NFL Draft 2022: Why 'Punt God' Matt Araiza was third off the board As a matter of fact, he already seems to be fully embracing his new team. Banners rationale is driven by the notion of replacement value. Jump around this article Click to show Punters are NFL Draft prospects, too always have been, always will be. The San Diego State redshirt junior did so by setting an NCAA record with 36 punts of . Position: K. 6-2 , 200lb (188cm, 90kg) Draft: 6th round, 180th overall of the 2022 NFL draft by the Buffalo Bills. Multiple punters selected in the draft are also not as rare as youd think. Lawyer: Matt Araiza & Bills knew nothing of allegations before Draft Day These arent just courtesy of a lucky bounce either these punts are traveling through the air. (Interestingly, I found out while researching this that Cleveland used second round picks in both 1977 and 1978 to draft a punter. NFL Draft Provile. Jordan Davis combines size and athleticism. Like clockwork. The Aztec junior is an offensive weapon that frequently puts his defense in favorable spots. Carson Strong has a great arm but teams will worry about his injury history. Im tougher, stronger, more athletic than Odafe Oweh. 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. Daniel Faalele after Minnesotas win over Colorado in September. Matt Araiza'The Weapon' Ready to Destroy Your Perception of an NFL Punter. Could Matt Araiza Be The Most Talented Punter Ever? - Mountain West Wire He quickly became a nationally known name after delivering a 82-yard punt in the preseason. Some draft projections have listed Araiza as a potential Day 2 selection, when rounds 2-3 will be conducted. There have been multiple third-round selections, while FSU punter John Stark was a second-round choice in 1982. San Diego State wasnt prepared for this 10-man rush of the punter, but that didnt matter to Araiza. 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. An all-around special teams contributor, the 2021 unanimous All-American had kickoff duties for San Diego State. He believes it is worth taking chances on other positions earlier in the draft rather than a punter. 2022 NFL Draft Predictions: Matt Araiza leads class of at least three If this was 2005, Strong would be in play to be the first name called. 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. Despite Araiza's incredible 2021 season, he is not expected to be among the highest-drafted punters of all time. According to NYup.com, Moulds shared a video of Shakir working out with him. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. Former Aztecs punter Matt Araiza reaching new heights with his kicks 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 was selected in the sixth-round of the 2022 NFL Draft. NFL GMs have got to love that. However, that doesnt mean that his scouting report doesnt reveal some areas for improvement. As mentioned before, Araiza is incredibly versatile and can help the special teams unit in an impactful way. Do you mind if I try playing football?. 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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. 2023 Draft Scout/NCAA College Football Coffin corners, hang-time, and inside the 20 are phrases being used in evaluation that barely see the light of day ordinarily. All Rights Reserved. (Interestingly, I found out while researching this that Cleveland used second round picks in both 1977 and 1978 to draft a punter. NFL and the NFL shield design are registered trademarks of the National Football League.The team names, logos and uniform designs are registered trademarks of the teams indicated. 16.0. With his power and quick punting style, gunners often have minimal time to cover Araizas punts. The 2022 NFL draft is a little over two weeks away. 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. Even these statistical accomplishments usually wouldnt attract the adoration that Araiza has received in this NFL Draft process. Aidan Hutchinson and Kayvon Thibodeaux will feature as top picks later this month. Not only has he shown his prowess as a punter, but Coach Maalouf adds he kicked off as well and was good at it. 2023 NFL Enterprises LLC. Araiza's controversial stay in the NFL with the Buffalo Bills is well noted. The whole nfl knew. Punter prospects in the NFL Draft are more commonplace than youd presume. 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. This power was proved in the 2021 season, as he had 18 punts of 60+ yards and two of 80+ yards. No charges filed against Matt Araiza, ex-teammates in SDSU gang rape case Araiza can be quite a weapon for NFL teams adding a punter in the 2022 draft. Versatility, athleticism, and competitive toughness, Tony Paulines scouting report for Matt Araiza. 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. DBs and Specialists. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page.. Araiza stands at just over 6-foot-1 and weighs 200 pounds. Of course he was. 2004-2023 CBS Interactive. One of the most exciting prospects in the 2022 NFL Draft is San Diego State Universitys Matt Araiza. 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. PFN Draft Profile. 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 Case for the Dolphins Drafting Matt Araiza (Or Any Punter) Araiza leads the punter predictions for this 2022 NFL Draft. 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? One of the most dangerous weapons in college football is San Diego State punter Matt Araiza. The Buffalo Bills are going to have a tough decision to make. To put that in perspective, there were only six punts of 70 or more yards by every NFL punter combined last season. Specialists don't often get drafted, but with Araiza being able to flip the field so easily (he has had punts go over 80 yards), an NFL team will likely draft him earlier than fans expect. Matt Araiza Position: PunterHeight: 61Weight: 200 lbsAge: 21College: San Diego State Aztecs. 147, a high fifth-round pick. 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. Check this out. Final 2022 roster projection for Buffalo Bills He only makes two steps upon catching the ball, as opposed to a running start that some college punters use. Showcasing an exceptionally powerful leg, he holds the Penn State field-goal record with a 57-yard strike against Pitt in 2019. Odds & lines subject to change. Being a left-footed punter, teams will have to adjust their formations to help fit his needs. 2022 NFL Draft: How 'Punt God' Matt Araiza prepares to be a pro Some NFL teams knew about Matt Araiza incident before the draft . NFL footage NFL Productions LLC. SDSU Aztecs in the 2022 NFL Draft | East Village Times Stout was slightly ahead of him at 44.5 while Camarda was well below both guys at 41.6. That's no fault to the other guys on the offensive or defensive side of the . 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. If Araiza is the Punt God and Camarda is Mr. Despite those struggles. Surely theres some NFL team that takes him earlier than you would expect. 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. The coach offered Faalele a scholarship on the spot. 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. They are going to have to choose between cutting their sixth round draft pick who recently won the starting punter job, or getting harassed by the fans for not cutting him. Former Bills punter Matt Araiza could be in big trouble in gang-rape An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. He also has the ability to make tackles, with speed and athleticism. He also has the FBS record for 60+ yard punts. Since 2000, just two draft classes (2017 and 2011) have not had a punter selected to the NFL. 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 . Punters are NFL Draft prospects, too always have been, always will be. Of course, there were more rounds and selections back then. 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. Upon arriving at the school, he knocked on the door of the football coach. The [] Harbaugh seems to prefer a finesse punter, which is what he's had over the years with Sam Koch, who's been Baltimore's punter since 2006. All this high school success mattered very little when it came to the recruiting process. MKFs unique style and gameplay make betting fun and easy. holy crap.you know what I just realized? Additionally, few of these punters have been widely recognized as the best at their position, even for one season. 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. 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 . Matt (@matt_araiza) / Twitter 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. , given to the best punter in college football. More than just power, Araiza has a punting style that causes the ball to roll forward if it is not caught. Potential Chargers draft targets: Punter Matt Araiza has their One of the most exciting prospects in the 2022 NFL Draft is San Diego State University's Matt Araiza. Redshirting his 2018 season, Araiza learned under San Diego State kicker John Barron II. Matt Araiza, Daniel Bellinger and Cameron Thomas, though, have gotten the most buzz . In his first season, Araiza handled kicking and kickoff duties, as his punting prowess remained hidden. Matt Araiza is San Diego State's record-setting punter. No punter has been selected in the first two rounds of the NFL Draft since 1995. Updated. The NFL only allows the two end defenders to do so. He is exceptional on fourth down, averaging 51.2 yards per punt in his most recent season. Picking at No. After the horrendous playoff performance, the Packers . Araiza in 2021 booted 79 punts for 4,044 yards for an NCAA-record 51.18 yards per punt. Araiza knocked it out of the park, posting numbers comparable to some highly ranked prospects. NFL Draft Prospects in the 2021 Tropical Smoothie Cafe Frisco Bowl SOMEONE GET ME A TABLE!! 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 | 901 Araiza was widely viewed as the top punting prospect after a 2021 college season that ended with him winning the Ray Guy award. The draft is sharpening into focus. Hes unlikely to be the first defensive lineman off the board. 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. FanSided.com; . Pro Football Network strives to passionately deliver purposeful, captivating, and exceptional football content. Report: Some NFL teams knew of Matt Araiza allegations before 2022 draft and 387lb (!!) These primarily center around consistency. The San Diego State punter set a 4.68-second 40-yard dash while registering a 101 broad and 32 vertical jump. Login. At least three punters will be selected in the 2022 NFL Draft that is the prediction. A fifth-round selection for Araiza would not be particularly noteworthy in the history of punters taken in the NFL draft. Former San Diego State Punter Matt Araiza Discusses NFL Future - NBC 7 This unit was added to a lot this offseason. August 28, 2022 2:44pm. The injury has continued to plague his career, forcing further surgeries in 2020 and 2021. Increasing his punt average with every year, Stout earned an invite to the Senior Bowl, where he impressed in sometimes torrid conditions. He also set the FBS mark for 50-yard punts with his 33rd of the season. Copyright 2023 Sporting News Holdings Limited. Throughout his time as an Aztec, Araiza also successfully . It's not often the best player on a team is the punter, but that was the case for the Aztecs last season. During his first two seasons with the Aztecs, he hit long field goals of 48 yards (Wyoming 19, Colorado 20). Where most people have legs attached to their torso, Araiza has an actual cannon. Even then, the potential power lingering in his left leg remained lowkey. 2022 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Matt Araiza. The left-footer with the big leg has been widely projected by draft analysts as the top . For his career, Araiza averaged 51.1 yards per punt. Now, he is one of the rarest prospects in football: a punter with buzz. And no, thats not the type of gimmicky love youll see bestowed on some other athletes in minor roles. Personally, I would not draft a punter, regardless of how good he is, until the 7th-round the 6th-round at the earliest. 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. Of course, Ray Guys first-round selection in 1973 is an anomaly. 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. 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. Dallas Intends to Tag Pollard, Head of Pro Scouting, NFL Player Personnel Executive, One of the most exciting prospects in the 2022 NFL Draft is San Diego State Universitys Matt Araiza. 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. We look into all the details of Bills P Matt Araiza's Gang Rape Case Brewer. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. T Formation Conversation: Live from the NFL Combine. Punter. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. The Punt God has a legitimate shot at being a day two selection. 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. Thats what teams are still trying to figure out. Just How High Could Elite Punter Matt Araiza Be Drafted? Matt Araiza, Buffalo Bills, P - News, Stats, Bio - CBSSports.com . Or are they? Before the 2022 NFL Draft, NFL Draft analyst Lance Zierlein projected Araiza to go in the third round. Hes also hit a 60+ yarder in each of his four years for the Bulldogs. Of course, draft analysis, projections and rumors will be dominating the headlines until then. His 32 vertical jump was the same as Chris Olave, our 15th-highest-ranked prospect. Additionally, Ray Guy was a first-round pick in 1973, with the award for punting success named after him. Matt Araiza draft projection. go off the board in the second round. The only other times it happened came in 1993 and 2007. If Im punting five to seven times per game and the disparity in average yards is just a few, this doesnt translate to that significant of a difference overall. But how have other drafted punters panned out in the NFL? #Bills #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/EA1iEWkdyA. Those two picks were also somewhat surprising, if only because you almost never see two punters get taken that early With Stout going at 130th overall and Camarda going three picks later, this year marked just the third time since 1993 that two punters were taken before the end of the fourth round. As a FG kicker, his completion percentage has declined with every college season. 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. Araiza must ensure that his strides and ball striking remain consistent from kick to kick. 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. But when you boom not just one, but two punts over 80 yards, you earn some attention. Araiza is set to be one of the highest-selected punters in recent NFL Draft history. He isnt a novelty: hes an assured pass protector who has the huge frame that could make him special. Think thats an exaggeration? Hang time and accuracy are just as important in the NFL. Punter prospects in the NFL Draft are more commonplace than youd presume. Team Contract Type Status Year Signed Yrs Total APY Guarantees Gambling problem? Matt Araiza is the greatest collegiate punter I have ever watched. Matt Araiza boots 90-yard punt (!! 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). His footprints adorn the record books at the position. That includes CBSSports.com, which lists Araiza as the 126th prospect in the draft. 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. Corey Bojorquez has also shown inconsistency. 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 . Buffalo Bills 53-man roster projection with Matt Araiza released A two-star prospect, Araiza was the 20th-ranked kicker in the 2018 class. It is officially mock draft season! This season Araiza hasnt had a single kick punt or field goal blocked. Not only did he lead the nation in punting average with an FBS-record 51.4 yards per punt, but he also had six punts of at least 70 yards in 2021, which was the most in the country. We explored a massive trade-down scenario in a recent seven-round mock draft. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. These traits make for an incredibly impressive athlete, but how would he test at the NFL Combine? He gets the ball off quickly and generates an insane amount of force from his left leg. Of course, draft analysis, projections and rumors will be dominating the headlines until then. The former San Diego State punter didn't get selected until the Bills made him the first pick of the sixth round (180th overall). He also set school records in the 110-meter and 300-meter hurdles during his high school career. Punting out of the end zone can be tough for some punters, as there isnt much margin for error if pressure gets into the backfield, and there is more of a condensed space to operation out of. The 2022 NFL Draft is quickly approaching, with the first round kicking off on Thursday, April 28th. (Photo by Joshua Bessex/Getty Images) Araiza also succeeds as a kickoff specialist, recording 62 touchbacks on 73 attempts. I was 17 years old and I had no idea who Matt Araiza was," she said. He wound up at the same school as Odafe Oweh, a first-round pick for the Baltimore Ravens in last years draft. Matt Araiza: Wikipedia| Tackles| NFL draft projection| Stats 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. He might be able to punt a football from San Diego to Buffalo. The roster has been set for awhile in the defensive trenches. Since 2000, just two draft classes (2017 and 2011) have not had a punter selected to the NFL. But how high, exactly, can we expect a team to take Araiza, winner of the 2021 Ray Guy Award?