matt araiza draft projection matt araiza draft projection

Eric D. Williams goes to practice with Matt Araiza, who could be the first punter selected on Day 2 of a draft since 2012. . 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. As the 2022 NFL Draft nears, its time to put our money where our mouth is and start making some predictions about the class. All other NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. 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. Consistency. Consistent ball striking, hang time, and placement are key factors in punter evaluation. When it comes to punters, the bigger surprise is that the Buccaneers took Camarda over Araiza. I didnt know what a first down was or anything, Faalele told ESPN in 2018. 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. Punter prospects in the NFL Draft are more commonplace than youd presume. PFN Draft Analyst Tony Pauline has Araiza graded as a top-100 player on his latest big board. 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 . This is what enablers do.. Use our promo code VENDETTA or use the link below to get a 100% instant matchon any deposit. Continue with Recommended Cookies, (Derrick Tuskan/San Diego State Athletics). An all-around special teams contributor, the 2021 unanimous All-American had kickoff duties for San Diego State. The number of seasons for each punter includes every season where at least half of a season was played. 2004-2023 CBS Interactive. Although on-field punter drills werent televised, onlookers inside Lucas Oil Stadium reported that Araiza was impressive during those sessions at the NFL Combine. More than just power, Araiza has a punting style that causes the ball to roll forward if it is not caught. Youll see here part of what makes Araiza so special. Copyright 2019-2023. One of the most important punting stats is net punting average and Araiza finished the year at 44.3, which ranked sixth in the country. Araiza is set to be one of the highest-selected punters in recent NFL Draft history. Consistency, then Penn State punter Jordan Stout should be called Mr. The prolific punter also showcased his versatility as a powerful placekicker, hitting 77% of his 48 attempts with a career long of 53 yards. 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. Jimmypinthe416 says: August 28, 2022 at 11:39 am Was belichik lying when he drafted Hernandez. General manager Tom Telesco spoke to the media on Thursday and was asked about Araiza in the draft. More important than the distance is Araizas unusual control of the ball, allowing him to pin opposing offenses deep in their own half rather than just booming the ball out the back of the endzone. 2022 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Matt Araiza. NFL MOCK DRAFT. Possesses a monster leg, gets tremendous hang time on punts, and allows coverage teams to get downfield and make the play. 1. In a sign of things to come at the collegiate level, his 37 career field goals set a San Diego Section record. Draft Order & Rookie Pools; . Araiza served as SDSU's placekicker while he was in college, so he's never had to hold. Araizas leg power is also demonstrated as a field goal and kickoff specialist. 154) - 1 - Cincinnati Bengals (No. Not too shabby. Login. @matt_araiza. Additionally, few of these punters have been widely recognized as the best at their position, even for one season. 147, a high fifth-round pick. Araiza is set to be one of the highest-selected punters in recent NFL Draft history. No punter has been selected in the first two rounds of the NFL Draft since 1995. Track the most effective teams on first down in the league, and youll notice they just so happen to be the most effective defenses. The biggest surprise is that college football's top punter, Matt Araiza, wasn't the first punter off the board this year. Teams worried about Davis role on third down should instead be focused on how he can tip the scales in their favor on the most important down of all. Updated. All this high school success mattered very little when it came to the recruiting process. Stop by our 2nd City Gridiron YouTube channel for Bear Bones LIVE at FIVE as we get in on some mock draft fun! One of the most dangerous weapons in college football is San Diego State punter Matt Araiza. Khalil Shakir is going down the well of a former Buffalo Bills great to hopefully improve in Year 2: Eric Moulds. He also set the FBS mark for 50-yard punts with his 33rd of the season. 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. You must be logged in to post a comment While a running start can provide for more power, power is far from an issue with Araiza. 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. But when you boom not just one, but two punts over 80 yards, you earn some attention. Punter Bryan Anger famously went five picks before Russell Wilson in 2012 with the 70th overall pick. Like clockwork. Before you scoff at this notion and dismiss it based on the allegation that Reeder is a "terrible" NFL player who wasn't even drafted, let's look at how the 2 players measure up. NFL draft projection. We're not controlling field position.' NFL footage NFL Productions LLC. 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. He quantified the athletic ability displayed on punt return coverage with an excellent showing at the NFL Combine. He can be seen putting his high school track athleticism to good use getting downfield. Matt Araiza came into the 2022 NFL Draft as a fan favorite. 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. Hawaii had two returners lined up with one much farther back than the traditional return distance and the punt still went over both of their heads. Brugler's take: The Ray Guy Award winner last season, Araiza has a booming leg and showed it off as a punter and kicker (field goals, extra points, kickoffs . Even then, the potential power lingering in his left leg remained lowkey. And yet, the prediction of a multiple-punter class in the 2022 NFL Draft might surprise a few people. Chase Daniel: Young's Height Is Non-Issue, Stroud: I Don't Want to Be Drafted By Bears, Smith-Njigba: Packers Looking at Receivers, Dave Wannstedt: Mike McCarthy's 'Run the Damn Ball' Comment Ill-Advised, Samari Rolle: Forbes Worthy of Comp to Me, Friday's DB Workout Displayed Clear No. Vendetta Sports Media is sponsored by Monkey Knife Fight, the fastest growing DFS site in the industry. Vinnie Iyer of The Sporting News, for example, projects Araiza to go 174th overall to the defending AFC champion Bengals. The first two punters went off the board in the fourth round with the Ravens selecting Jordan Stout and the Buccaneers taking Jake Camarda. Based on Over The Cap's projections, . Below are the top 10 highest-drafted punters in the history of the NFL draft: Of that group, Guy went onto become a Pro Football Hall of Famer; Stark was a first-team All Pro selection in 1983 and four-time Pro Bowler; Skladany was a 1981 Pro Bowler; Sauebrun was a four-time All-Pro selection, three-time Pro Bowler and two-time NFL punt yards leader; Tupa was a 1999 All-Pro selection; and Anger was a 2021 second-team All-Pro selection, as well as the 2013 NFL punting yards leader. Coach Marwan Maalouf, currently coaching special teams at the University of Miami and longtime NFL special teams coach, thinks highly of Araiza. 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. Versatility, athleticism, and competitive toughness, Tony Paulines scouting report for Matt Araiza. 1. player. Call 1-800-GAMBLER. 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. 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 . Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. The whole nfl knew. At the very least, remember the name Matt Araiza and the punt god designation following him. Both are a long shot to be drafted at the end of the month. 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. But there are questions about Davis viability at the NFL level. Ethan Sears. Nicknamed "Punt God," the San Diego State product became well known for booming punts 80 yards and averaging an NCAA-record 51.19 yards . The punt went for a touchback, but when you still factor the flipping from San Diego States 21-yard line to Hawaiis 20-yard line, thats still a 59-yard flip with the touchback. The [] A minor nitpick in Araizas game is that a quick delivery like his can make it tougher for his teammates to cover significant ground in coverage, but when you factor in how much stronger his leg is than the average punter, it doesnt even matter. So that builds his value to your team especially if you have an older kicker who now you can take the kickoff duty from.. Mocks. 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. According to the NFL Mock Draft Database, the highest he is projected to go is in the fifth round picks 144 through 179. However, he set a new single-season program record for field goals with 22. Matt Araiza Draft Stock & Draft Projection. 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. Win at all costs happens with every team. Banners rationale is driven by the notion of replacement value. The Bills, though, were aware that Araiza was the subject of a police investigation when they releasedMatt Haack his competition for the starting punter job on Monday. The Bears find themselves not only needing a new punter to replace Pat ODonnell and compete with Ryan Winslow, but they also have several other needs on the roster. Chicago Bears 2023 Free Agency Roundtable: Signing we dont want to see. The buzz over this punting class begins with Araiza. Now for the burning question: where will Araiza be drafted in April? 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. Moreover, his lack of blocked kicks demonstrates that Araiza consistently gets good elevation. He has a repeatable and pro-ready approach with consistently polished footwork. SUBSCRIBEto the Vendetta YouTube Channel! Among the players expected to hear his name is punter Matt Araiza out of San Diego State. Hawaii had to employ an insane punt coverage against him. Araiza has as many 80-yard punts in just this season as the NFL has produced since 2013. The victims lawyer, Dan Gilleon, said the Bills also ignored his warnings about Araiza in late July. Since 2000, just two draft classes (2017 and 2011) have not had a punter selected to the NFL. Inconsistent accuracy on his field goals. Araizas game against UNLV gave the football world its first glimpse of him as a punter, nailing 4 of 5 punts over 50 yards. 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 . A team will take the bet that Faalele can, probably in the first round. This reinforces the significance of gross versus net punting averages. Brewer. He wound up at the same school as Odafe Oweh, a first-round pick for the Baltimore Ravens in last years draft. Team Contract Type Status Year Signed Yrs Total APY Guarantees Araiza now holds the record for punts of 50+ yards. In Araizas scouting report, we break through the numbers and noise to scrutinize his pro potential ahead of the 2022 NFL Draft. Despite his relatively low recruiting profile, there was a level of expectation around the program when the versatile kicking weapon was finally handed the opportunity to play for the Aztecs in 2019. Every front office in the NFL may have Araiza at a different spot on their boards come the last week in April, but the standout college special teams player should hear his name called during the 2022 NFL Draft. 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. But how high, exactly, can we expect a team to take Araiza, winner of the 2021 Ray Guy Award? 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. He followed that up with a Thanos-like performance at the scouting combine: the 341 lb Davis ran the 40-yard dash in 4.78 seconds, the fastest for any player over 330 lb at the combine since 2006; Davis later had a standing broad jump of 10ft 3in, the record for a player over 300 pounds; he tacked on a 34in vertical leap for good measure, a doubletake-worthy figure for someone of his size. Hes not just the last line of defense, either. FILE - San Diego State's Matt Araiza (2) celebrates his field goal against . This is the most yards per punt a player has ever averaged in a single NCAA season, illustrating his sheer dominance. Hutchinson was an effort player; Ojabo the beat-them-out-of-their-cleats, vintage, get-off-and-go rusher. Camarda has averaged 46.8, 46.6, and 46.7 yards per punt, respectively, over the past three seasons. 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. They also dont currently have a fourth-round pick, barring some wheeling and dealing on Draft Day. 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. the 341 lb Davis ran the 40-yard dash in 4.78 seconds. Aidan Hutchinson and Kayvon Thibodeaux will feature as top picks later this month. The truth of the matter, however, is that Araiza is just the tip of the iceberg of a talented punting class. They'll give up some big returns, but they'll also have some giant flips of field position.". In 2021, the Bills only punted a total of 52 times, which was tied for the fifth-lowest total in the NFL. Analysis: Araiza took a step to the forefront last season and was a rockstar punter for the Aztecs. holy crap.you know what I just realized? Does a terrific job selling fake punts. The list of accomplishments is unreal. I hope he is back in the NFL soon., Asked about the decision not to contact Gilleon, Bills GM Brandon Beane said in a press conference that Kathryn DAngelo, the teams attorney, heard what he had to say and thats when we began our process., Were not perfect. San Diego State's Matt Araiza headlines a potentially historic 2022 NFL Draft class with at least three punters picked in our projections. 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. 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. While Araiza had decent success in landing punts inside the 20 this season, he needs to demonstrate consistency in this regard. An all-around special teams contributor, the 2021 unanimous All-American had kickoff duties for San Diego State. Could Matt Araiza be the next one? Our written profile to add to our NIL Apparel and Podcast Interview of College Football's #1 Punter #sdsu #NFLDraft. In this graphic, there appears to be nearly no association between where a player was selected and his average AV per season. Daniel Faalele after Minnesotas win over Colorado in September. As a junior, Araiza would be eligible for the NFL Draft in both 2022 and 2023. Four punters were chosen in the 2016 NFL 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. 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. No wonder the "punt god" is generating NFL draft buzz. NFL Draft: Meet Matt Araiza, Punt God His booming kicks made fourth-and-long must-watch TV at San Diego State. Original reporting and incisive analysis, direct from the Guardian every morning. 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. They both feature within draftable range on my recently released 2022 NFL Draft Top 300 Big Board. The Punt God has a legitimate shot at being a day two selection. 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. 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. It's not clear why Araiza dropped all the way down to the sixth round, but there are plenty of theories. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. Finally, Araiza has shown toughness and athletic ability during his time at San Diego State. The left-legged punter can effortlessly boom the ball the entire length of the field. 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. 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. A two-star prospect, Araiza was the 20th-ranked kicker in the 2018 class. Since 2000, just two draft classes (2017 and 2011) have not had a punter selected to the NFL. 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. Araiza seems like he's going to be a good fit in Buffalo. Stout will likely end up replacing the longtime Ravens punter, who turns 40 in August. 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. San Diego State wasnt prepared for this 10-man rush of the punter, but that didnt matter to Araiza. The NFL Draft doesn't usually surprise us much when it comes to punting, but on Saturday it came with two big surprises. 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. Carson Strong has a great arm but teams will worry about his injury history. 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 | Jordan Davis combines size and athleticism. Lets start with the obvious. No other punter in history has more 50+ and 60+ yard punts in a single season. Gambling problem? That ability to flip the field to pin opponents deep in their own half, no matter where his own offense stalls out serves as a cheat code. Thats what teams are still trying to figure out. Colorado States Ryan Stonehouse featured just behind Araiza this year, with an average of 50.9 yards per punt. After the horrendous playoff performance, the Packers . The injury has continued to plague his career, forcing further surgeries in 2020 and 2021. The 2022 NFL Draft is quickly approaching, with the first round kicking off on Thursday, April 28th. At worst, the allegation contained in a civil lawsuit filed Thursday that Araiza, a former San Diego State star . , given to the best punter in college football. At 6ft 9in (!) C.J. Araiza joined the NFL in April as a sixth-round draft pick. Let them know that we sent you! Past. As a result, theres an ever-growing feeling that his floor in the 2022 NFL Draft will be the fifth round. (Interestingly, I found out while researching this that Cleveland used second round picks in both 1977 and 1978 to draft a punter. So why not invest a valuable resource in a player who can boom the ball farther, higher, and with more accuracy than anyone else at his position? 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. Entry: 2022 Draft, Round 6, #180 overall (Bills) Contract History. Even then, the potential power lingering in his left leg remained lowkey. All Combine and Draft-Related Analysis, News, Video, and Biographical Information for Matt Araiza As mentioned before, Araiza is incredibly versatile and can help the special teams unit in an impactful way. Talk about flipping the field. Matt Araiza, Daniel Bellinger and Cameron Thomas, though, have gotten the most buzz . Additionally, Ray Guy was a first-round pick in 1973, with the award for punting success named after him. Mock drafts will dance around the internet for the next two months they've already started and in a cozy 5th-Round spot nestled will be the name Matt Araiza because every team should want a glimpse of the field-position machete.. And if Araiza's draft stock remains at the 5th Round or lower . 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. With only two defenders shooting downfield, returning teams dont have to worry as much about initial pressure up the middle and have more of an opportunity to rush the punter. 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. Matt Araiza is San Diego State's record-setting punter. Araiza was selected by the Bills in the sixth round (180th overall) of the 2022 NFL Draft. Corey Bojorquez has also shown inconsistency. 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. Now, he is one of the rarest prospects in football: a punter with buzz. During his first two seasons with the Aztecs, he hit long field goals of 48 yards (Wyoming 19, Colorado 20). 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. Talk about ineptitude.) He isnt a novelty: hes an assured pass protector who has the huge frame that could make him special. He also set school records in the 110-meter and 300-meter hurdles during his high school career. Araiza sits neatly at the intersection of crusty old Football Guys and the new wave of analytically inclined general managers. That, combined with the more condensed splits in the NFL, makes a rugby-style delivery tough to impossible to pull off consistently. He has another 80-yard punt this season too. We've been studying the players for 11 months. Tracker; Grades; Spending; Tenders; Draft. The likes of Mitch Wishnowsky and Max Duffy from recent draft classes utilized this style of punting before entering the NFL. The term generational talent is incredibly cliche and should be avoided more often than not, as hyperbolic analysts can throw it around to simply describe prospects who are very good, regardless of whether theyre far and away better than other players at their position over the last few decades. 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