Of course he was. Possesses a monster leg, gets tremendous hang time on punts, and allows coverage teams to get downfield and make the play. He is a big-armed, big-bodied quarterback who plays in the classic, dropback, Carson Palmer style. He is exceptional on fourth down, averaging 51.2 yards per punt in his most recent season. During his first two seasons with the Aztecs, he hit long field goals of 48 yards (Wyoming 19, Colorado 20). As soon as the ball left Matt Araiza's foot, the competition between the rookie and Matt Haack was over. 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. Based on Over The Cap's projections, . Safely draftable and carrying middle-round grades in the league.. He was a sixth-round pick of the team at the 2022 NFL draft. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. 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 number of seasons for each punter includes every season where at least half of a season was played. Stroud doesnt want to go to the Bears because Justin Fields, OPINION: Cocaine Bear is stupid, but in a really good way When the idea of, CONTENT 2018 2022 VENDETTA SPORTS MEDIA ALL RIGHTS RESERVED | Privacy Policy | Terms and Conditions, Why Mitchell Trubisky Is Destined To Fail In The NFL, Barstool Sports Employee Jordyn Woodruff Joins OnlyFans, Sean Allen Sucks At Fantasy Hockey: 2022 Edition, Predicting Four 2023 Middle Linebacker Free Agent Destinations, Von Miller Eyeing GM Career Post Retirement, C.J. Araiza was widely viewed as the top punting prospect after a 2021 college season that ended with him winning the Ray Guy award. The temptation to declare it the greatest punting class of all time is understandable. 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 . (Photo by Joshua Bessex/Getty Images) As the 2022 NFL Draft nears, it's time to put our money where our mouth is and start making some predictions about the class. Araiza, nicknamed the "Punt God," was a unanimous All-American and the winner of the Ray Guy Award in 2021. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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. 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The reigning Ray Guy Award winner as the nation's top punter, Araiza set an FBS record with a 51.19-yard . 2. 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. Shakir, a fifth-round rookie in 2022, got off to a slow start in his career. Aidan Hutchinson and Kayvon Thibodeaux will feature as top picks later this month. With his record-breaking antics and social media ascension to Punt God, San Diego State punter Matt Araiza is making special teams sexy again. The 2022 NFL Draft is quickly approaching, with the first round kicking off on Thursday, April 28th. Of course, Davis didnt need to play third downs at Georgia because the damage was already done on the first two downs. His ceiling could be. Other Draft Prospects: TE Daniel Bellinger (UFA), LB Caden McDonald (UFA) 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. All other NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. 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. Not too shabby. 1. player. AZ, CO, CT, IL, IN, IA, KS, LA, (select parishes), MD, MI, NH, NJ, NY, OH, OR, PA, TN, VA, WV, WY, CA-ONT only.Eligibility restrictions apply. 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. In 2019, he hit 84.6% of his kicks. Inconsistent accuracy on his field goals. As for Araiza, the Bills could potentially be getting a steal with their selection of the player known as "Punt God.". C.J. Matt Araiza came into the 2022 NFL Draft as a fan favorite. Punter prospects are rare, multiple in the same class are even more so. 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. With his power and quick punting style, gunners often have minimal time to cover Araizas punts. 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. Showcasing an exceptionally powerful leg, he holds the Penn State field-goal record with a 57-yard strike against Pitt in 2019. Colorado States Ryan Stonehouse featured just behind Araiza this year, with an average of 50.9 yards per punt. He converted all but one of his 97 career extra-point attempts, too. General manager Tom Telesco spoke to the media on Thursday and was asked about Araiza in the draft. The Punt God is averaging far more yards per punt than Anger did his senior year. Matt Araiza came into the 2022 NFL Draft as a fan favorite. They'll give up some big returns, but they'll also have some giant flips of field position.". 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. He probably wont be the first defensive lineman selected from his own team. Araiza seems like he's going to be a good fit in Buffalo. 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. The Packers in 2021 saw Mason Crosby struggle and it may have been the end of his Packers career. As a FG kicker, his completion percentage has declined with every college season. The [] In 2020, he made 71.4%, and in 2021, hes down to 64.3%. Increasing his punt average with every year, Stout earned an invite to the Senior Bowl, where he impressed in sometimes torrid conditions. Daniel Faalele after Minnesotas win over Colorado in September. 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 . For more 2022 NFL Draft coverage and player profiles, check out our NFL Draft page. I didnt know the positions or what roles they played. The previous year, he punted five times for 249 yards, averaging 49.8 yards per punt. Multiple punters selected in the draft are also not as rare as youd think. The NFL only allows the two end defenders to do so. While Araiza has been electrifying college football this season, Georgia punter Jake Camarda should earn himself the nickname Mr. But, thats not all Araiza can do. Whoever drafts him could be ending up with a perennial All-Pro talent. He also set school records in the 110-meter and 300-meter hurdles during his high school career. The prolific punter also showcased his versatility as a powerful placekicker, hitting 77% of his 48 attempts with a career long of 53 yards. As mentioned before, Araiza is incredibly versatile and can help the special teams unit in an impactful way. In yesterdays game, Matt Araiza elevated his NCAA record with his 16th punt of 60+ yards this year. From his own end zone here, he manages to kick the ball roughly 70 yards through the air, and it bounces enough to make it an 86-yard punt in the stat book. On his list of the top 150 prospects on NFL.com, Daniel Jeremiah listed Araiza at No. 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). Stroud: I dont want to go to the Bears; thats Fields team, OPINION: Cocaine Bear is stupid, but in a really good way. Negatives: Takes a while to get the ball off his foot. 2:39 pm ET, did he lead the nation in punting average, 2023 NFL free agent interior offensive linemen, NFL free agent offensive tackles: Sizing up 2023 market, Free agent WR market: Breaking down available talent, NFL 2023 free agency: Top TEs set to hit open market, NFL 2023 free agency: Top RBs set to hit open market, 'Punt God' Matt Araiza not first punter taken, NFL Combine: QB, WR, TE run 40s, compete in drills, Mock Draft: Panthers, Colts trade up for QBs, Rodgers' trade value, logistics, best fit, Pascal robbed at gunpoint, assaulted; WR 'doing fine', Bryce Young measures similar to former No. 12.0Matt Araiza, SDSU (48 Punts)Inside 20 63%Inside 10 27%Touchback 29%Avg. March 25, 2022 5 min read. 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. 147, a high fifth-round pick. In his first season, Araiza handled kicking and kickoff duties, as his punting prowess remained hidden. 201. The whole nfl knew. He gets the ball off quickly and generates an insane amount of force from his left leg. He also has the FBS record for 60+ yard punts. 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. No wonder the "punt god" is generating NFL draft buzz. Jump around this article Click to show Punters are NFL Draft prospects, too always have been, always will be. Although Araizas leg strength is the crown jewel of his scouting report, there are times when hell need to take a little off his punts to achieve success at the next level. Araiza can take up one spot on a roster, rather than a team having to carry a player at both punter and placekicker. The San Diego, California native has a career kicking percentage of over 73% as the Aztecs kicker. 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. 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. From the aforementioned information, it appears that Araiza is an elite punting prospect. The victims lawyer, Dan Gilleon, said the Bills also ignored his warnings about Araiza in late July. Araiza denied the allegations in a statement released by his agent on Friday, but has not spoken publicly himself. This next punt traveled 88 yards through the air, landing from his own 12-yard line to the literal goal line. Matt Araiza is the greatest collegiate punter I have ever watched. Thanks for contacting us. 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 was selected by the Bills in the sixth round (180th overall) of the 2022 NFL 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 . 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. Araiza knocked it out of the park, posting numbers comparable to some highly ranked prospects. 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 . Do you mind if I try playing football?. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. Picking at No. For reference, the NFL single-season record for average punt is 51.4 yards. For this reason, I believe its time for me to do something Ive only done once before: a special teamer breakdown. Personally, I would not draft a punter, regardless of how good he is, until the 7th-round the 6th-round at the earliest. Before the 2022 NFL Draft, NFL Draft analyst Lance Zierlein projected Araiza to go in the third round. 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. Reportedly other teams did. Currently, Matt Araiza is projected to go around the 5th or 6th round, but that could easily change as we get closer . 2022 NFL Draft Predictions: Matt Araiza leads class of at least three punters picked, The punter prospects projected to be drafted in this 2022 NFL Draft prediction, Ryan Stonehouse and Cameron Dicker round out punter predictions for the 2022 NFL Draft. Stout was slightly ahead of him at 44.5 while Camarda was well below both guys at 41.6. 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. WCGs Lead Draft Analyst shares brief anecdotes on each of his top performers from Day 2 of the 2023 NFL Combine. Zac Al-Khateeb is a content producer for The Sporting News. The 22-year-old was expected to be the Bills' starting punter after playing well during the preseason. However, even in recent history, multiple punters were selected in 2019 and 2020. The San Diego State punter has a career-long 53-yard field goal to his name. San Diego State's Matt Araiza headlines a potentially historic 2022 NFL Draft class with at least three punters picked in our projections. 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 . Could Matt Araiza be the next one? Eric D. Williams goes to practice with Matt Araiza, who could be the first punter selected on Day 2 of a draft since 2012. . Araiza may be the greatest college punter of all time. Araiza now holds the record for punts of 50+ yards. Araiza leads the punter predictions for this 2022 NFL Draft. The only other times it happened came in 1993 and 2007. Achieving a historic 12-win season and earning a spot in the final College Football Playoff Top 25 Rankings brought many advantages for the San Diego State Aztecs. And yet, the prediction of a multiple-punter class in the 2022 NFL Draft might surprise a few people. There have been multiple third-round selections, while FSU punter John Stark was a second-round choice in 1982. No other punter in history has more 50+ and 60+ yard punts in a single season. Starting with the Punt God himself, lets examine the punter prospects that make up this unlikeliest of NFL Draft predictions. This power was proved in the 2021 season, as he had 18 punts of 60+ yards and two of 80+ yards. Araiza has a cannon for a leg, shown with his 86-yard punt against San Jose State in October. The first two punters went off the board in the fourth round with the Ravens selecting Jordan Stout and the Buccaneers taking Jake Camarda. Araizas leg power is also demonstrated as a field goal and kickoff specialist.
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