Like clockwork. An immobile quarterback with a sketchy knee will be a no-no for most teams, and depending on how concerned teams are about the injury he could slip all the way to day three of the draft. For more 2022 NFL Draft coverage and player profiles, check out our NFL Draft page. The number of seasons for each punter includes every season where at least half of a season was played. Even these statistical accomplishments usually wouldnt attract the adoration that Araiza has received in this NFL Draft process. Hang time and accuracy are just as important in the NFL. But the San Diego State punter, nicknamed "Punt God" by Twitter and anyone that has seen his 80-yard moonshots for three seasons with the Aztecs, has declared for the 2022 NFL Draft. His, was better than many who are projected to be high draft selections, including. What Would a Zero-RB Fantasy Football Draft Look Like in 2022? Kenny Pickett College Football Highlights 2021, Aaron Rodgers is Using Leverage to Help Davante Adams, DEBUT Tom Brady, Joe Burrow and Josh Allen! The 21-year-old is a special teams star who won the 2021 Ray Guy Award, given to the best punter in college football. 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. 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. He converted all but one of his 97 career extra-point attempts, too. Matt Araiza Overview. Some collegiate punters especially Australian punters with Aussie rule backgrounds work out of a rugby-style delivery, which includes wider splits between blockers and a running approach from the punter before kicking it low with the intention of having it bounce and be difficult for returners to field. Additionally, few of these punters have been widely recognized as the best at their position, even for one season. Matt Araiza Draft Stock & Draft Projection. "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. Dicker The Kicker has a 46.3-yard career punting average and 75.9% career field-goal completion. @matt_araiza. 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. These arent just courtesy of a lucky bounce either these punts are traveling through the air. Araiza is set to be one of the highest-selected punters in recent NFL Draft history. As a San Diego native, there was naturally just one choice. 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? And no, thats not the type of gimmicky love youll see bestowed on some other athletes in minor roles. Certainly, the conversation around Araiza as a potential Day 2 prospect fuels that narrative. 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 . One other theory is that teams are afraid Araiza might outkick his coverage in the NFL. Matt Araiza Position: PunterHeight: 61Weight: 200 lbsAge: 21College: San Diego State Aztecs. Despite those struggles. Meet Matt Araiza, San Diego State punter who could be among the highest If Araiza is the Punt God and Camarda is Mr. Past. Using AV from Pro-Football-Reference, this somewhat normalizes the impact of a punter on his team. 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. Hes unlikely to be the first defensive lineman off the board. (AV) of a punter per season who has been drafted in the last 15 seasons. But when you boom not just one, but two punts over 80 yards, you earn some attention. Although the 40-yard-dash may not be a direct indicator of a players game speed, the fact that Araiza ran a 4.68 is notable in its own right. Did I mention that Araiza has a powerful leg? Punters can be prolific athletes, too! Manage Settings All this high school success mattered very little when it came to the recruiting process. San Diego State P Matt Araiza. 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. MattAraiza. On Aug. 25 shortly after the team awarded Araiza the starting punting job, he was accused of being part of a gang raping of a 17-year-old girl while he attended San Diego State, according to the Los Angeles Times. You dont get the award that celebrates collegiate punting excellence without being exceptional. The Punt God is averaging far more yards per punt than Anger did his senior year. Report: NFL Teams Could Make Surprising Decision At Punter Araizas leg power is also demonstrated as a field goal and kickoff specialist. (Photo by Joshua Bessex/Getty Images) Araiza, nicknamed the "Punt God," was a unanimous All-American and the winner of the Ray Guy Award in 2021. The only question now is whether the franchise that selects him is stocked up on enough XXXXXXXXL gear. 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. Four punters were chosen in the 2016 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. Araiza has as many 80-yard punts in just this season as the NFL has produced since 2013. 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. Four drafted punters are actually less rare than one might imagine. The coach offered Faalele a scholarship on the spot. That said, it appears unlikely that Araiza will be a realistic target for them unless he somehow falls to Round 5. The biggest thing to note from the preseason is Epenesa. 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. Matt Araiza, San Diego State P | NFL Draft Scouting Report (2023) Stroud Shares Praise for Justin Fields, Fields former OSU teammate and top draft prospect spoke highly of the Bears QB at a Combine media session, Trevis Gipson to particpate in NFL Career Tours. One theory on why he fell is because he's never held for extra point or field goals. It is officially mock draft season! The victims lawyer, Dan Gilleon, said the Bills also ignored his warnings about Araiza in late July. In 2021, Araiza has emerged as something of a rockstar in the punting community. Simply put, Araiza is the best punting prospect to enter the NFL Draft in quite some time. Chicago Bears 2023 Free Agency Roundtable: Signing we dont want to see. 31, the Cincinnati Bengals sit in one of the most interesting spots of any team in the 2022 NFL draft. The Aztec junior is an offensive weapon that frequently puts his defense in favorable spots. From the aforementioned information, it appears that Araiza is an elite punting prospect. NFL Draft 2022: Why 'Punt God' Matt Araiza was third off the board The buzz over this punting class begins with Araiza. #Bills #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/EA1iEWkdyA. Call 1-800-GAMBLER. 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. All Rights Reserved. He has the power to flip the field with one kick. SOMEONE GET ME A TABLE!! At worst, the allegation contained in a civil lawsuit filed Thursday that Araiza, a former San Diego State star . All 2022 NFL Draft Projections are taken from the latest Sporting News NFL Mock Draft by Vinnie Iyer. NFL footage NFL Productions LLC. 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. 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. Despite that, things haven't really changed from out first look at it. In a sign of things to come at the collegiate level, his 37 career field goals set a San Diego Section record. 2023 Mock Drafts 2024 Mock Drafts 2025 Mock Drafts. 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. Hes also hit a 60+ yarder in each of his four years for the Bulldogs. 147, a high fifth-round pick. The 2022 NFL Draft is quickly approaching, with the first round kicking off on Thursday, April 28th. Stout will likely end up replacing the longtime Ravens punter, who turns 40 in August. Before the 2022 NFL Draft, NFL Draft analyst Lance Zierlein projected Araiza to go in the third round. Nicknamed "Punt God," the San Diego state product is well known for averaging 80 yards of bounce and an NCAA-record 51.19 yards per punt in 2021. . Araiza seems like he's going to be a good fit in Buffalo. This season Araiza hasnt had a single kick punt or field goal blocked. It's not clear why Araiza dropped all the way down to the sixth round, but there are plenty of theories. Entry: 2022 Draft, Round 6, #180 overall (Bills) Contract History. 201. It's not often the best player on a team is the punter, but that was the case for the Aztecs last season. Where most people have legs attached to their torso, Araiza has an actual cannon. I didnt know what a first down was or anything, Faalele told ESPN in 2018. 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. Matt Araiza Scouting Report. His broad jump of 10 1 was better than many who are projected to be high draft selections, including Aidan Hutchinson, David Bell, Isaiah Spiller, Brian Robinson Jr., and Trey McBride. The NFL only allows the two end defenders to do so. 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 . Above is a plot of the average Approximate Value (AV) of a punter per season who has been drafted in the last 15 seasons. Araizas leg power is also demonstrated as a field goal and kickoff specialist. Punter Bryan Anger famously went five picks before Russell Wilson in 2012 with the 70th overall pick. There have been multiple third-round selections, while FSU punter John Stark was a second-round choice in 1982. The San Diego, California native has a career kicking percentage of over 73% as the Aztecs kicker. the 341 lb Davis ran the 40-yard dash in 4.78 seconds. The 2022 NFL draft is a little over two weeks away. With his all-around contributions, Stout truly puts the special in special teams. The 2022 NFL draft is a little over two weeks away. He also has the ability to make tackles, with speed and athleticism. These traits make for an incredibly impressive athlete, but how would he test at the NFL Combine? 2022 NFL Draft: Matt Araiza Highlights, Punting Stats - The Duel While Araiza has been electrifying college football this season, Georgia punter Jake Camarda should earn himself the nickname Mr. Of course, Ray Guys first-round selection in 1973 is an anomaly. The San Diego State punter set a 4.68-second 40-yard dash while registering a 101 broad and 32 vertical jump. 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. NFL Draft: 6 Former Aztecs Among Hopefuls Vying for a Place in the Pros Matt Araiza expecting NFL return after Mexican team confusion With Camarda now in Tampa, that likely spells the end of Bradley Pinion's three-year run with the team. The [] Inconsistent accuracy on his field goals. The LA Chargers could consider drafting Matt Araiza in the 2022 NFL Draft. The number of seasons for each punter includes every season where at least half of a season was played. Redshirting his 2018 season, Araiza learned under San Diego State kicker John Barron II. 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. 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. MORE:NFL Draft prospects 2022: Updated big board of top 150 players, rankings by position. The biggest surprise is that college football's top punter, Matt Araiza, wasn't the first punter off the board this year. Special teamers are usually able to be secured as an undrafted free agent or in Round 7, but an elite punting prospect like Araiza who can flip field position at an incredible rate is worth that investment. The whole nfl knew. Araiza can be quite a weapon for NFL teams adding a punter in the 2022 draft. Matt Araiza Draft and Combine Prospect Profile | NFL.com They call him Punt God. NFL GMs have got to love that. Jordan Davis combines size and athleticism. 2022 NFL Draft: How 'Punt God' Matt Araiza prepares to be a pro Safely draftable and carrying middle-round grades in the league.. Field Pos. Araiza in 2021 booted 79 punts for 4,044 yards for an NCAA-record 51.18 yards per punt. He wound up at the same school as Odafe Oweh, a first-round pick for the Baltimore Ravens in last years 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. Whoever drafts him could be ending up with a perennial All-Pro talent. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. An achilles injury at Michigans pro day has seen his stock take a hit and served as an example of the dark side of the draft process. But I can tell you, we just tried to do what was right, Beane said. NFL Draft Provile. Jump around this article Click to show Punters are NFL Draft prospects, too always have been, always will be. His ceiling could be much higher. The Punt God has a legitimate shot at being a day two selection. But now Araiza is gone, released Saturday afternoon, and with the preseason games over, the Bills have to trim . Matt Araiza is the greatest collegiate punter I have ever watched. From the aforementioned information, it appears that Araiza is an elite punting prospect. Login. Araiza sits neatly at the intersection of crusty old Football Guys and the new wave of analytically . Araiza has a cannon for a leg, shown with his. 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. We've received your submission. SDSU Aztecs in the 2022 NFL Draft | East Village Times Obviously, the ability to pin your opponent deep in their own territory represents a significant advantage. All Rights Reserved. Terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. Some national NFL Draft analysts with NFL information have openly stated that he might be selected on Day 2. While a running start can provide for more power, power is far from an issue with Araiza. This is what enablers do.. At least three punters will be selected in the 2022 NFL Draft that is the prediction. , our 15th-highest-ranked prospect. In yesterdays game, Matt Araiza elevated his NCAA record with his 16th punt of 60+ yards this year. His ceiling could be. He might be able to punt a football from San Diego to Buffalo. I recognize that my train of thought may be different from the rest of the league. That hasn't happened for a punter since 2012, when Jacksonville selected Cal's . Former Saints punter Thomas Morstead recently explained to the Athletic why that's a concern. In addition to his prowess as a punter, Araiza has a 73.5% success rate as a field-goal kicker. Zac Al-Khateeb is a content producer for The Sporting News. He is a big-armed, big-bodied quarterback who plays in the classic, dropback, Carson Palmer style. San Diego State football record-setting punter Matt Araiza entering NFL 2022 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Matt Araiza | Prime Time Sports Talk We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. I am sure he is very upset and disappointed that his career with the Bills ended not because he played poorly but because of false allegations leveled against him by a young lady and her attorney, Araizas lawyer, Kerry Armstrong, told the AP. 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 . Araiza can take up one spot on a roster, rather than a team having to carry a player at both punter and placekicker. Araiza was selected by the Bills in the sixth round (180th overall) of the 2022 NFL Draft. 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. 901 In the first of these predictions pieces, Matt Araiza leads a cast of at least three punters selected in the 2022 NFL Draft. His season average of 51.19 yards set a new single-season record. During his first two seasons with the Aztecs, he hit long field goals of 48 yards (Wyoming 19, Colorado 20). He probably wont be the first defensive lineman selected from his own team. Although he was the top punting prospect in the draft, Araiza ended up being the third punter selected. Potential Chargers draft targets: Punter Matt Araiza has their Since 2000, just two draft classes (2017 and 2011) have not had a punter selected to the NFL. As for Araiza, the Bills could potentially be getting a steal with their selection of the player known as "Punt God.". Brewer. 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. If this was 2005, Strong would be in play to be the first name called. He gets the ball off quickly and generates an insane amount of force from his left leg. The big-legged San Diego native is considered one of the best prospects at his position in years and many are eager to see where he lands. 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. , given to the best punter in college football. 2022 NFL Draft Predictions: Matt Araiza leads class of at least three Matt Araiza. Eric D. Williams goes to practice with Matt Araiza, who could be the first punter selected on Day 2 of a draft since 2012. . The. 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. Could Matt Araiza Be The Most Talented Punter Ever? - Mountain West Wire For his career, Araiza averaged 51.1 yards per punt. Araiza now holds the record for punts of 50+ yards. However, this style doesnt really translate to the NFL. Araiza knocked it out of the park, posting numbers comparable to some highly ranked prospects. This is the most yards per punt a player has ever averaged in a single NCAA season, illustrating his sheer dominance. At Michigan, he excelled as partner in crime for Aidan Hutchinson, the projected first-overall pick in the upcoming draft. Matt Araiza NFL Draft projections. Araiza stands at just over 6-foot-1 and weighs 200 pounds. Im tougher, stronger, more athletic than Odafe Oweh. This begs the question: how well will Matt Araiza transition to the NFL? 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.. Despite Araiza's incredible 2021 season, he is not expected to be among the highest-drafted punters of all time. Starting with the Punt God himself, lets examine the punter prospects that make up this unlikeliest of NFL Draft predictions. 2023 Draft Scout/NCAA College Football At 6ft 9in (!) More than just power, Araiza has a punting style that causes the ball to roll forward if it is not caught. Matt Araiza is one of the only players in the 2022 NFL Draft who can make an immediate impact. 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. 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. Araiza knocked it out of the park, posting numbers comparable to some highly ranked prospects. Matt Araiza draft rumors: San Diego State punter declares for 2022 NFL Twenty-nine percent of his punts went for touchbacks. Forces a lot of fair catches. But there can be no doubt that in a jumbled quarterback class, taking a punt on the best pure thrower would represent the best value play for quarterback-needy franchises. Report: Some NFL teams knew of Matt Araiza allegations before 2022 draft Kiper's updated Big Board for the 2022 NFL draft: Ranking the best prospects at every position 1y Mel Kiper Jr. Araiza, who had one year left of eligibility, set the record for punting average in . 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. If that seems confusing/odd/laughable (delete as applicable), think about this: In 2021 he hit 18 punts of 60-plus yards and a pair of 80-plus yarders. 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. 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. MKFs unique style and gameplay make betting fun and easy. Matt Araiza, better known as "Punt God", played for the San Diego State Aztecs for a total of three seasons between 2019 and 2021. 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 per punt. ), wins college football weekend, deserves the Heisman . 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. The only other times it happened came in 1993 and 2007. 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. I would rather draft depth at other positions, such as defensive back and linebacker, where the players can develop while contributing on special teams.. 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. Matt Araiza'The Weapon' Ready to Destroy Your Perception of an NFL Punter. The prolific punter also showcased his versatility as a powerful placekicker, hitting 77% of his 48 attempts with a career long of 53 yards. Use our promo code VENDETTA or use the link below to get a 100% instant matchon any deposit. He also has the FBS record for 60+ yard punts. Vendetta Sports Media is sponsored by Monkey Knife Fight, the fastest growing DFS site in the industry. Corey Bojorquez has also shown inconsistency. 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 | 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. With Araiza now in Buffalo, that puts veteran punter Matt Haack on the hot seat. He isnt a novelty: hes an assured pass protector who has the huge frame that could make him special. In 35 games across three years at San Diego State, he punted 84 times for 4,293 yards a 51.1 yards-per-punt rate. According to PFF, Araiza had the eighth-lowest kickoff return percentage in the country at less than 15%. Former San Diego State Punter Matt Araiza Discusses NFL Future - NBC 7
