover, his lack of blocked kicks demonstrates that Araiza consistently gets good elevation. 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 . Twenty-nine percent of his punts went for touchbacks. For the . Araizas game against UNLV gave the football world its first glimpse of him as a punter, nailing 4 of 5 punts over 50 yards. 1. player. These primarily center around consistency. 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. Other Aztecs are also headed for the NFL Draft as well. Im tougher, stronger, more athletic than Odafe Oweh. 201. The 21-year-old is a special teams star who won the. Above is a plot of the average. The 2022 NFL draft is a little over two weeks away. Carson Strong has a great arm but teams will worry about his injury history. He converted all but one of his 97 career extra-point attempts, too. However, this style doesnt really translate to the NFL. "The coach I had for my first eight years in New Orleans, if I hit a punt over 55 yards, he was mad," Morstead said. Araiza also succeeds as a kickoff specialist, recording 62 touchbacks on 73 attempts. For starters, college football allows for any player to go downfield after the snap on a punt. Talk about flipping the field. That said, Matt Araiza is a generational talent at punter. Analysis: Araiza took a step to the forefront last season and was a rockstar punter for the Aztecs. DATABASE. No punter has been selected in the first two rounds of the NFL Draft since 1995. He showcases very good touch and a repeatable delivery. Khalil Shakir is going down the well of a former Buffalo Bills great to hopefully improve in Year 2: Eric Moulds. and 387lb (!!) 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. As a junior, Araiza would be eligible for the NFL Draft in both 2022 and 2023. Possesses a monster leg, gets tremendous hang time on punts, and allows coverage teams to get downfield and make the play. Its time to look at five of the upcoming classs most intriguing (rather than the best) prospects. He quickly became a nationally known name after delivering a 82-yard punt in the preseason. Matt Araiza came into the 2022 NFL Draft as a fan favorite. 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 . 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. Look how Hawaii prepped for Matt Araiza. They also dont currently have a fourth-round pick, barring some wheeling and dealing on Draft Day. They'll give up some big returns, but they'll also have some giant flips of field position.". Araiza sits neatly at the intersection of crusty old Football Guys and the new wave of analytically . He wound up at the same school as Odafe Oweh, a first-round pick for the Baltimore Ravens in last years draft. 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. He kicks returners back a considerable amount that the potential for big returns is still limited. A versatile punter who can flip field position and force the opposition to account for him while nailing game-winning field goals with regularity is hard to find. Thanks for contacting us. Incredible run. More than just power, Araiza has a punting style that causes the ball to roll forward if it is not caught. Certainly, the conversation around Araiza as a potential Day 2 prospect fuels that narrative. 174) - 1. The number of seasons for each punter includes every season where at least half of a season was played. This unit was added to a lot this offseason. Upon arriving at the school, he knocked on the door of the football coach. That demonstrates a level of composure that will be invaluable at the next level. School: San Diego State. He probably wont be the first defensive lineman selected from his own team. This is the most yards per punt a player has ever averaged in a single NCAA season, illustrating his sheer dominance. PFN Draft Analyst Tony Pauline has Araiza graded as a top-100 player on his latest big board. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. This next punt traveled 88 yards through the air, landing from his own 12-yard line to the literal goal line. Araizas punting style with a nose-down punt leaves improvement for coffin corners. This power was proved in the 2021 season, as he had 18 punts of 60+ yards and two of 80+ yards. Born in Nigeria, Ojabo moved to Scotland in 2007 before heading to the US to attend high school. At the very least, remember the name Matt Araiza and the punt god designation following him. 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. All Rights Reserved, accused of being involved in the gang rape of a 17-year-old, the Bills also ignored his warnings about Araiza, Josh Allen and girlfriend Brittany Williams kiss during offseason getaway, Bills GM provides Damar Hamlin update regarding potential comeback, Bills coordinator abruptly leaves team during critical time, The favorite to win NFLs Comeback Player of the Year may surprise you, Giants QB carted off after big hit by Jets lineman, Daniel Jones needs to see big picture in Giants negotiations, Red-hot Jon Rahm no match for wind-swept Bay Hill: 'F--king hard', The Marchand and Ourand Sports Media Podcast, The Show with Joel Sherman and Jon Heyman, Amazin' But True: A NY Mets Baseball Podcast, Gangs All Here: A NY Jets Football Podcast, Tom Sandoval breaks silence on Ariana Madix split amid cheating claims, Canadian teacher with size-Z prosthetic breasts placed on paid leave. #Bills #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/EA1iEWkdyA. the 341 lb Davis ran the 40-yard dash in 4.78 seconds. 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. I didnt know the positions or what roles they played. They ignored us, [when] I warned them [what] would happen could be avoided if they just kept their heads in the sand. Stop by our 2nd City Gridiron YouTube channel for Bear Bones LIVE at FIVE as we get in on some mock draft fun! Consistency. Consistent ball striking, hang time, and placement are key factors in punter evaluation. Matt Araiza'The Weapon' Ready to Destroy Your Perception of an NFL Punter. That includes CBSSports.com, which lists Araiza as the 126th prospect in the draft. The 2022 NFL Draft is quickly approaching, with the first round kicking off on Thursday, April 28th. They could trade out of the first round and gain a lot by doing so as other teams look to get back into that opening round for a faller. 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. Below is a quick blurb about each Cornerback, Safety, Kicker, Punter, and Long Snapper I have scouted for the 2022 NFL Draft. The whole nfl knew. Copyright 2019-2023. Here are the San Diego State Aztecs headed for the 2022 NFL Draft, from Cameron Thomas to Matt Araiza. (Interestingly, I found out while researching this that Cleveland used second round picks in both 1977 and 1978 to draft a punter. The left-legged punter can effortlessly boom the ball the entire length of the field. NFL MOCK DRAFT. Login. Of course, Davis didnt need to play third downs at Georgia because the damage was already done on the first two downs. Cut (s): Eli Ankou, Prince Emili, Mike Love, Kingsley Jonathan, Brandin Bryant, Daniel Joseph, C.J. He can be seen putting his high school track athleticism to good use getting downfield. Both batches of decision-makers agree on one overriding idea: Field position really, really matters. Chicago Bears Schedule, News, Roster and Stats | Windy City Gridiron, 2022 NFL Draft: The Matt Araiza film breakdown, 2023 NFL Combine: Winners from Day 2 of DB workouts. 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.