. 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. Early success formed a catalyst for what was to come later. For whatever reason, punters have been a popular position to pick in this year's draft. All You Touch and All You See: Dark Side of the Moon at 50. Is MJF the Second Coming of CM Punk? A fifth-round selection for Araiza would not be particularly noteworthy in the history of punters taken in the NFL draft. Ray Guy, for whom a college football award is named, was a first-round pick in 1973. Matt Araiza is a certifiable weapon. That motor really helps him frequently make tackles away from the line of scrimmage that a lot of defensive ends just dont make. Waring caught 31 passes for 372 yards and three touchdowns, almost identical to Bellingers final season. "For a specialist, it's so random," Araiza said. His worse pass-blocking grade came the next week against Towson, registering a 34.3 grade on 26 passing opportunities. Although Araiza saw plenty of action at San Diego State, he might not see the field much in Buffalo. It was definitely a cool experience.. 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. 11 overall in 1979 by the New Orleans Saints after being a kicker and punter in college. 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. Matt Araiza is downright dynamite.. Some games you get a bunch of short field goals, he says. San Diego State punter Matt Araiza speaks during the NFL Scouting Combine on Saturday, March 5, 2022, at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis. Only two punters since 1982 were drafted in the second round of the NFL Draft; Rohn Stark with the 34th pick in 1982 by the Baltimore Colts and Todd Sauerbrun with the 56th pick in 1995 by the Chicago Bears. It wasn't surprising that San Diego State punter Matt Araiza lasted until the sixth round of the 2022 NFL Draft, where the Buffalo Bills chose Araiza. The Punt God has found a new home. 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. More than 300 prospects for the . at In the past 25 years, the highest-drafted punter was Bryan Anger, selected by the Jacksonville Jaguars with the 70th pick in the 3rd round. It was something that Im going to be forever grateful for, and I hope to have that same effect on the next fan base, wherever I go. Bellingers seasonal production did not overtly scream NFL caliber tight end, finishing 2021 with 31 receptions for 357 yards and only two touchdowns. 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. 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. It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. Yet, hed only punted in one game prior to this season. Araiza's punts helped the San Diego State product earn the Ray Guy Award, given to the nation's top college punter, as he set NCAA records for punting average (51.2 per punt), punts over 50 . With its great weather, miles of sandy beaches, and major attractions, San Diego is known worldwide as one of the best tourist destinations and a great place for residents to relax year round. National Championship Game Recap: What Went Wrong? 2 and the words: PUNT GOD! Spent pretty much countless hours at that field with my Dad, just practicing all different types of stuff for soccer. r collecting 20.5 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks this past season. Coach Marwan Maalouf, currently coaching special teams at the University of Miami and longtime NFL special teams coach, thinks highly of Araiza. The San Diego State punter was better than Camarda in almost every metric last season. Please enter a valid email and try again. Unlike other positions, not many teams are looking to add a rookie punter to their team, let alone willing to draft a punter with a precious draft pick. Gennaro Filice provides draft grades for each NFC East team. The Aztecs are 7-0 and ranked 21st in the AP poll, with two wins over Pac-12 opponents. These sites are not endorsed by, sponsored by, or affiliated with with these teams or institutions. By Oliver Hodgkinson January 31, 2022 Jump around this article Click to show Matt Araiza is not your average NFL Draft prospect. 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. Hes quick to find the football, and hes always in pursuit mode., Another attribute teams love about Thomas is his versatility to play up and down the line of scrimmage. 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. Specialists often arent taken until the drafts later rounds. An all-around special teams contributor, the 2021 unanimous All-American had kickoff duties for San Diego State. 2023 USFL College Draft: Three Players From Mountain West Selected, San Diego State Football: Three Questions For Spring Practice. Araiza will remember that for some time to come, a perceived snub he will use as motivation. ET. Araiza will be selected early on Day Two, if not late in the first round. Araizas ascension to the summit of his position and the attention that has come with it has been one of the storylines of the college football season. Vertical jump 32 In this years tight end class, Brugler ranked Ferguson 12th, one spot higher than Bellinger. Brugler ranked Bellinger as the 13th-best tight end in this draft class last month. If a team is uncomfortable with your holding skills, that could absolutely lead you to dropping in the draft. The Buffalo Bills selected San Diego State punter Matt Araiza with the first pick of the sixth round of the 2022 NFL draft on Saturday. My sophomore season, we won the state championship, Araiza said. His big brother saw it on a random field in San Diego, and he set records as soon as he started to kick in high school and college. Araiza is a punter by positional designation only - he also kicks field goals and takes San Diego State's kickoffs. Mountain West Football: Who Had The Most Turnover Luck In 2022? 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. At some positions, NFL teams can struggle to identify the best players. Did the Packers blow it by once again passing on the receiver position in Round 1? The Buffalo Bills tweeted out the announcement with a picture of Araiza wearing his red and black Aztecs jersey with now-familiar No. Araiza has a cannon for a leg, shown with his. Additionally, few of these punters have been widely recognized as the best at their position, even for one season. I know my personal traits as an athlete, as a football player, as the leading tackler of a top 25 special teams unit. Ray Guy is the only punter to be selected in the first round of the NFL Draft. 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. In 2020, he dialed in 71.4%, and in 2021, he achieved 64.3%. Kittle trains in the offseason in Nashville, Tennessee, and will work SDSUs tight end there. The Jets and Giants put on quite a show, while a couple of marquee teams raised eyebrows. Its been a huge honor.. in this draft class last month. Araiza knocked it out of the park, posting numbers comparable to some highly ranked prospects. Bellinger recently signed with JB Sports, Inc., the same agency that represents San Francisco 49ers tight end, George Kittle. And starting this fall, San Diego State also tasked Araiza with doing the thing that he was put on this earth to do: punt the football. , our 15th-highest-ranked prospect. Since NFL defenses vary their fronts constantly, Thomas versatility to play inside or outside will give him a boost to climb teams draft boards. "This is a great year for. Sorry, I cantPunt God is playing Fresno State on CBS Sports Network at 10:30 p.m. His 32 vertical jump was the same as Chris Olave, our 15th-highest-ranked prospect. The Commanders might have found their future starting QB when they took Sam Howell in Round 5 -- but he wasn't the only potential gem in the 2022 NFL Draft. Since 2001, NFL teams starting drives from inside their own 5-yard line have scored just 16.8 percent of the time. All other NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. Stout will likely end up replacing the longtime Ravens punter, who turns 40 in August. But Araiza has a rocket launcher for a leg, so for him consistency is making highlights. We're not controlling field position.' Did anyone nail their first three picks more than the Eagles? With Camarda now in Tampa, that likely spells the end of Bradley Pinion's three-year run with the team. 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. With Araiza now in Buffalo, that puts veteran punter Matt Haack on the hot seat. While punter prospects arent rare theyre more commonplace than youd expect no prospect at the position has captured the imagination with a mastery of their craft quite like the San Diego State standout. Middle Tennessee State punter Kyle Ulbrich is . Brugler predicts Bellinger will be the second San Diego State player drafted (after Cameron Thomas). 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. The Bills' selection at No. 40-yard time 4.68 seconds 2022 NFL Draft, Matt Araiza, Mountain West Football, San Diego State Football, Mountain West Football, NCAAF, NFL Draft, San Diego State, 2023 NFL Combine: Preview, Schedule, How To Watch. He has incredible poise and does not lose his cool and, for much of the 2021 season, led special teams in tackles. 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? Are the Bears failing Justin Fields? 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. Above is a plot of the average Approximate Value (AV) of a punter per season who has been drafted in the last 15 seasons. While a lot of kids growing up dream of playing in the NFL, at that time it wasnt even a consideration for Araiza. Thomas will have a chance to separate himself from other edge rushers in his tier as the draft process unfolds with the combine and private team workouts to prove he belongs in one of the top 32 spots., A redshirt junior entering this season, Thomas quickly showed scouts he is a pro prospect with his play to start the season. Brugler predicts Bellinger will be the second San Diego State player drafted (after Cameron Thomas). Stout was slightly ahead of him at 44.5 while Camarda was well below both guys at 41.6. But, thats not all Araiza can do. Hes averaging 54.0 yards per punt, which would smash the NCAA and NFL records51.0 in college and 51.4 in the NFL, the latter set by Slingin Sammy Baugh in 1940. A hundred percent, a hundred percent, said Araiza, who watched the draft from home with family and friends. Another attribute teams love about Thomas is his versatility to play up and down the line of scrimmage. Field Pos. He. Whats legacy, anyway? These traits make for an incredibly impressive athlete, but how would he test at the NFL Combine? It was awesome. I remember seeing a hypothetical at some point in the past few years: If you were an NFL general manager, would you use a first-round draft pick on a magical punter who could pin every single punt within the opposing 5-yard line? Surely there's some NFL team that takes him earlier than you would expect. His 39 punts of over 50 yards are a single-season NCAA record, as are his 18 punts of over 60 yards. April 26, 2022 7:52 am MT. All that matters is watching him boom footballs as far as he can. 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. Time will tell. There has been one 80-plus-yard punt in the NFL in 2021, by Green Bays Corey Bojorquez. The reality is that Araiza is one of a kind, hence the nicknames Anomaly and Punt God.. 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. 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. Where most players have a left leg, the San Diego product has what can only be described as a cannon. against San Jose State in October. The NFL scouting combine an intense and significant event in the pre-draft process is underway in Indianapolis. Thomas, a redshirt junior who earned his degree this December, accepted an invite to play in the Senior Bowl and will look to showcase his top-tier talent to NFL teams. At the end of Araizas senior season at Rancho Bernardo, he hadnt gotten any scholarship offers, and was still considering soccer as a pathway to his future. Hes a talented guy who should help with winning the field position category., However, just like any other special teams prospect, Coach Maalouf believes the San Diego State product should be worked out by coaches. He was the striker for his high school soccer team, banging home game-winning goals in playoff games. 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. Somehow, were both getting what we want. Which teams helped themselves in Las Vegas -- and which teams are trending in the wrong direction? Show me in the rule book where it says a punter cant win the Heisman! Over the past half-decade, 12 punters have been drafted. 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 | Chad Reuter identifies 12 rookies picked on Day 3 of the NFL draft who could be in line for starter snaps in Year 1. Who will take advantage of potential opportunities? Freshman year of high school. By earning the moniker Punt God, attracting the attention of Pat McAfee, and winning the Ray Guy Award, Araiza has elevated punting to national attention while putting himself in the NFL shop window. Araiza set a number of ALL-TIME records in this past season, and the lefty has shown that punters can be tough as nails to boot. 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