John Harbaugh is a former special teams coach and he has a better eye for punters and kickers than any other head coach in the NFL, so if he wanted Stout, you can bet he liked his punting style more than he liked Araiza's booming style. 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 biggest thing to note from the preseason is Epenesa. Matt Araiza Archives - NFL Draft Countdown As for Araiza, the Bills could potentially be getting a steal with their selection of the player known as "Punt God.". Araiza must ensure that his strides and ball striking remain consistent from kick to kick. 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. Pro Football Network strives to passionately deliver purposeful, captivating, and exceptional football content. Pro Football Network, LLC. 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 . He also set school records in the 110-meter and 300-meter hurdles during his high school career. One other theory is that teams are afraid Araiza might outkick his coverage in the NFL. Matt Araiza Scouting Report. 2022 NFL Draft Scouting Report: Matt Araiza. The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. 174. One theory on why he fell is because he's never held for extra point or field goals. I cant see him falling past Round 4, which seems like a weird thing to say about a punter, but thats definitely the case with him. 2022 NFL Draft Team Mock Drafts. 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. Scroll through to view photos of P Matt Araiza, Buffalo's pick in the sixth round, 180th overall in the 2022 NFL Draft. Araiza can take up one spot on a roster, rather than a team having to carry a player at both punter and placekicker. Can he step, drop, and reset to cut off Khalil Mack trying to knife inside? The. Other Draft Prospects: TE Daniel Bellinger (UFA), LB Caden McDonald (UFA) Araiza also succeeds as a kickoff specialist, recording 62 touchbacks on 73 attempts. Im tougher, stronger, more athletic than Odafe Oweh. As a FG kicker, his completion percentage has declined with every college season. . The coach offered Faalele a scholarship on the spot. #Bills #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/EA1iEWkdyA. Araiza sits neatly at the intersection of crusty old Football Guys and the new wave of analytically inclined general managers. Certainly, the conversation around Araiza as a potential Day 2 prospect fuels that narrative. Former San Diego State Punter Matt Araiza Discusses NFL Future - NBC 7 Chicago Bears 2023 Free Agency Roundtable: Signing we expect. The Punt God has a legitimate shot at being a day two selection. It's probable that he would have hit a fourth for 55 yards . The Buffalo Bills are going to have a tough decision to make. Punters can be prolific athletes, too! Tracker; Grades; Spending; Tenders; Draft. That is an incredibly high projection for a special teams player, as punters and kicker often . This unit was added to a lot this offseason. But I can tell you, we just tried to do what was right, Beane said. Khalil Shakir working out with former Bills WR Eric Moulds Jump around this article Click to show Punters are NFL Draft prospects, too always have been, always will be. 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. 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. Hes unlikely to be the first defensive lineman off the board. But now Araiza is gone, released Saturday afternoon, and with the preseason games over, the Bills have to trim . The NFL Draft doesn't usually surprise us much when it comes to punting, but on Saturday it came with two big surprises. Araiza knocked it out of the park, posting numbers comparable to some highly ranked prospects. 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 . Round 5 - Philadelphia Eagles (No. Together, they were unblockable. You dont get the award that celebrates collegiate punting excellence without being exceptional. The Buffalo Bills released rookie punter Matt Araiza on Saturday night. However, 17 punters have actually been selected on what we would now call Day 2 of the NFL Draft. Copyright 2019-2023. We have an 86 yard punt EIGHTY SIX (CC @RKalland) pic.twitter.com/KIi5d3VTTO. Get the latest on Buffalo Bills P Matt Araiza including news, stats, videos, and more on CBSSports.com . 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. 2023 Mock Drafts 2024 Mock Drafts 2025 Mock Drafts. Punts in between the 30s (2021 only):Jordan Stout, Penn State (36 Punts)Inside 20 83%Inside 10 53%Touchback 6%Average Field Pos. A two-star prospect, Araiza was the 20th-ranked kicker in the 2018 class. 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. 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. Matt Araiza, better known as "Punt God", played for the San Diego State Aztecs for a total of three seasons between 2019 and 2021. The 21-year-old is a special teams star who won the. 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. Multiple punters selected in the draft are also not as rare as youd think. Araiza is set to be one of the highest-selected punters in recent NFL Draft history. 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. Given the recent trends of where punters have been drafted, it would make sense for Araiza to be selected on Day 3 since only Bryan Anger has been taken before then in the past 15 years. Two NFL teams had Matt Araiza red flags before draft. We've received your submission. Nicknamed "Punt God," the San Diego State product became well known for booming punts 80 yards and averaging an NCAA-record 51.19 yards . He has another 80-yard punt this season too. Araiza knocked it out of the park, posting numbers comparable to some highly ranked prospects. Many even called him the 'Punt God.' All Rights Reserved. Hes also hit a 60+ yarder in each of his four years for the Bulldogs. , given to the best punter in college football. 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. I didnt know what a first down was or anything, Faalele told ESPN in 2018. 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. 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. https://t.co/mIr2tYt8LT. The 21-year-old is a special teams star who won the 2021 Ray Guy Award, given to the best punter in college football. As a result, theres an ever-growing feeling that his floor in the 2022 NFL Draft will be the fifth round. Additionally, Ray Guy was a first-round pick in 1973, with the award for punting success named after him. Matt Araiza, San Diego State P | NFL Draft Scouting Report (2023) An all-around special teams contributor, the 2021 unanimous All-American had kickoff duties for San Diego State. That, combined with the more condensed splits in the NFL, makes a rugby-style delivery tough to impossible to pull off consistently. Matt Araiza draft rumors: San Diego State punter declares for 2022 NFL NFL draft's top punter is Matt Araiza - Sports Illustrated FREE Boxing fight stream. Jimmypinthe416 says: August 28, 2022 at 11:39 am Was belichik lying when he drafted Hernandez. 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 | In 2020, he made 71.4%, and in 2021, hes down to 64.3%. Above is a plot of the average Approximate Value (AV) of a punter per season who has been drafted in the last 15 seasons. That was surprising.. Report: NFL Teams Could Make Surprising Decision At Punter (Interestingly, I found out while researching this that Cleveland used second round picks in both 1977 and 1978 to draft a punter. FanSided.com; . Matt Araiza: Bills rookie crushes 82-yard punt in NFL preseason debut 17 for the first round of the draft. Four punters were chosen in the 2016 NFL Draft. Khalil Shakir is going down the well of a former Buffalo Bills great to hopefully improve in Year 2: Eric Moulds. (Photo by Joshua Bessex/Getty Images) He had a scholarship offer before he even put a helmet on. After the horrendous playoff performance, the Packers . After hitting an 86-yard punt against Hawaii, Araiza has become something of a social media starlet, earning the nickname Punt God.. This is the most yards per punt a player has ever averaged in a single NCAA season, illustrating his sheer dominance. All the more impressive, the 2021 season was Araiza's first taking on full-time punting duties for the Aztecs. 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. NFL Draft Prospects in the 2021 Tropical Smoothie Cafe Frisco Bowl The number of seasons for each punter includes every season where at least half of a season was played. The 2022 NFL draft is a little over two weeks away. While a running start can provide for more power, power is far from an issue with Araiza. But when you boom not just one, but two punts over 80 yards, you earn some attention. Shakir, a fifth-round rookie in 2022, got off to a slow start in his career. SUBSCRIBEto the Vendetta YouTube Channel! My names David Ojabo. Araiza in 2021 booted 79 punts for 4,044 yards for an NCAA-record 51.18 yards per punt. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. If a team is uncomfortable with your holding skills, that could absolutely lead you to dropping in the draft. That said, it appears unlikely that Araiza will be a realistic target for them unless he somehow falls to Round 5. The 22-year-old was expected to be the Bills' starting punter after playing well during the preseason. And yet, the prediction of a multiple-punter class in the 2022 NFL Draft might surprise a few people. 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. 201. 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 . Matt Araiza boots 90-yard punt (!! 2022 NFL Draft shocker: Bills land 'Punt God' Matt Araiza who For this reason, I believe its time for me to do something Ive only done once before: a special teamer breakdown. Former Bills punter Matt Araiza could be in big trouble in gang-rape Although he didnt participate in any all-star games, Araizas ascension has continued through the pre-draft process. As soon as the ball left Matt Araiza's foot, the competition between the rookie and Matt Haack was over. While Araiza had decent success in landing punts inside the 20 this season, he needs to demonstrate consistency in this regard. 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. Faalele looks more like a long-lost third Clegane brother than a starting NFL tackle. Araiza has as many 80-yard punts in just this season as the NFL has produced since 2013. The prolific punter also showcased his versatility as a powerful placekicker, hitting 77% of his 48 attempts with a career long of 53 yards. 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. Matt (@matt_araiza) / Twitter 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. In 'Punt God' Matt Araiza, Bills getting a promising prospect, but far Both batches of decision-makers agree on one overriding idea: Field position really, really matters. Matt Araiza is one of the more fascinating prospects of the 2022 NFL Draft which is saying something, considering he's a punter. Fewer punters have been more consistent than the Georgia prospect. That hasn't happened for a punter since 2012, when Jacksonville selected Cal's . Daniel Faalele after Minnesotas win over Colorado in September. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site. Former Aztecs punter Matt Araiza reaching new heights with his kicks Talk about flipping the field. 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. Landing both prospects would fill position needs, but that's a dream scenario because Gardner will likely be long gone if the Chargers decide to stay at No. They call him Punt God. Here are the San Diego State Aztecs headed for the 2022 NFL Draft, from Cameron Thomas to Matt Araiza. The only other times it happened came in 1993 and 2007. In addition to his prowess as a punter, Araiza has a 73.5% success rate as a field-goal kicker. 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. Talk about ineptitude.) 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. 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. Araiza denied the allegations in a statement released by his agent on Friday, but has not spoken publicly himself. Bills' Christian Benford, Matt Araiza are roster locks. Do Isaiah 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. Twenty-nine percent of his punts went for touchbacks. Hang time and accuracy are just as important in the NFL. 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. 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. No punter has been selected in the first two rounds of the NFL Draft since 1995. He is exceptional on fourth down, averaging 51.2 yards per punt in his most recent season. Stout was slightly ahead of him at 44.5 while Camarda was well below both guys at 41.6. This reinforces the significance of gross versus net punting averages. Matt Araiza is one of the only players in the 2022 NFL Draft who can make an immediate impact. All Combine and Draft-Related Analysis, News, Video, and Biographical Information for Matt Araiza 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. Lawyer: Matt Araiza & Bills knew nothing of allegations before Draft Day He is a threat to cover his own punts and kicks. FILE - San Diego State's Matt Araiza (2) celebrates his field goal against . 147, a high fifth-round pick. It is officially mock draft season! Araiza can be quite a weapon for NFL teams adding a punter in the 2022 draft. However, what makes Araiza special is that he also kicks field goals and does kickoffs. Araizas leg power is also demonstrated as a field goal and kickoff specialist. Call 1-800-GAMBLER. He quantified the athletic ability displayed on punt return coverage with an excellent showing at the NFL Combine. 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. 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. 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. However, this style doesnt really translate to the NFL. He is a big-armed, big-bodied quarterback who plays in the classic, dropback, Carson Palmer style. 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 . Our written profile to add to our NIL Apparel and Podcast Interview of College Football's #1 Punter #sdsu #NFLDraft. The injury has continued to plague his career, forcing further surgeries in 2020 and 2021. He converted all but one of his 97 career extra-point attempts, too. His 51.2 yards per punt is the most in a single season by any college punter in the history of the sport. Entry: 2022 Draft, Round 6, #180 overall (Bills) Contract History. So that builds his value to your team especially if you have an older kicker who now you can take the kickoff duty from.. The truth of the matter, however, is that Araiza is just the tip of the iceberg of a talented punting class. Matt Araiza is currently projected to be drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals at No. While Araiza has been electrifying college football this season, Georgia punter Jake Camarda should earn himself the nickname Mr. Also, a higher average yards per punt does not always mean better sometimes you want to directionally punt, so this can be misleading. Consistency. Consistent ball striking, hang time, and placement are key factors in punter evaluation. The roster has been set for awhile in the defensive trenches. 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 is set to be one of the highest-selected punters in recent NFL Draft history. According to the NFL Mock Draft Database, . 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. He believes it is worth taking chances on other positions earlier in the draft rather than a punter. Cincinnati Bengals 7-round 2022 NFL mock draft: Trade-up edition Both Stout and Camarda carry draftable grades from NFL scouts. Not too shabby. According to the NFL Mock Draft Database, the highest he is projected to go is in the fifth round picks 144 through 179. Aidan Hutchinson and Kayvon Thibodeaux will feature as top picks later this month. NFL Draft: Meet Matt Araiza, Punt God His booming kicks made fourth-and-long must-watch TV at San Diego State. Matt Araiza Contract Details, Salary Cap Charges, Bonus Money, and go off the board in the second round. Among the players expected to hear his name is punter Matt Araiza out of San Diego State. There have only been two draft classes since the turn of the century where a punter hasnt been selected in the NFL Draft. 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. 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. We look into all the details of Bills P Matt Araiza's Gang Rape Case That isnt the case with Araiza, who ran pro-style formations at San Diego State. He possesses all the tools to start in the NFL and will be a very early draft pick for a punter. 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 . March 25, 2022 5 min read. 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. I would rather draft depth at other positions, such as defensive back and linebacker, where the players can develop while contributing on special teams.. But how have other drafted punters panned out in the NFL? With his record-breaking antics and social media ascension to Punt God, San Diego State punter Matt Araiza is making special teams sexy again. 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. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. 2023 Draft Scout/NCAA College Football Landing both prospects would fill position needs, but that's a dream scenario because Gardner will likely be long gone if the Chargers decide to stay at No. It is not a good look for a franchise that prides itself on culture and character. One of the most dangerous weapons in college football is San Diego State punter Matt Araiza.
3 Stooges Actors Still Alive, Articles M