One of those is national recognition for its most talented players who caught the eyes of NFL scouts looking for the next great professional prospect. Want to hang out Saturday night? This is a statement of fact rather than a prediction. The biggest surprise is that college football's top punter, Matt Araiza, wasn't the first punter off the board this year. This punter would make the average opponent worse than the 2021 Jets, who score on 22.1 percent of their drives. 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. It was fun, Araiza grinned while reflecting on the craziness of the past season. Even if we factor in returns and touchbacks, Araiza is on pace for history: SDSUs net punting average is 46.7 yards per punt; since the NCAA started including touchbacks in net punting average, no team has been better than 45.0. However, it was there that the power of his left leg was harnessed with a view to a long-term career goal. Spent pretty much countless hours at that field with my Dad, just practicing all different types of stuff for soccer. 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. 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! After the first game, I was kinda starting to visualize that. 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. The previous year, he punted five times for 249 yards, averaging 49.8 yards per punt. Yet, Araiza went and nailed an 86-yard punt and an 81-yarder in consecutive games against San Jose State and Air Force. In 2019, he made 84.6% of his kicks. I want my life to be an adventure, Araiza said. 0. When Araiza was younger, his brother took him out to a local field with some footballs and let him kick away. Nonetheless, the "Punt God" is headed to the AFC East champions. Brugler assesses that Araiza, the top punter in the draft, will likely be a Day 3 draftee (rounds four through seven) and could go early in Day 3 depending on how impressive he performs during team workouts. Since NFL defenses vary their fronts constantly, Thomas versatility to play inside or outside will give him a boost to climb teams draft boards. Araiza shattered the all-time record of 32 punts of 50 or more yards in a single season, by achieving 39. 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. Ill kind of get to squash that whole warm-weather kicker thing.. Even now, on the precipice of turning professional, there is still the glint of pursuing soccer in the eyes of the San Diego State punter. Obviously, one of the benefits in my decision to pick San Diego State was being close to home. But a few plays didn't quite go . National Championship Game Recap: What Went Wrong? Pro Football Network strives to passionately deliver purposeful, captivating, and exceptional football content. 1 to 32. There will be a big red circle on that day on my calendar. But, thats not all Araiza can do. Normally punters arent stars of undefeated teams, but Araiza is an exception. April 26, 2022 7:52 am, By Ted McGovern | 18 Aztecs collapse in final minutes, fall at Boise State, Game preview: No. I dont think I realized how important it was when I made the decision, Araiza said. But then came the 50-, 60-, 70-. My sophomore season, we won the state championship, Araiza said. Although it is important to recognize that some of these punters have not had as many seasons as others theyve competed against, some believe a player like Araiza should be one of the top NFL punters immediately upon entering the league. 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. to gain some insight on how teams are evaluating the Aztecs enrollees as the draft process is set to begin. But at the very least, Araiza has ensured that pro scouts will look at him, which didnt happen for him coming out of high school. It was a special team, and a special group I got to be a part of. Achieving a historic 12-win season and earning a spot in the final College Football Playoff Top 25 Rankings brought many advantages for the San Diego State Aztecs. All these coaches have an opinion of their own and like to make their own decisions, Araiza said. "This is a great year for. He has incredible poise and does not lose his cool and, for much of the 2021 season, led special teams in tackles. Can Chris Olave revitalize the Saints' aerial attack? Something I hadnt really told anyone yet is if my professional football career ends and I still have a bit of gas in the tank, Im going to go out and try to play semi-pro soccer somewhere. He now holds the record for single-season punt average, with 51.19 yards per punt. Of course you would use a first-round pick on the Punter That Was Promised. Would love your thoughts, please comment. 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 | #Bills #NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/EA1iEWkdyA. By choosing I Accept, you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies. 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. Hes quick to find the football, and hes always in pursuit mode.. in this draft class last month and says teams view him as a second-round prospect. 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. Pat McAfee, all that stuff was hilarious, seeing some of the memes were really funny, the nicknames, all that stuff. 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. The announcers were astounded. Araiza is the highest drafted punter in program history and third Aztec punter selected in the NFL Draft, following Mike Saxon in 1984 (300th pick) and Wayne Ross in 1988 (315th pick). Araiza is a punter by positional designation only - he also kicks field goals and takes San Diego State's kickoffs. Will Malik Willis develop into a high-end QB for the Titans? That was somewhat of a goal. 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. These were certified piss missiles not to be confused with lucky bounces and rolls. Its been a huge honor.. It was awesome. An all-around special teams contributor, the 2021 unanimous All-American had kickoff duties for San Diego State. Araizas performances have been record-setting. The San Diego State punter capped off his final season at the college level with the ultimate honor for a college punter, the Ray Guy Award. 1, Ohio State linebacker Tom Cousineau, refused to sign with the Bills and instead inked a lucrative deal with the Montreal Alouettes of the Canadian Football League. 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. 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. 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. The San Diego State punter was better than Camarda in almost every metric last season. And its not because its Jordan Stout. As a matter of fact, he already seems to be fully embracing his new team. Chicago took offensive tackle Zach Thomas, Camerons brother, in the sixth round. He has shown that he can line up on the inside shade of the guard, and he can win on the interior because he has that quickness, said Brugler. 133). 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. Its not ordinary to find a punter dominating social media and football conversations across the country. 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. Araiza addressed the issue at the NFL Combine and SDSUs Pro Day, where he boomed punts that had a hang time as much as 5.3 seconds (the NFL average is 4.3 seconds). The Big Punt traveled more than 80. 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). 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. These sites are not endorsed by, sponsored by, or affiliated with with these teams or institutions. He had an excellent showing in the combine, punting with stunning accuracy before impressing attendees with his sprinting. Angers cumulative yard per punt average in four years at California was 43.5, including a high of 45.6 in his junior season. San Diego State punter Matt Araiza is no ordinary prospect in the 2022 NFL Draft. He. Height 6 and 1 1/8 His 32 vertical jump was the same as Chris Olave, our 15th-highest-ranked prospect. Bellingers seasonal production did not overtly scream NFL caliber tight end, finishing 2021 with 31 receptions for 357 yards and only two touchdowns. Matthew Ryan Araiza (born May 16, 2000) is an American football punter who is a free agent. But if the Aztecs go undefeated, and Araiza remains their most valuable player, shouldnt he get something more? It is what it is. Araiza broke the all-time record for 60+ yard punts in a single season with 18 altogether. Please enter a valid email and try again. Above is a plot of the average. All four players have the talent to compete and excel at the next level. He's expected to be one of the players chosen in the 2022 NFL draft next month. Plus, Nadine Smith on the Agendas Behind Wrestling Documentaries. According to Austin Gayle of Pro Football Focus, 63 percent of Araiza's punts were downed inside the 20; another 27 were downed inside the 10. 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