Two Arrest Warrants Issued for Potential Top Draft Pick Jalen Carter, Rodgers: 'This Is My Life,' Retirement Decision Will Come 'Soon Enough', Telesco: Keenan Allen Isn't Going Anywhere, Jets GM: 'Lot of Things to Like' About Carr, Bengals: Higgins Trade Rumors 'Ridiculous', Bears GM: Fields Is Our Starting QB in 2023, Joe Thomas: Why It's Time to Put Cameras In Player Interview Rooms, Scouts' Predictions: Small-School Players Who Will Become Household Names, Marc Trestman: Stroud Future Franchise QB, Chris Johnson: Predicting Indy's Fastest 5, 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. 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 | If Araiza doesnt win this award, I will forever consider it illegitimate, and potentially commit arson at the Ray Guy Award headquarters. Specialists often arent taken until the drafts later rounds. Punting you go out there and you swing as hard as you want.. I saw the first one (when Stout was selected). 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. NFL+ gives you the freedom to watch LIVE out-of-market preseason games, LIVE local and primetime regular season and postseason games on your phone or tablet, the best NFL programming on-demand, and MORE! Matt Araiza is not your average NFL Draft prospect. 22 San Diego State at New Mexico, Structure of Manny Machados new contract leaves Padres room to add more big names, Spring training recap: Juan Soto stays hot, Nick Martinez earns extra work in rain-shortened Padres win, Padres pitcher Joe Musgrove fractures big toe in kettlebell accident; timetable for return tough to forecast, Column: Padres roller-coaster day includes Joe Musgrove injury, Manny Machado contract, Fernando Tatis debut, Februarys athletes of the month include CIF hoops and soccer champs, standout grapplers, David Benner, Indiana Pacers longtime PR director, dies, Panthers weighing options as quarterback hunt continues, Tennessee PG Zakai Zeigler suffers season-ending knee injury, Cadiz wants to halt Spanish league after refereeing mistake, Annecy stuns favorite Marseille to reach 1st French Cup semi, No. A story of soccer to San Diego, from punter to Punt God. With the 2022 NFL Draft in the books, Adam Schein breaks down what he loved and loathed from the league's Vegas venture. Georgias Dominant Title Defense and a Curtain Call for the Ages, The Mandalorian Season 3, Episode 1 Instant Reactions. 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. That shows up when he has to make a tackle. I thought I was going to play soccer overseas in Europe, he says, so that was the goal for a while., Most kickers and punters specialize in their chosen paths from an early age. I dont want it to be in the same corner of the country my whole life. Every coach will want to do their due diligence as far as timing his touch to toe operation and seeing how he does with a real NFL Duke ball. San Diego State punter Matt Araiza has a leg that can boot the football 80 yards. Nora and Steven break down the most intriguing, silly, and enlightening comments coming out of Indianapolis, Plus, theres talk of the rise of Greef Karga, along with what could become of Bo-Katan and the Mandalorian people, The guys close the show with highlights from NXT and a preview of tonights AEW go-home Dynamite, "The Apostate" is designed to reorient the audience after a lengthy layoff, but the familiar formula ensures we want to keep taking the trip, Meg and Spanners also discuss Aston Martins positive press focusing on Fernando Alonso and touch on Ferraris consistent performance. This is understood by several NFL football squads, which is why he has become a hot item on many teams big boards, chiefly the Miami Dolphins and the New England Patriots. He visited Buffalo years ago on a family vacation and is thrilled to return, even if it means purchasing a heavier jacket. San Diego State punter Matt Araiza is unlike anyone who has ever played the position before. Brugler predicts Bellinger will be the second San Diego State player drafted (after Cameron Thomas). 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. Araiza, a. His older brother has long thought so. 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. But, I knew I had the potential and once I got rocking and rolling, everything would work out as it did.. 12.0Matt Araiza, SDSU (48 Punts)Inside 20 63%Inside 10 27%Touchback 29%Avg. Teams are not drafting you based on what you have done, notes Brugler. In the NFL, teams have to be able to trust you, and those are two issues that are going to hurt him throughout the process, said Brugler. From the aforementioned information, it appears that Araiza is an elite punting prospect. Somehow, were both getting what we want. He is exceptional on fourth down, averaging 51.2 yards per punt in his most recent season. The 1979 NFL Draft was the procedure by which National Football League teams selected amateur college football players. Not only has he shown his prowess as a punter, but Coach Maalouf adds he kicked off as well and was good at it. As his team keeps winning games and his punts keep soaring over the heads of baffled punt returners, he also raises a question: Just how valuable can a punter truly be? Sorry, I cantPunt God is playing Fresno State on CBS Sports Network at 10:30 p.m. 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. While that makes him significantly less employable as an NFL kickerif a righty kicker gets hurt, teams would never reach out to a lefty for tryouts, since its complicated to have a holder relearn how to get the snap down in reverseit makes him significantly more employable as a punter, as its believed that lefty punters put reverse spin on the ball that makes it tougher to catch. We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. Araiza seems like he's going to be a good fit in Buffalo. March 25, 2022 5 min read. San Diego State punter Matt Araiza has created a loyal following with his ridiculously strong leg. Special teams coaches will want to see his mechanics, how quick hes able to transition, how the ball comes off his leg, the power that he has in person. #BillsMafia pic.twitter.com/ifbf6FjLa0, Buffalo Bills (@BuffaloBills) April 30, 2022. Stout was slightly ahead of him at 44.5 while Camarda was well below both guys at 41.6. It wasnt surprising that San Diego State punter Matt Araiza lasted until the sixth round of the 2022 NFL Draft, where the Buffalo Bills chose Araiza. Matt Araiza is a certifiable weapon. Since 2001, NFL teams starting drives from inside their own 5-yard line have scored just 16.8 percent of the time. April 26, 2022 7:52 am MT. The current Ray Guy Award winner is no stranger to accolades. At some positions, NFL teams can struggle to identify the best players. 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). Matt Araiza, Punt God of the 2022 NFL Draft, The Ray Guy Award caps off an unprecedented season, Staying at home for college, and making an impact on San Diego, Next Page: From struggles to NFL Draft ascension. In 2019, he made 84.6% of his kicks. Then theres his NFL potential: Just how high will Araiza be drafted? San Diego State's Matt Araiza put in a historic year. When youre playing a field position battle, this guy will just flip the field and put the ball inside the other 20 with just one swing of his leg. Pro Football Network, LLC. Personally, I would not draft a punter, regardless of how good he is, until the 7th-round the 6th-round at the earliest. A two-star recruit who was ranked as the 19th kicker in the class, he could have elevated his profile at one of the big-name kicking camps. April 26, 2022 7:52 am, By Ted McGovern | The San Diego State punter is logical and industrious in his approach to the game both on and off the field. Although he was the top punting prospect in the draft, Araiza ended up being the third punter selected. This season, hes put it to devastating use week in and week out. San Diego State punter Matt Araiza speaks during the NFL Scouting Combine on Saturday, March 5, 2022, at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis. I dont think Ive ever seen a ball travel like that before.. Defensive end Cameron Thomas was chosen in the third round by Arizona and tight end Daniel Bellinger went in the fourth round to the New York Giants. No other punter. 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. All Rights Reserved. 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. His 39 punts of over 50 yards are a single-season NCAA record, as are his 18 punts of over 60 yards. in this draft class last month. I recognize that my train of thought may be different from the rest of the league. That motor really helps him frequently make tackles away from the line of scrimmage that a lot of defensive ends just dont make. EVT caught up with, Dane Brugler, NFL Draft Analyst for The Athletic. Araiza was chosen with the first pick in the sixth round, the 180th pick overall. Araiza was widely viewed as the top punting prospect after a 2021 college season that ended with him winning the Ray Guy award. These traits make for an incredibly impressive athlete, but how would he test at the NFL Combine? My sophomore season, we won the state championship, Araiza said. Maybe some preferred right-footed kickers over guys like Araiza, a Rancho Bernardo High alum who is left-footed. Somehow, hes close to the best in the nation at all three. Really dependable ball skills. Please check the opt-in box to acknowledge that you would like to subscribe. While Trenton Thompson has not been invited to either of the four end of season all-star bowl games, he will look to impress scouts throughout the draft process, starting with San Diego States pro day, annually held in March. So, earning their respect and earning their trust, and becoming a part of that team was a big accomplishment for me. There are times where he gets crossed up in pass protection, and his feet get a little stuck in the mud, something Brugler saw on tape against Utah and Arizona, two Power 5 opponents the Aztecs played this year. 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. 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. 0 Rate. That was somewhat of a goal. Araiza projects as a punter, because thats where hes setting records, and because hes a lefty. You can go as far as your work ethic can take you. So, I think that was probably when I knew I had a shot.. Per the report, police implicated Carter in street racing, which . Also, a higher average yards per punt does not always mean better sometimes you want to directionally punt, so this can be misleading. This punter would make the average opponent worse than the 2021 Jets, who score on 22.1 percent of their drives. I know how I did at the combine. So, Im going to try and do it as long as possible.. He also boomed an 86-yarder against San Jose State at sea level. Georgia punter Jake Camarda was taken three picks later by Tampa Bay. 0. The Aztecs are 7-0 and ranked 21st in the AP poll, with two wins over Pac-12 opponents. According to PFF, Dunkle registered a 38.0 pass-blocking grade and committed two penalties against Arizona and a 55.6 grade against Utah the following week on 18 pass opportunities in each game. The number of seasons for each punter includes every season where at least half of a season was played. San Diego State punter Matt Araiza is no ordinary prospect in the 2022 NFL Draft. I know my personal traits as an athlete, as a football player, as the leading tackler of a top 25 special teams unit. What happened to the Giants after Round 1? Based on net punting averages, you can usually find UDFAs who will rank above average at the position in directional punting and hang time.. 18 San Diego State at Boise State, Aztecs have plenty to play for at Boise State, even after clinching Mountain West title, 3 thoughts: No. The Punter That Was Promised would be the most valuable player in football by a wide margin. Now for the burning question: where will Araiza be drafted in April? Coach Marwan Maalouf, currently coaching special teams at the University of Miami and longtime NFL special teams coach, thinks highly of Araiza. At the time, a young Araiza couldnt have imagined becoming a national punting icon. Two additional teammates will look to add to the recent list of secondary players who made the jump to the NFL after excelling at San Diego State. The biggest surprise is that college football's top punter, Matt Araiza, wasn't the first punter off the board this year. Above is a plot of the average. But Matt didnt have dreams of special teams stardom. County of San Diego; State of California; Federal . I loved European football, soccer. All Rights Reserved. But thats only half-true: Araiza is also statistically the most talented punter prospect of all time. But how high, exactly, can we expect a team to take Araiza, winner of the 2021 Ray Guy Award? In 2021, the Bills only punted a total of 52 times, which was tied for the fifth-lowest total in the NFL. . 11 overall in 1979 by the New Orleans Saints after being a kicker and punter in college. One of the most exciting prospects in the 2022 NFL Draft is San Diego State University's Matt Araiza. For his career, Araiza averaged 51.1 yards per punt. SOMEONE GET ME A TABLE!! Ray Guy, for whom a college football award is named, was a first-round pick in 1973. He is exceptional on fourth down, averaging 51.2 yards per punt in his most recent season. We're not controlling field position.' Several other three-round mock drafts have slotted Thomas fro, m the first round to not listed. 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. When I looked up at that ball, it was crazy, Araiza says. (Derrick Tuskan / San Diego State Athletics), Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information, College baseball wrapup: USD right-hander James Sashin reaping rewards for persistence and hard work, Aztecs QB Jalen Mayden gets full offseason to grow in starting role, College baseball weekend: Tony Gwynn Legacy event a reminder of Hall of Famers legendary life, Aztecs looking for feedback from football season-ticket holders, Aztecs announce executive staff hire at transformative moment for schools athletic department, Aztecs begin offseason drills with a spring in their step, No. : where will Araiza be drafted Draft was the procedure by which National football league teams selected amateur college 's. Different from the line of scrimmage that a lot of defensive ends just dont san diego state punter draft! In 1979 by the New Orleans Saints after being a kicker and punter in college punter Matt Araiza is anyone... 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