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. The whole nfl knew. There have only been 10 punts of 80 yards in the entirety of college football this century. Coffin corners, hang-time, and inside the 20 are phrases being used in evaluation that barely see the light of day ordinarily. That demonstrates a level of composure that will be invaluable at the next level. DBs and Specialists. I didnt know what a first down was or anything, Faalele told ESPN in 2018. So that builds his value to your team especially if you have an older kicker who now you can take the kickoff duty from.. 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 | He possesses all the tools to start in the NFL and will be a very early draft pick for a punter. 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. During his three-year stint as the starter for Rancho Bernardo, Araiza boomed a 71-yard long punt. School: San Diego State. 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. Corey Bojorquez has also shown inconsistency. 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. Matt Araiza, punter, San Diego State . NFL Draft Provile. Bills' Christian Benford, Matt Araiza are roster locks. Do Isaiah But there are tantalising stories further down the board. 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. Ill make a bold statement and say that, if the Bears trade down and acquire a pick in Round 4, I wouldnt be furious if they took Araiza with that selection. Punters are NFL Draft prospects, too always have been, always will be. Let them know that we sent you! The number of seasons for each punter includes every season where at least half of a season was played. He wound up at the same school as Odafe Oweh, a first-round pick for the Baltimore Ravens in last years draft. Some NFL teams knew about Matt Araiza incident before the draft If I can get my punter as an UDFA instead of using a draft selection on him, that would be preferable.. His 32 vertical jump was the same as Chris Olave, our 15th-highest-ranked prospect. Araiza, one of the Buffalo Bills' sixth round picks in the 2022 NFL Draft, boomed a . Position: K. 6-2 , 200lb (188cm, 90kg) Draft: 6th round, 180th overall of the 2022 NFL draft by the Buffalo Bills. 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? When and how often will Davis play? Matt Araiza Draft and Combine Prospect Profile | NFL.com 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. Based on Over The Cap's projections, . They could trade out of the first round and gain a lot by doing so as other teams look to get back into that opening round for a faller. The prolific punter also showcased his versatility as a powerful placekicker, hitting 77% of his 48 attempts with a career long of 53 yards. Of course, there were more rounds and selections back then. Araiza is set to be one of the highest-selected punters in recent NFL Draft history. Matt Araiza, San Diego State P | NFL Draft Scouting Report Throughout his time as an Aztec, Araiza also successfully . All 2022 NFL Draft Projections are taken from the latest Sporting News NFL Mock Draft by Vinnie Iyer. Talk about flipping the field. 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. Both batches of decision-makers agree on one overriding idea: Field position really, really matters. At worst, the allegation contained in a civil lawsuit filed Thursday that Araiza, a former San Diego State star . Matt Araiza did the unthinkable for a punter during the 2021 college football season. Araiza has a cannon for a leg, shown with his. 2022 NFL Draft Predictions: Matt Araiza leads class of at least three All Combine and Draft-Related Analysis, News, Video, and Biographical Information for Matt Araiza Shakir, a fifth-round rookie in 2022, got off to a slow start in his career. That said, it wouldnt be surprising at all if somebody took him as early as Round 3. Matt Araiza was selected in the sixth-round of the 2022 NFL Draft. Possesses a monster leg, gets tremendous hang time on punts, and allows coverage teams to get downfield and make the play. The San Diego State punter was better than Camarda in almost every metric last season. Both are a long shot to be drafted at the end of the month. 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. San Diego State P Matt Araiza. Did I mention that Araiza has a powerful leg? He maintained composure in a penetrated backfield, and he was able to send the ball 65 yards through the air with ease. The 2022 NFL Draft is quickly approaching, with the first round kicking off on Thursday, April 28th. Odds & lines subject to change. Of course, draft analysis, projections and rumors will be dominating the headlines until then. DATABASE. Araiza denied the allegations in a statement released by his agent on Friday, but has not spoken publicly himself. (Photo by Joshua Bessex/Getty Images) Mock Draft Database Sites; NFL NBA NHL MLB. But I can tell you, we just tried to do what was right, Beane said. The victims lawyer, Dan Gilleon, said the Bills also ignored his warnings about Araiza in late July. 2022 NFL Draft: Profiles for 20 potential LA Rams picks on Day 3 @matt_araiza. The injury has continued to plague his career, forcing further surgeries in 2020 and 2021. 2022 NFL Draft: Matt Araiza Highlights, Punting Stats - The Duel According to NYup.com, Moulds shared a video of Shakir working out with him. Above is a plot of the average. We've received your submission. Yep, thats his shirt size and thats eight Xs for those keeping score at home. Eric D. Williams goes to practice with Matt Araiza, who could be the first punter selected on Day 2 of a draft since 2012. . That is an incredibly high projection for a special teams player, as punters and kicker often . The rest of the league has moved to embrace the off-script creators, players who can go and get a bucket all by themselves with their arms or legs when the offensive structure breaks down. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. What Matt Araiza did in college football was revolutionary from a position where it's tough to disrupt how the game is played. Despite that, things haven't really changed from out first look at it. The San Diego, California native has a. as the Aztecs kicker. More than just power, Araiza has a punting style that causes the ball to roll forward if it is not caught. Former San Diego State Punter Matt Araiza Discusses NFL Future - NBC 7 Matt (@matt_araiza) / Twitter 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. 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. Other Aztecs are also headed for the NFL Draft as well. 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. 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. But, thats not all Araiza can do. Now, he is one of the rarest prospects in football: a punter with buzz. Pro Football Network strives to passionately deliver purposeful, captivating, and exceptional football content. NFL MOCK DRAFT. Stout will likely end up replacing the longtime Ravens punter, who turns 40 in August. Matt Araiza boots 90-yard punt (!!), wins college football weekend 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. and that Bill Belichick is already salivating over using a second-round pick on him in the 2022 NFL Draft. The Bills may not have known about the allegations hanging over punter Matt Araiza when they . Talk about ineptitude.) # . Araiza also boomed an 86-yard punt last season, which was the longest in college football. All Rights Reserved. 6-keys: media/spln/nfl/reg/free/stories, at In yesterdays game, Matt Araiza elevated his NCAA record with his 16th punt of 60+ yards this year. Not only has he shown his prowess as a punter, but Coach Maalouf adds he kicked off as well and was good at it. 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. What Would a Zero-RB Fantasy Football Draft Look Like in 2022? 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. This is the most yards per punt a player has ever averaged in a single NCAA season, illustrating his sheer dominance. Lawyer: Matt Araiza & Bills knew nothing of allegations before Draft Day Matt Araiza #19 of the Buffalo Bills takes the field during practice on Aug. 5, 2022, in Orchard Park, New York. With his cannon for a leg, positional versatility, and publicity few punters have ever attracted, Araiza has the potential to be selected significantly higher than most punters have in recent NFL Draft classes. Zac Al-Khateeb is a content producer for The Sporting News. This season Araiza hasnt had a single kick punt or field goal blocked. 2004-2023 CBS Interactive. In his first season, Araiza handled kicking and kickoff duties, as his punting prowess remained hidden. 1 CB, Paul Burmeister: Why Derek Carr Might Not Be QB to Win You a Championship, Tracker: Patriots Release QB Hoyer. Even then, the potential power lingering in his left leg remained lowkey. The left-legged punter can effortlessly boom the ball the entire length of the field. Also, a higher average yards per punt does not always mean better sometimes you want to directionally punt, so this can be misleading. Draft Order & Rookie Pools; . Such a talented punter can serve as a valuable asset for a defense, as burying the opposing offense deep into their own territory makes their lives a lot easier. Our written profile to add to our NIL Apparel and Podcast Interview of College Football's #1 Punter #sdsu #NFLDraft. MORE:NFL Draft prospects 2022: Updated big board of top 150 players, rankings by position. Hes not just the last line of defense, either. No charges filed against Matt Araiza, ex-teammates in SDSU gang rape case Vinnie Iyer of The Sporting News, for example, projects Araiza to go 174th overall to the defending AFC champion Bengals. That might scare some people given the hype and eventual failures of Roberto Aguayo, but some team will still take a shot on him earlier than the average punter. Pro Football Network, LLC. Matt Araiza came into the 2022 NFL Draft as a fan favorite. Araiza has a cannon for a leg, shown with his 86-yard punt against San Jose State in October. Former Bills punter Matt Araiza could be in big trouble in gang-rape Two NFL teams had Matt Araiza red flags before draft One of the most exciting prospects in the 2022 NFL Draft is San Diego State Universitys Matt Araiza. The previous year, he punted five times for 249 yards, averaging 49.8 yards per punt. The NFL Draft doesn't usually give us very many surprises when it comes to punting, but it came through with two big surprises on Saturday. Safely draftable and carrying middle-round grades in the league.. Other Draft Prospects: TE Daniel Bellinger (UFA), LB Caden McDonald (UFA) He showcases very good touch and a repeatable delivery. (Interestingly, I found out while researching this that Cleveland used second round picks in both 1977 and 1978 to draft a punter. 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. They call him Punt God. By. Matt Araiza is one of the more fascinating prospects of the 2022 NFL Draft which is saying something, considering he's a punter. 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. Based on net punting averages, you can usually find UDFAs who will rank above average at the position in directional punting and hang time.. They'll give up some big returns, but they'll also have some giant flips of field position.". The 2022 NFL draft is a little over two weeks away. He quantified the athletic ability displayed on punt return coverage with an excellent showing at the NFL Combine. For this reason, I believe its time for me to do something Ive only done once before: a special teamer breakdown. 174) - 1. No other punter has nailed two 80+ yard punts in 2021. Matt Araiza, Buffalo Bills, P - News, Stats, Bio - CBSSports.com We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. He has the power to flip the field with one kick. Terms at draftkings.com/sportsbook. Even then, the potential power lingering in his left leg remained lowkey. That hasn't happened for a punter since 2012, when Jacksonville selected Cal's . Araiza may be the greatest college punter of all time. Copyright 2019-2023. 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. Carson Strong has a great arm but teams will worry about his injury history. Together, they were unblockable. 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. 2023 Mock Drafts 2024 Mock Drafts 2025 Mock Drafts. And yet, the prediction of a multiple-punter class in the 2022 NFL Draft might surprise a few people. Current. NFL Draft: Meet Matt Araiza, Punt God His booming kicks made fourth-and-long must-watch TV at San Diego State. Matt Araiza is one of the only players in the 2022 NFL Draft who can make an immediate impact. 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. It's not clear why Araiza dropped all the way down to the sixth round, but there are plenty of theories. Araiza in 2021 booted 79 punts for 4,044 yards for an NCAA-record 51.18 yards per punt. Araiza, who was released by the Bills on Saturday, was accused of being involved in the gang rape of a 17-year-old, with details coming to light after a lawsuit was filed in San Diego County Superior Court accusing Araiza and two of his teammates at San Diego State. But there are questions about Davis viability at the NFL level. The 2022 NFL draft is a little over two weeks away. This reinforces the significance of gross versus net punting averages. This season, Araiza has set r. Forces a lot of fair catches. 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. 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. 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. Punter Bryan Anger famously went five picks before Russell Wilson in 2012 with the 70th overall pick.