matt araiza draft projection
That group includes not only several picks taken inside the top 100 overall players, but also four players taken in the second round and another two taken in the first round. His ceiling could be much higher. We're not controlling field position.' 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. He is exceptional on fourth down, averaging 51.2 yards per punt in his most recent season. 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. That hasn't happened for a punter since 2012, when Jacksonville selected Cal's . As soon as the ball left Matt Araiza's foot, the competition between the rookie and Matt Haack was over. Eric D. Williams goes to practice with Matt Araiza, who could be the first punter selected on Day 2 of a draft since 2012. . Surely theres some NFL team that takes him earlier than you would expect. His footprints adorn the record books at the position. Field Pos. This reinforces the significance of gross versus net punting averages. The team admits learning about the allegation in July. He also has the ability to make tackles, with speed and athleticism. Nicknamed "Punt God," the San Diego State product became well known for booming punts 80 yards and averaging an NCAA-record 51.19 yards . 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. The Buffalo Bills are going to have a tough decision to make. The draft is sharpening into focus. 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. What I was asked to do was different from a skill set (perspective) than maybe other players have. 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. We've been studying the players for 11 months. Not too shabby. In 1976 and 1978, a whopping eight punters were drafted. 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. 901 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. 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 . Following a flourish of free agency action, theres a clearer picture of NFL team needs. Did I mention that Araiza has a powerful leg? There have only been 10 punts of 80 yards in the entirety of college football this century. There have only been two draft classes since the turn of the century where a punter hasnt been selected in the NFL Draft. Past. The San Diego, California native has a. as the Aztecs kicker. Punters are NFL Draft prospects, too always have been, always will be. Araiza's controversial stay in the NFL with the Buffalo Bills is well noted. August 28, 2022 2:44pm. Let them know that we sent you! Even these statistical accomplishments usually wouldnt attract the adoration that Araiza has received in this NFL Draft process. Mock Draft Database Sites; NFL NBA NHL MLB. 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. 201. Kenny Pickett College Football Highlights 2021, Aaron Rodgers is Using Leverage to Help Davante Adams, DEBUT Tom Brady, Joe Burrow and Josh Allen! Chicago Bears 2023 Free Agency Roundtable: Signing we expect. Araizas leg power is also demonstrated as a field goal and kickoff specialist. 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. No other player this season has two 80+ yard punts. The Ray Guy Award bears his name. But, thats not all Araiza can do. Furthermore, Todd Sauerbrun, Rohn Stark, Johnny Evans, and Tom Skladany were all punters selected in the second round. Matt Araiza had two punts of more than 80 yards last season, including an 86-yarder that was the longest punt in college football. 2023 NFL Draft Top 25 Big Board: Young No. 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. The temptation to declare it the greatest punting class of all time is understandable. The roster has been set for awhile in the defensive trenches. NFL Draft: Meet Matt Araiza, Punt God His booming kicks made fourth-and-long must-watch TV at San Diego State. For more 2022 NFL Draft coverage and player profiles, check out our NFL Draft page. That said, Matt Araiza is a generational talent at punter. In fact, there hasnt been an NFL starter in the 21st century built as big as the Aussie. Among the players expected to hear his name is punter Matt Araiza out of San Diego State. At worst, the allegation contained in a civil lawsuit filed Thursday that Araiza, a former San Diego State star . 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. Twenty-nine percent of his punts went for touchbacks. When it comes to punters, the bigger surprise is that the Buccaneers took Camarda over Araiza. He wound up at the same school as Odafe Oweh, a first-round pick for the Baltimore Ravens in last years draft. For the . The Bills may not have known about the allegations hanging over punter Matt Araiza when they . Araiza was selected by the Bills in the sixth round (180th overall) of the 2022 NFL Draft. Born in Nigeria, Ojabo moved to Scotland in 2007 before heading to the US to attend high school. One of the most exciting prospects in the 2022 NFL Draft is San Diego State Universitys Matt Araiza. (Interestingly, I found out while researching this that Cleveland used second round picks in both 1977 and 1978 to draft a punter. Safely draftable and carrying middle-round grades in the league.. 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. 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. He probably wont be the first defensive lineman selected from his own team. Araiza can take up one spot on a roster, rather than a team having to carry a player at both punter and placekicker. Despite those struggles. . The 21-year-old is a special teams star who won the 2021 Ray Guy Award, given to the best punter in college football. Jimmypinthe416 says: August 28, 2022 at 11:39 am Was belichik lying when he drafted Hernandez. Additionally, few of these punters have been widely recognized as the best at their position, even for one season. 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. For starters, college football allows for any player to go downfield after the snap on a punt. At 6ft 9in (!) While Araiza has been electrifying college football this season, Georgia punter Jake Camarda should earn himself the nickname Mr. 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. Brewer. 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. Meanwhile, he averaged 41.7 yards on 120 punts that tallied over 5,000 yards. Hang time and accuracy are just as important in the NFL. All Rights Reserved. He is a big-armed, big-bodied quarterback who plays in the classic, dropback, Carson Palmer style. But why wasnt he on the field for Georgia on third down? a general manager told NBCs Peter King at the combine. Every coach will want to do their due diligence as far as timing his touch to toe operation and seeing how he does with a real NFL Duke ball. He isnt a novelty: hes an assured pass protector who has the huge frame that could make him special. 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. https://t.co/mIr2tYt8LT. He can be seen putting his high school track athleticism to good use getting downfield. Of course, draft analysis, projections and rumors will be dominating the headlines until then. Bills get the Punt God in the SIXTH ROUND. Could Matt Araiza be the next one? and that Bill Belichick is already salivating over using a second-round pick on him in the 2022 NFL Draft. Pro Football Network strives to passionately deliver purposeful, captivating, and exceptional football content. He also set school records in the 110-meter and 300-meter hurdles during his high school career. 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. against San Jose State in October. (Photo by Joshua Bessex/Getty Images) No punter has been selected in the first two rounds of the NFL Draft since 1995. It is officially mock draft season! 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. 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). This power was proved in the 2021 season, as he had 18 punts of 60+ yards and two of 80+ yards. That is the nickname San Diego State's Matt Araiza has received from his incredible collegiate career. But how have other drafted punters panned out in the NFL? The NFL Draft doesn't usually surprise us much when it comes to punting, but on Saturday it came with two big surprises. 2004-2023 CBS Interactive. That includes CBSSports.com, which lists Araiza as the 126th prospect in the draft. Predicting Four 2023 Middle Linebacker Free Agent Destinations The 2023 NFL offseason should be stacked, Von Miller Eyeing GM Career Post Retirement NFL legend and current Buffalo Bills Edge rusher, Former OSU quarterback C.J. 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.