Hes quick to find the football, and hes always in pursuit mode.. Copyright 2023 Sporting News Holdings Limited. Matt Araiza is not your average NFL Draft prospect. 2:39 pm ET. Will Deadly January Car Accident Tank Jalen Carters Draft Stock? Obviously, one of the benefits in my decision to pick San Diego State was being close to home. I already know Ill be playing one of the those teams (at Baltimore) this upcoming season. 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 | 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. He was the striker for his high school soccer team, banging home game-winning goals in playoff games. That shows up when he has to make a tackle. Although drafting a punter often indicates this player will be the unquestioned starter, the position simply is not at a premium where the best at the position and an average player are not too far apart from one another. Teams are not drafting you based on what you have done, notes Brugler. 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. published this week, Ryan Wilson has the Chargers drafting Thomas with the 20th pick in the first round. Georgia police have secured a warrant to arrest highly-touted draft prospect Jalen Carter, according to a report from Seth Emerson. All four players have the talent to compete and excel at the next level. But then came the 50-, 60-, 70-. Ray Guy, for whom a college football award is named, was a first-round pick in 1973. He spent time at Qualcomm Stadium watching the San Diego Chargers, enjoying the passionate environment in person but still holding soccer in his heart. [Scouts] see the traits, says Brugler. Playing sports is what I love. The 21-year-old is a special teams star who won the 2021 Ray Guy Award, given to the best punter in college football. Araiza set the FBS record this year with a 51.19 average. It was just to play football, to branch out as an athlete.. #Bills #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/EA1iEWkdyA. This season, hes put it to devastating use week in and week out. National Championship Game Recap: What Went Wrong? And, I was the only sophomore on the team at that time. Although it is important to recognize that some of these punters have not had as many seasons as others theyve competed against, some believe a player like Araiza should be one of the top NFL punters immediately upon entering the league. 0 Rate. 21, 54 and 85. Between high school punting and a love of soccer, he developed a leg of steel that was easily the most powerful in college football this last season and beyond. Punters are an often-overlooked asset on a football squad but San Diego State punter/kicker Matt Araiza has been frequently referenced as the most talented punt prospect in recent history. Araiza was chosen with the first pick in the sixth round, the 180th pick overall. The dude has an absolute howitzer for a left leg, one that booted the ball 90 yards in the effing air on Saturday night in Hawaii. Per the report, police implicated Carter in street racing, which . Right now, that involves training hard and recovering sensibly. Its been huge to have that impact on my home town as well. Not only did Matt Araiza launch a punt, but he also made the tackle (via @CBSSportsNet) #ForTheBrand | @PatMcAfeeShow pic.twitter.com/r1BvgmKKjS. The Ray Guy Award winner and unanimous First-Team All-American declared for the NFL Draft last week with hopes of becoming the next punter drafted in the NFL. Would love your thoughts, please comment. In the case that his placekicks were returned, which was the exception and not the rule (84.93% touchback rate in 2021), he had an uncanny knack for then taking down the receiver, thanks in part to his high school track skills. Former Eagles President and Browns CEO Joe Banner gave his take on how he would approach this unique prospect. We were all kind of surprised. But Araiza has a rocket launcher for a leg, so for him consistency is making highlights. With Camarda now in Tampa, that likely spells the end of Bradley Pinion's three-year run with the. Didnt see the second one and my agent called me. He has shown that he can line up on the inside shade of the guard, and he can win on the interior because he has that quickness, said Brugler. He ran track as an underclassman at Rancho Bernardo High School in San Diego, and recently told the Union-Tribune that the hurdles helped his footwork on punting. . In 2015, he broke the San Diego sectional record for field goals in a single season, Rancho Bernardo won a state championship, and he was named to the MaxPreps sophomore All-American team. A half-century ago, Pink Floyd unleashed a classic that still lingers on the Billboard charts and in college dorms to this day. According to the NFL Mock Draft Database, the highest he is projected to go is in the fifth round picks 144 through 179. Using AV from Pro-Football-Reference, this somewhat normalizes the impact of a punter on his team. Thomas has been a really solid player for [SDSU], Brugler said. This seems like a cute questionthe football equivalent of asking someone whether theyd eat the worlds grossest food for a million dollars. He's hit more 60-yard punts this year than anyone ever. Draft doings The Chargers will arrive at the combine still armed with their original seven picks one in each round in the upcoming draft. 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. But the biggest question about Harden remainsand it wont be answered until the playoffs. The league also held a supplemental draft after the regular draft and before the regular season. In addition to his record-setting punting, hes drilled three 50-yard field goals, second most in college football, and has the fourth-longest average kickoff distance (65.0 yards). . San Diego State hosts Fresno State on Saturday night. Vinnie Iyer of The Sporting News, for example, projects Araiza to go 174th overall to the defending AFC champion Bengals. 10-yard split time 1.61 seconds [1][2] The league also held a supplemental draft after the regular draft and before the regular season. The man they call 'Punt God' is going to be the first punter off of the board in the upcoming draft and could go as early as Day 2. By Oliver Hodgkinson January 31, 2022 Jump around this article Click to show Matt Araiza is not your average NFL Draft prospect. Punters dont try to make highlights. in this draft class last month. 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. He's boomed multiple 80-yarders . Avid sports fan and historian of basketball, baseball, football and soccer. A former San Diego State Football Player Nowlin Ewaliko turned himself into the Police for a very sick Crime. 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. Somehow, hes close to the best in the nation at all three. The more you can do to justify a roster spot is the motto of the NFL, said Brugler, adding that teams may feel more comfortable drafting a punter in the fourth or fifth round if they know the punter also has a penchant for touchbacks on kickoffs. The Buffalo Bills held the first overall pick in the draft, acquired from the San Francisco 49ers in the trade which sent O. J. Simpson to his hometown team. Overflowing with accolades and a pious sobriquet, San Diego State punter Matt Araiza is going from the sunny skies of Southern California to the wintery winds of Buffalo, as the Bills selected him with the No. Bills select San Diego St. punter Matt Araiza in sixth round of 2022 NFL Draft Published: Apr 30, 2022 at 04:09 PM Grant Gordon Digital Content Editor Though the Buffalo Bills got the third. Height 6 and 1 1/8 Araiza, a. What makes me a top prospect in this year's draft is my ability to aggressively attack the ball, play smart football, and contribute a relentless work ethic to make my team better. Kicking? Furthermore, it wasnt even a thought. But when the ball came off of his foot in the thin Rocky Mountain air of Colorado Springs, the San Diego State punter surprised even himself. More than 300 prospects for the . Sprint draft legal and classic sprint distance triathlon held at Mission Bay and Fiesta Island . Brugler predicts Bellinger will be the second San Diego State player drafted (after Cameron Thomas). at After Stouts selection was announced, an ESPN broadcaster said: Not many things surprise me in the draft because you expect unpredictable things. But, thats not all Araiza can do. A story of soccer to San Diego, from punter to Punt God. What was surprising even shocking, to some is that two punters were selected Saturday ahead of Araiza. But, thats not all Araiza can do. !, the nickname Araiza was given during his record-breaking 2021 season. Araiza projects as a punter, because thats where hes setting records, and because hes a lefty. . Although he was the top punting prospect in the draft, Araiza ended up being the third punter selected. Somehow, were both getting what we want. The Aztecs are playing for the Mountain West title Saturday and Araiza was going to have a big role again. . Ten years from now well know the truth. There has been one 80-plus-yard punt in the NFL in 2021, by Green Bays Corey Bojorquez. San Diego States Matt Araiza is the third punter in school history selected in the NFL Draft. Aztecs head coach Brady Hoke recently said that Araiza is the teams MVP. He was being 100 percent serious, and hes 100 percent correct. Though the Bills are hardly known for punting, on the rare occasions they do, Araiza will be expected to tip the field and also be a weapon on kickoffs (he had 62 touchbacks in 73 kickoffs). In this graphic, there appears to be nearly no association between where a player was selected and his average AV per season. But as soon as Araiza started kicking, it became clear that he had a gift for it. Hang time was the primary concern for Araiza in the weeks and months leading up to the draft. Reacting to the pick, NFL Network broadcaster Rich Eisen said: Let me tell you something, Buffalo Bills fans, you should be very, very happy. This begs the question: how well will Matt Araiza transition to the NFL? The Bills' selection at No. The junior punter-placekicker from San Diego State is headed to the Buffalo Bills after being chosen Saturday with the first pick in the sixth round of the annual NFL Draft. Though the Buffalo Bills got the third punter of the 2022 NFL Draft's final day, they certainly got the one with the most fanfare. In the NFL, only two players can release, so additional time to get downfield is significant. Really dependable ball skills. The San Diego State punter was better than Camarda in almost every metric last season. Hed be worthy of going first. I just mean Matt Araiza out of San Diego State is maybe the best punter Ive seen in my lifetime and, yet, Baltimore likes Stout., And after Camarda was selected: Am I the only one Araizas the guy we all focused in on.. An all-around special teams contributor, the 2021 unanimous All-American had kickoff duties for San Diego State. He was named to several First and Second All-American Teams by various national media outlets. While he played the edge role in San Diego States 3-man defensive line, Brugler sees Thomas best positional fit in the NFL as a defensive end in a 4-3 with the ability to kick inside on passing downs. How Far Can This Version of James Harden Take the Sixers? Of course you would use a first-round pick on the Punter That Was Promised. 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. San Diego State punter Matt Araiza is unlike anyone who has ever played the position before. Even if we factor in returns and touchbacks, Araiza is on pace for history: SDSUs net punting average is 46.7 yards per punt; since the NCAA started including touchbacks in net punting average, no team has been better than 45.0. In the season opener against New Mexico State, Araiza boomed a 77-yarder. To put that in perspective, there were only six punts of 70 or more yards by every NFL punter combined last season. Kittle trains in the offseason in Nashville, Tennessee, and will work SDSUs tight end there. The San Diego State punter capped off his final season at the college level with the ultimate honor for a college punter, the Ray Guy Award. The following browsers are supported: Chrome, Edge (v80 and later), Firefox and Safari. several third-round selections at punter. Araiza has a cannon for a leg, shown with his 86-yard punt against San Jose State in October. Georgia punter Jake Camarda was taken three picks later by Tampa Bay. Hes going to make stops at all different points of the field, said Brugler. At the time, a young Araiza couldnt have imagined becoming a national punting icon. What happened to the Giants after Round 1? Most punters dont achieve that distance in a career. Camarda was not even a semifinalist for the award, not that pro scouts necessarily concern themselves with such things. He is also highly accurate as a punter, with 37 of his 79 punts (46.8%) landing inside the opponents 20-yard line in 2021 against just 15 touchbacks. Copyright 2019-2023. San Diego States Matt Araiza is having the greatest punting season in college football history. It was awesome. Matthew Ryan Araiza (born May 16, 2000) is an American football punter who is a free agent. Well, that was just a way onto the football roster. Behind guard Max Rices 12 straight points at the end, host Broncos score the games final 14 in the final five minutes to stun Aztecs, Stats and storylines to watch on Tuesday night, when San Diego State takes on Boise State at ExtraMile Arena, San Diego State sits on the cusp of a No. Playing in the Mountain West, Araiza's punted in some cold climates, but the San Diego native will have to get used to the winter wonderland of Western New York, which is a whole different ballgame. Certainly, a benefit for Araiza is his ability to also excel at kickoffs and handle place-kicking duties if necessary, providing more reason to use a middle-round pick on the Ray Guy Award winner. Additionally, few of these punters have been widely recognized as the best at their position, even for one season. 0. He now holds the NCAA records for punting average in a season (51.19), punts over 50 yards (39), and punts over 60 yards (18). In addition to his record-setting punting, he's drilled three 50-yard field goals, second most in college football, and has the fourth-longest average kickoff distance (65.0 yards). I saw the first one (when Stout was selected). The 21-year-old is a special teams star who won the 2021 Ray Guy Award, given to the best punter in college football. These sites are not endorsed by, sponsored by, or affiliated with with these teams or institutions. 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. Gennaro Filice provides draft grades for each NFC East team. Dunkle also earned First Team All-American by Pro Football Network and Second Team All-American by the Associated Press. Soccer was, for sure, the first sport I wanted to play professionally. But being at San Diego State for four years, really living it, it made me laugh that I even considered going anywhere else. This, surprises me. Ill kind of get to squash that whole warm-weather kicker thing.. Araiza had a 6.09 Prospect Grade on NFL.com, compared to 5.99 for Stout and 5.85 for Camarda. No one in our family had control over that. All that matters is watching him boom footballs as far as he can. The San Diego State punter was better than Camarda in almost every metric last season. Araizas leg strength is remarkable; however, he will need to cut down on the power in certain instances to further achieve NFL success. And opponents often have to go 90 yards against that incredible defense, because of Araizas amazing punts. He now holds the record for single-season punt average, with 51.19 yards per punt. Ray Guy is the only punter to be selected in the first round of the NFL Draft. EVT caught up with Dane Brugler, NFL Draft Analyst for The Athletic, to gain some insight on how teams are evaluating the Aztecs enrollees as the draft process is set to begin. Araiza set a school record for made field goals in a season and ranked sixth in the nation in touchback percentage in 2019. You won't want to miss a moment of the 2022 season! But since 2000, nobody has gone higher than Bryan Anger, who was picked 70th by the Jaguars in 2012. He visited Buffalo years ago on a family vacation and is thrilled to return, even if it means purchasing a heavier jacket. Welcome to Buffalo, @Matt_Araiza! r collecting 20.5 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks this past season. Lets take a look. This is a statement of fact rather than a prediction. Araiza in 2021 booted 79 punts for 4,044 yards for an NCAA-record 51.18 yards per punt. 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