Now that hes finally showing off his best skill, hes immediately emerged as a punting legend. The NFL scouting combine an intense and significant event in the pre-draft process is underway in Indianapolis. According to Brugler, scouts are not overlooking Bellinger, understanding that the lack of production is more a by-product of the offense San Diego State ran than a lack of talent and ability by Bellinger. Free shipping for many products! San Diego State punter Matt Araiza speaks during the NFL Scouting Combine on Saturday, March 5, 2022, at the Indiana Convention Center in Indianapolis. 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. Araiza is the closest thing in football history to a must-watch punter. Araiza may be the greatest college punter of all time. One other theory is that teams are afraid Araiza might outkick his coverage in the NFL. While Brugler assesses Dunkles draft stock as a late-round pick based on his questionable athleticism to hold up in pass protection, he believes Dunkle has the play strength to turn defenders in the hole and be a dominant force in a phone booth in the run game. He also rated Dunkle above average in all of the games he studied this year and found him dominant against Air Force and UTSA in the Frisco Bowl. Per the report, police implicated Carter in street racing, which . A fifth-round selection for Araiza would not be particularly noteworthy in the history of punters taken in the NFL draft. The only other times it happened came in 1993 and 2007. As for Araiza, the Bills could potentially be getting a steal with their selection of the player known as "Punt God.". Gennaro Filice provides draft grades for each NFC South team. He's boomed multiple 80-yarders . However, his pass-blocking steadily improved throughout the final ten games of the season, and he finished with a. Leodalis De Vries, the next international star for Padres? All other NFL-related trademarks are trademarks of the National Football League. 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. He could have even pursued a career in track after setting high school records in the 110m and 300m hurdles at Rancho Bernardo High School. I agree to receive the "Pick Six Newsletter" and marketing communications, updates, special offers (including partner offers), and other information from CBS Sports and the Paramount family of companies. Whats legacy, anyway? The biggest surprise is that college football's top punter, Matt Araiza, wasn't the first punter off the board this year. San Diego State's Matt Araiza put in a historic year. Sprint draft legal and classic sprint distance triathlon held at Mission Bay and Fiesta Island . Araiza will be selected early on Day Two, if not late in the first round. 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. Reacting to the pick, NFL Network broadcaster Rich Eisen said: Let me tell you something, Buffalo Bills fans, you should be very, very happy. By submitting your email, you agree to our. Coach Marwan Maalouf, currently coaching special teams at the University of Miami and longtime NFL special teams coach, thinks highly of Araiza. All that matters is watching him boom footballs as far as he can. Bucky Brooks highlights 10 perfect rookie-team fits from the 2022 NFL Draft. All these coaches have an opinion of their own and like to make their own decisions, Araiza said. Didnt see the second one and my agent called me. Cornerback Tayler Hawkins accepted an invite to the Hula Bowl, which takes place on January 15 in Orlando, FL. Above is a plot of the average Approximate Value (AV) of a punter per season who has been drafted in the last 15 seasons. Punters dont try to make highlights. Bringing as much star power as a punter can, Araiza will also bring some questions, though, as he was a three-time All-CIF San Diego Section kicker at Rancho Bernando High before becoming an All-Mountain West Conference standout for the Aztecs. 2023 USFL College Draft: Three Players From Mountain West Selected, San Diego State Football: Three Questions For Spring Practice. It's not clear why Araiza dropped all the way down to the sixth round, but there are plenty of theories. UC San Diego and San Diego State alumni living in Americas Finest City. Where most players have a left leg, the San Diego product has what can only be described as a cannon. As Matt Araiza prepares to break positional norms in the 2022 NFL Draft class, his talents as a punter can be traced back to his roots at Rancho Bernardo High in San Diego. San Diego State punter and Ray Guy Award winner Matt Araiza announced Tuesday that he will be entering the 2022 NFL draft after putting together one of the best punting seasons in college football . Who does Brady Hoke think is the MVP of the undefeated @AztecFB ?The answer may surprise some, but not if youve been watching SDSU & @matt_araiza More from Hoke tonight @footballnightsd @nbcsandiego @GoAztecs pic.twitter.com/6Vh3f56Ms7. By Ted McGovern My sophomore season, we won the state championship, Araiza said. Its not ordinary to find a punter dominating social media and football conversations across the country. Bellinger began training with Jeremy Holt, Owner of AthELITE Performance, yesterday in Music City, USA, along with tight ends Chase Allen (Iowa State) and Jake Ferguson (Wisconsin) in preparation for the NFL Draft. 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. 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. This is the most yards per punt a player has ever averaged in a single NCAA season, illustrating his sheer dominance. 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. I saw the first one (when Stout was selected). April 26, 2022 7:52 am, By Ted McGovern | Anger averaged 44.2 yards per punt as a senior at Cal; Araiza is outpacing that mark by almost 10 yards per punt. He spent time at Qualcomm Stadium watching the San Diego Chargers, enjoying the passionate environment in person but still holding soccer in his heart. r collecting 20.5 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks this past season. His older brother has long thought so. Spent pretty much countless hours at that field with my Dad, just practicing all different types of stuff for soccer. Arm length 30 1/2 [1][2] The league also held a supplemental draft after the regular draft and before the regular season. But, I knew I had the potential and once I got rocking and rolling, everything would work out as it did.. Logically, the first media question to. The former San Diego State punter didn't get selected until the Bills made him the first pick of the sixth round (180th overall). 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. 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. The Mandalorian Season 3 Premiere Is a Slick Reminder of What Makes Mando Work, What We Learned From Testing, and a Bahrain GP Preview. Matt Araiza is downright dynamite.. 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. 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. Araiza could have pursued soccer as a career. 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. Behind guard Max Rices 12 straight points at the end, host Broncos score the games final 14 in the final five minutes to stun Aztecs, Stats and storylines to watch on Tuesday night, when San Diego State takes on Boise State at ExtraMile Arena, San Diego State sits on the cusp of a No. His worse pass-blocking grade came the next week against Towson, registering a 34.3 grade on 26 passing opportunities. As for being the third punter drafted? Not only did Matt Araiza launch a punt, but he also made the tackle (via @CBSSportsNet) #ForTheBrand | @PatMcAfeeShow pic.twitter.com/r1BvgmKKjS. Which teams helped themselves in Las Vegas -- and which teams are trending in the wrong direction? I know my personal traits as an athlete, as a football player, as the leading tackler of a top 25 special teams unit. But as soon as Araiza started kicking, it became clear that he had a gift for it. It is what it is. But the biggest question about Harden remainsand it wont be answered until the playoffs. Its been a huge honor.. did he lead the nation in punting average, McCarthy discusses taking over Cowboys' play-calling, Brett Favre welfare funds scandal explained, Reich says Carr 'checks a lot of boxes' after meeting, Lewan explains why Titans put his things in trash bags, Cardinals hire ND's all-time rushing leader as RB coach, Commanders GM: Howell has every chance to win QB job. In addition to his record-setting punting, he's drilled three 50-yard field goals, second most in college football, and has the fourth-longest average kickoff distance (65.0 yards). The Raiders drafted him with the 23rd pick in 1973. Matt Araiza, the San Diego State punter, was one of the most exciting players in all of college football last season, booming kick after kick in a way the sport had never seen before. [Scouts] see the traits, says Brugler. EVT caught up with, Dane Brugler, NFL Draft Analyst for The Athletic. Araiza is the third punter in school history to be drafted, joining Mike Saxon (Detroit, 11th round, 1984) and Wayne Ross (Washington, 12th round, 1988). I know what Im going to bring to the Bills, and Id rather be on my new team than any other team in the NFL, so lets ride. Freshman year of high school. During his high school career, he set the CIF section record for field goals and was named the CIF Kicker of the Year three times. It is officially known as the NFL Annual Player Selection Meeting. When asked if there were any other Aztec players with potential draft stock, Brugler named left tackle Zach Thomas and running back Greg Bell as two guys who have a shot to be late-round picks or priority free agents (PFA). 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. Players are identified as a Pro Bowler if they were selected for the Pro-Bowl at any time in their career. Gennaro Filice and Dan Parr rank each franchise's class, from No. ET. The legend of the Punt God might have been born on Brookshire Street, but it truly began at the soccer park on 14530 Espola Road. When I originally went out for the football team, it wasnt to be a kicker. 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. His 39 punts of over 50 yards are a single-season NCAA record, as are his 18 punts of over 60 yards. County of San Diego; State of California; Federal . (AV) of a punter per season who has been drafted in the last 15 seasons. The NCAA record holder is extremely familiar with breaking records. But, thats not all Araiza can do. 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. DUDE HE PUNTED IT FROM THE END ZONE TO THE OPPOSING 18-YARD LINE ON THE FLYTHIS GUY IS THE GREATEST PUNTER OF ALL TIME pic.twitter.com/ED5OyqZ83k, Rancho Bernardo Alumni Matt Araiza with a 75 Yard Punt for SDSU pic.twitter.com/XPHfBMz468, Inexplicably, Matt Araiza did not win Mountain West Special Teams Player of the Week despite having one of the best punting games in NCAA history. Will the Cowboys' big gamble pay off? Araiza set the FBS record this year with a 51.19 average. But with Araiza, its easy. Jalen Carter Named Subject of Arrest Warrant After Fatal Crash That Killed Georgia Teammate, Seattle Seahawks 2023 NFL Draft Prospects To Target at the NFL Combine Include Brian Branch, Nolan Smith, 2023 NFL Draft Big Board: Top 25 Prospects Heading Into NFL Combine Include Jalen Carter, Brian Branch, and Bijan Robinson, Boston Colleges Jaiden Woodbey Is Less Tweener, More Swiss Army Knife. Decisions, Araiza said college football 's top punter, Matt Araiza put in a year... 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