Draft Insiders’ – 2018 NFL Draft Yearbook
Draft Insiders.com – 27th Season –
Published by NFL scout Frank Coyle & staff
www.draftinsiders.com
“The NFL Draft Publication Pro Scouts Buy”
Special Teams
Placekickers, Punters, Return Specialists, Long snappers & Gunners
Placekickers – Grade B+
1 Daniel Carlson 6-5 215 Auburn Rating 80
Big kicker with a powerful leg with 13 kicks over 50 yards for over 60%. Set SEC career record for placekicks with 92 kicks. As a kickoff specialist, he had 156 touchbacks. Subpar 2017 placekicking season with a conversion rate (23-of-31 field goals for 74%). Missed FG in Senior Bowl under 50 yards. Hit 88% of his place kicks from inside the 50 over his final three seasons. Three-time Lou Groza Award finalist. Needs technique work on his mechanics where his approach is inconsistent. Huge effort in 2016 with 28 of 32 kicks. Made 92-of-114 career field goal attempts in the tough SEC environment. Three-time 1st-team SEC. Perfect on career extra points. Quick approach and good from either hash mark. Ball explodes on impact with excellent trajectory. Top 150 pick with Pro Bowl talent with huge leg.
2 Eddy Pineiro 5-11 185 Florida Rating 65
Junior two-time ACC first team honors in his only time as a placekicker. Former soccer player had a career FGs 38 of 43 attempts for an excellent 88%. Made 17 of 18 FG in 2017. Made 29 of his last 30 FGs. Lou Groza Award winner. Kickoffs were average. Accurate from 50 yards and a reliable kicker with starting talent, though needs work on his mechanics. Adequate distance. Late choice with experience only in a warm climate. NFL starter with work.
3 Michael Badgley 5-10 180 Miami
4 Drew Brown 5-11 200 Nebraska
5 Griffin Oakes 5-10 200 Indiana
6 Matthew McCrane 5-10 165 Kansas St
7 Mike Weaver 6-1 190 Wake Forest
8 Matt Anderson 6-0 195 California
9 Austin MacGinnis 5-10 185 Kentucky
10 Aidan Schneider 6-3 235 Oregon
11 Tyler Davis 5-11 190 Penn St
12 Gary Wunderlich 6-0 185 Mississippi
13 Jason Sanders 5-11 190 New Mexico
14 Cole Murphy 6-3 225 Syracuse
15 Aaron Medley 6-2 200 Tennessee
Punters – Grade A
1 * Michael Dickson 6-3 205 Texas Rating 85
Powerful junior Aussie punter performed brilliantly over his three season, including winning the Ray Guy award in 2017. Very strong leg with outstanding distance and hang time. Career punting average 45.3 yards per kick and none blocked. Nice placement with 89 career punts inside the 20-yard line. Of his 84 punts in 2017, returners fair caught 33 kicks with another 42 inside the 20-yard line. Snap to toe time is very good. Excellent leg strength and hang time, though can outkick his coverage. Needs development as a directional punter. Did not kickoff. Averaged 47.4 yards per punt his final two seasons. Best punter since Pro Bowler Johnny Hekker. Very consistent over his career. NFL skills, athleticism and leg strength to be drafted fairly early. Defensive weapon to pin opponent back and tilt the field. Won Texas Bowl MVP award for impact on game. Pro Bowl punter in time. Top 100-125 prospect with huge upside.
2 J.K. Scott 6-5 204 Alabama Rating 75
Senior four-year starter as punter and kickoff specialist. Over his career, he punted 243 times for a 45.6-yard average with 108 inside the 20-yard line. Three career blocked punts. As a senior, he had had 27 of 54 punts inside the 20-yard line with the other 27 punts fair caught. Punter 17 over 50 yards. Good extension and hang time. Gets his punts off too slowly and needs to improve his hand to toe time. Experienced punter with NFL ability with late grade. Probably not a kickoff man. NFL starting punter with technique work.
3 Joseph Davidson 6-7 230 Bowling Green
4 Johnny Townsend 6-1 205 Florida
5 Ryan Winslow 6-6 225 Pittsburgh
6 Shane Tripucka 6-3 220 Texas A&M
7 Michael Carrizosa 5-10 225 San Jose St
8 Trevor Daniel 6-1 225 Tennessee
9 Ryan Anderson 6-0 205 Rutgers
10 Joe Zema 6-2 210 Incarnate Word
11 Keith Wrzuszczak 5-11 200 Eastern Kentucky
12 Kaare Vedvik 6-3 210 Marshall
Returners – Grade A
Kickoff Returners – Grade A
1. Christian Kirk Texas A&M
2. Dante Pettis Washington
3. Saquon Barkley Penn St
4. Nyheim Hines North Carolina St.
5. D.J. Moore Maryland
6. Rashaad Penny San Diego St
7. Darius Phillips Western Michigan
8. Evan Berry Tennessee
9. Anthony Miller Memphis
10 Antonio Callaway Florida
11. Quadree Henderson Pittsburgh
12. Janarion Grant Rutgers
13. D’Ernest Johnson South Florida
14. D.J. Chark LSU
15. Byron Pringle Kansas St
Punt Returners – Grade A
1. Christian Kirk Texas A&M
2. Nyheim Hines North Carolina St.
3. Dante Pettis Washington
4. Darius Phillips Western Michigan
5. Donte Jackson LSU
6. D.J. Moore Maryland
7. Jaire Alexander Louisville
8. Mike Hughes Central Florida
9. Antonio Callaway Florida
10. Quadree Henderson Pittsburgh
11. Janarion Grant Rutgers
12. Chase Edmunds Fordham (N.Y.)
13 Richie James Middle Tennessee St.
14. D.J. Reed Kansas St
15. Blaise Taylor Arkansas St
Gunners: Grade B
1 * Ronnie Harrison – Alabama
2 Justin Reid – Stanford
3 Kyzir White – West Virginia
4 * Terrell Edmunds – Virginia Tech
5 Siran Neal – Jacksonville St
6 Godwin Igwebuike – Northwestern
7 Troy Apke – Penn St
8 Joshua Kalu – Nebraska
9 Natrell Jamerson – Wisconsin
10 Mike Basile – Monmouth University
11 * Jordan Whitehead – Pittsburgh
12 Marcus Allen – Penn St
13 Tarvarius Moore – Southern Miss
14 Trayvon Henderson – Hawaii
15 Tracy Walker – Louisiana-Laf
Longsnappers – Grade C
1 Tanner Carew 6-1 240 Oregon
2 Ike Powell 6-3 240 Auburn
3 Hunter Bradley 6-3 240 Mississippi St
4 Drew Scott 6-2 215 Kansas St
By Frank Coyle & Pro Scouting Staff of DraftInsiders.com – 27th Season
