2018 Drafted Punters

[pbmax]

Punters

Year No. Round Pick Player Name Team College
2018 1 5 12 149 Michael Dickson Seahawk Texas
2 5 35 172 JK Scott Packers Alabama
3 5 36 173 Johnny Townsend Raiders Florida
4 7 29 247 Logan Cooke Jaguars Mississippi State


League Leaders in Net Average
1. Dickson, 59 average, 57.5 net avg
20. Townsend, 44.5, 41.5
25. Cooke, 37.7, 37.1
27. Scott, 48, 36.8


Boo.

[mraynrand]

The Packers clearly miss All-pro Jeff Janis

[Smidgeon]

Punters

Year No. Round Pick Player Name Team College
2018 1 5 12 149 Michael Dickson Seahawk Texas
2 5 35 172 JK Scott Packers Alabama
3 5 36 173 Johnny Townsend Raiders Florida
4 7 29 247 Logan Cooke Jaguars Mississippi State


League Leaders in Net Average
1. Dickson, 59 average, 57.5 net avg
20. Townsend, 44.5, 41.5
25. Cooke, 37.7, 37.1
27. Scott, 48, 36.8


Boo.

Is this adjusted for the Denver altitude?

[run pMc]

Is this adjusted for the Denver altitude?

Nope. Also -- Tarik Cohen's long punt return was on the coverage, not Scott. He boomed a 50+ yarder and Cohen took it back something like 40 yards. That'll kill your net.
He did fine, and considering it was a 1 point win for the good guys, I'm thankful he didn't botch any holds for Crosby.

[pbmax]

Is this adjusted for the Denver altitude?

Nay. You need to get Football Outsiders punter metric for that. I just wanted to register my displeasure with Scott's performance Sunday.

[pbmax]

Nope. Also -- Tarik Cohen's long punt return was on the coverage, not Scott. He boomed a 50+ yarder and Cohen took it back something like 40 yards. That'll kill your net.
He did fine, and considering it was a 1 point win for the good guys, I'm thankful he didn't botch any holds for Crosby.

Out kicking your coverage is on the punter. Will need to check Twitter to see what Demovsky got for his hang time on that kick.

[Fritz]

So did the Packers draft the wrong punter, you think?

Kid seems to have a hell of a leg. Maybe the rest is just learning.

I'd like to see him develop different kinds of kicks to be able to make the ball turn end-over-end in crazy ways once it hits the ground, pop-ups for certain situations, kicking it over the returner's head so he has to run back and back and back to chase it down. That stuff.

[Zool]

Have to be in the waitensee tribe on this guy. 48 yards per punt is fine. 2 returns for 45 yards is not fine. Rookie in his first game.

[red]

NEVER DRAFT A PUNTER!!!!!!!

[KYPack]

NEVER DRAFT A PUNTER!!!!!!!

Times a thousand.

If you need a new punter, scout the land, CFL and all over. The key years for leg strength is 25 - 27. You can dig up a punter with some thorough scouting. There are capable guys you can sign out in UFA land.

[Guiness]

So did the Packers draft the wrong punter, you think?

Kid seems to have a hell of a leg. Maybe the rest is just learning.

I'd like to see him develop different kinds of kicks to be able to make the ball turn end-over-end in crazy ways once it hits the ground, pop-ups for certain situations, kicking it over the returner's head so he has to run back and back and back to chase it down. That stuff.

He looked to be slow getting his punts off against Chicago, seemed every one was a near block. Still, I'll take Zool's approach, rookie in his first game, let's wait and see.

[Fritz]

So was ol' JK Rowling better yesterday, then?

[pbmax]

Punt Punt Punt Punt
Rk Age Year Lg Tm G Pnt Yds Y/P Blck
1 Michael Dickson 22 2018 NFL SEA 1 6 354 59.00 0
2 Cameron Johnston 26 2018 NFL PHI 2 11 593 53.91 0
3 JK Scott 21 2018 NFL GNB 2 9 451 50.11 0
4 Corey Bojorquez 21 2018 NFL BUF 2 13 620 47.69 0
5 Johnny Townsend 23 2018 NFL RAI 2 8 367 45.88 0
6 Trevor Daniel 23 2018 NFL HTX 2 10 394 39.40 0
7 Logan Cooke 23 2018 NFL JAX 2 10 370 37.00 0


Provided by Pro-Football-Reference.com (https://www.sports-reference.com/sharing.html?utm_source=direct&utm_medium=Share&utm_campaign=ShareTool): View Original Table (https://www.pro-football-reference.com/play-index/pgl_finder.cgi?request=1&match=single&year_min=2018&year_max=2018&season_start=1&season_end=1&pos=0&game_type=R&career_game_num_min=1&career_game_num_max=400&game_num_min=0&game_num_max=99&week_num_min=0&week_num_max=99&c1stat=punt&c1comp=gt&c1val=2&c5val=1.0&order_by=punt_yds_per_punt&utm_source=direct&utm_medium=Share&utm_campaign=ShareTool#results)
Generated 9/17/2018.

[Zool]

At least they haven't cut him yet? Vikings 5th round kicker just got cut.

[pbmax]

ESPN Ranked by Net Yardage


Net Punting Average Leaders - Qualified
RK PLAYER TEAM PUNTS YDS LNG AVG NET BP IN20 TB FC RET RETY AVG
1 Dickson SEA 6 354 69 59.0 57.5 0 4 0 0 2 9 4.5
2 Colquit KC 7 356 67 50.9 50.7 0 4 0 1 3 1 0.3
3 Johnton PHI 11 593 65 53.9 46.6 0 4 2 1 6 40 6.7
4 Kern TEN 9 440 62 48.9 46.0 0 5 0 1 6 26 4.3
O'Donel CHI 4 201 63 50.3 46.0 0 1 0 3 1 17 17.0
6 Koch BAL 8 426 63 53.3 45.4 0 3 1 0 5 43 8.6
7 Morsted NO 7 335 58 47.9 45.1 0 2 0 3 4 19 4.8
8 Allen NE 10 503 59 50.3 44.2 0 3 1 2 4 41 10.3
Palardy CAR 10 478 53 47.8 44.2 0 5 1 5 3 16 5.3
10 Sanchez IND 7 330 59 47.1 43.6 0 1 1 4 2 5 2.5
RK PLAYER TEAM PUNTS YDS LNG AVG NET BP IN20 TB FC RET RETY AVG
11 King DEN 10 471 66 47.1 43.3 0 3 1 2 4 18 4.5
12 Pinion SF 9 401 59 44.6 42.6 0 4 0 2 7 18 2.6
13 Huber CIN 8 337 55 42.1 42.4 0 4 0 3 2 -2 -1.0
14 Haack MIA 10 510 65 51.0 42.2 0 5 2 3 3 48 16.0
15 Townsnd OAK 8 367 56 45.9 41.8 0 2 1 2 3 13 4.3
16 Dixon NYG 11 507 59 46.1 41.5 0 3 2 4 3 10 3.3
17 Scott GB 9 451 63 50.1 41.4 0 3 1 3 3 58 19.3

[Zool]

Yay middle of the road!

19 yards per return is bad.

[Fritz]

Times a thousand.

If you need a new punter, scout the land, CFL and all over. The key years for leg strength is 25 - 27. You can dig up a punter with some thorough scouting. There are capable guys you can sign out in UFA land.

Disagree with you here. If you're the GM and you see a punter who can flip field position, then grab him in the fifth or sixth or seventh round. To me, that's more effective than taking a flyer on a DIII defensive lineman who maybe could learn to play OLB or a slightly overweight running back who got suspended his junior year and hurt his senior year.

[Smidgeon]

Disagree with you here. If you're the GM and you see a punter who can flip field position, then grab him in the fifth or sixth or seventh round. To me, that's more effective than taking a flyer on a DIII defensive lineman who maybe could learn to play OLB or a slightly overweight running back who got suspended his junior year and hurt his senior year.

I agree with you. I think Scott has the leg to become a field flipper. He's still green, but he belongs in the NFL. Once he and the kick coverage team start finding more consistency, those nets will become closer to the grosses.

[KYPack]

Disagree with you here. If you're the GM and you see a punter who can flip field position, then grab him in the fifth or sixth or seventh round. To me, that's more effective than taking a flyer on a DIII defensive lineman who maybe could learn to play OLB or a slightly overweight running back who got suspended his junior year and hurt his senior year.

He's a good kid. Live leg and seems to strike the ball consistently. A field flipper?, mebbe someday.

I'm coming from the place of a long time fan who has seen the GBP burn solid draft picks (not that there are any) on punters. That was a mid 5th pick. I would've liked to seen Goot snag another LB? OL? or any other key position with that choice.

Good kickers, both punters and PK are floating around in the FA world. It's a headache, but you can dig up some guys to kick the ball for you.

I didn't like using the pick for a kicker. Goot didn't text me his board, mebbe it was the best pick.

[pbmax]

I hope its not true, but what if the great white gunner was released because the 5th round punter would take care of the problem?

Fire Gutey!

[KYPack]

I guess my "someday " comment was off a little.

From PFF

"Green Bay Packers rookie punter JK Scott graded out at Pro Football Focus as the best punter in the NFL during Week 2."


That included a field flipping punt.

[Carolina_Packer]

You can't always pin them with hang time, obviously, so I'll be interested to see how he continues to develop with directional punts where the goal is to pin the opponent deep and kick it out of bounds close to the goal line. In the small sample size of the pre-season and first two games, how do you think he's doing with directional punts?

[pbmax]

I guess my "someday " comment was off a little.

From PFF

"Green Bay Packers rookie punter JK Scott graded out at Pro Football Focus as the best punter in the NFL during Week 2."


That included a field flipping punt.


That 63-64 yard punt was a bomb. It was a monster and had hang time at sea level; a real beauty.

I am not even sure coverage was there, but it was up for so long I think the returner felt he had to call for a fair catch. I think only one Packer made it down close to him.

[mraynrand]

That 63-64 yard punt was a bomb. It was a monster and had hang time at sea level; a real beauty.

I am not even sure coverage was there, but it was up for so long I think the returner felt he had to call for a fair catch. I think only one Packer made it down close to him.

If All-Pro WR Jeff Janis were still around, there would have been two guys surrounding the fair-catcher. I hear he is still available. Belicheat has not signed him yet, preferring to trade for Tosh Gordon.

[Guiness]

That 63-64 yard punt was a bomb. It was a monster and had hang time at sea level; a real beauty.

I am not even sure coverage was there, but it was up for so long I think the returner felt he had to call for a fair catch. I think only one Packer made it down close to him.

I agree, I also noticed there was not really anyone down there with him yet he still fair caught it. Maybe returners also have a clock in his head that tells him he is going to get labelled if he tries for a late return, and he didn't realize how far back he was.

[pbmax]

If All-Pro WR Jeff Janis were still around, there would have been two guys surrounding the fair-catcher. I hear he is still available. Belicheat has not signed him yet, preferring to trade for Tosh Gordon.

I heard that Janis is such an athlete that in college, he once punted (of course he was the emergency punter) AND downed the ball inside the five yard line on the fly.

Truly amazing he doesn't have a pro job. Its like not starting Clark Kent on the football team in Smallville.

[mraynrand]

I heard that Janis is such an athlete that in college, he once punted (of course he was the emergency punter) AND downed the ball inside the five yard line on the fly.

Truly amazing he doesn't have a pro job. Its like not starting Clark Kent on the football team in Smallville.

I feel like I forced you to go over the top with Janis-hype. But I can rest easy now, and stop with the Janis schtick, knowing that all the available space has been explored.

[Joemailman]

That 63-64 yard punt was a bomb. It was a monster and had hang time at sea level; a real beauty.

I am not even sure coverage was there, but it was up for so long I think the returner felt he had to call for a fair catch. I think only one Packer made it down close to him.

I was at the game. Don't think I've ever seen a punt like that. I think the returner called for a fair catch because he had to turn his back to the coverage guys to track the ball down. Talk about flipping the field position.

[Fritz]

You can't always pin them with hang time, obviously, so I'll be interested to see how he continues to develop with directional punts where the goal is to pin the opponent deep and kick it out of bounds close to the goal line. In the small sample size of the pre-season and first two games, how do you think he's doing with directional punts?

What happened to this old-school skill? The Ray Guys and Jerrel Wilsons of the seventies could punt one out of bounds around the three-yard-line, pinning teams against their own goal lines. That seems more reliable than hoping the ball bounces back once it hits on the three in the middle of the field.

As for ol' J.K., I propose a new nickname:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azEOeTX1LqM

[KYPack]

The last two guys I remember that were good at kicking the ball OB near the goal line were Shane Lechler (Oak) and Mike Scifres from SD. Scifres would always sacrifice his stats for field position. It is becoming a lost art.

[Anti-Polar Bear]

I don’t know what Scott’s net average currently is, but it would be a whole lot prettier with Janis gunning down returners.

House doesn’t look too pretty gunning down punts.

[MadScientist]

The last two guys I remember that were good at kicking the ball OB near the goal line were Shane Lechler (Oak) and Mike Scifres from SD. Scifres would always sacrifice his stats for field position. It is becoming a lost art.

It's a tricky art. Miss by a little and its either a touchback or they aren't backed up all that far. It probably also increases the odds of shanking one.

[MadScientist]

Times a thousand.

If you need a new punter, scout the land, CFL and all over. The key years for leg strength is 25 - 27. You can dig up a punter with some thorough scouting. There are capable guys you can sign out in UFA land.

Hasn't the Packers history this century with shitty punters proven this notion completely false.

[KYPack]

Hasn't the Packers history this century with shitty punters proven this notion completely false.

Well, no.

We have had bad punters of both stripes. We got a great punter from the CFL - Jon Ryan, Then we pissed away Ryan, principally bc ST coach Mike Stock didn't like his ass and convinced the management to cut him.

We also burned two 3rd round picks on punters that both failed.

We got a solid punter from the FA ranks, Tim Masthay. He was great for a few years and then flamed out.

Both these guys come from CFL or FA ranks. You can get good kickers from that source. It also doesn't cost you a draft pick. There are solid punters and long snappers that participate in these specialized training camps for that purpose. Masthay is an example of that.

So what is the sure fire way to get a great 4th down guy? There isn't any.

I think a fifth round pick is high to get a kicker. Some disagree, that's OK.

Maybe the Goot scoured the ranks of the CFL and FA ranks and decided that Scott was the best solution at that position. At least he made a decision. I think the non-draft, FA choice is preferable.

A great kicker is like gold. It's where you find it.

[run pMc]

I think if you're dropping anything higher than a 6th for a K or (especially) P you better be right. It's a funny thing to say considering a good K or P can be critical in a close game.
I agree you can find "serviceable" UDFA's to be punter. Seems like a P is more easy to find than a K. (Ask the Browns and Vikings.) Packers did ok with Vogel last year, Masthay before that, etc.

Lechler and Scifres were Pro Bowl guys who could flip the field in their heyday and that's worth something..Dom Capers' defenses notwithstanding, it's harder for an offense to go 85 yards than 55.
young JKPunting has a chance to get there.

[MadScientist]

So what is the sure fire way to get a great 4th down guy? There isn't any.

Fully agree with that. The way your other post was written, it sounded like you were saying it's easy to find a good punter without burning a draft pick. The Packers wanted a better punter, and one was off the board already, and a couple of other teams wanted punters, so the Packers took the guy they liked when they could get him. If Seattle hadn't taken a punter earlier in the 5th, the Packers might have waited.

He's shaping up to be a good punter, and I find it hard to complain about a supplemental 5th rounder who pans out at any position.

[smuggler]

Lol. He's a rookie and one bad return is skewing his numbers through two games. Get back to us after a year. Fwiw, he's the #1 rated punter in the league according to PFF.