Kicking Specialists - scouting the prospects

[Box_O_Rocks]

Combine 2010: Punters/Place Kickers

 

[ctpatsfan77]

If he doesn't work out at P, maybe he can switch to S.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Official Patriots Football Weekly Blog | Quick Kicks: Another ‘Mayday’ Malone?

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

If he doesn't work out at P, maybe he can switch to S.

Forgot to link the story? :bricks:

Official Patriots Football Weekly Blog | Quick Kicks: You don’t mess with the Zoltan

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

It Is What It Is: Punter takes the podium

The 23 year-old spoke with members of the media Thursday and discussed growing up in communism, being the first specialist to be voted captain in his school’s history, speaking four languages (”Maybe [Sebastian Vollmer and I] can communicate”) and a discouraging experience at the Senior Bowl.

Though Mesko had a net average in the game of just 32.3 yards, two of his shorter punts (25 and 32 yards each) pinned the South within the 20 yard line. Still, Mesko touched on the difficulty he encountered punting outdoors in Mobile, Ala.

“I had not been used to the outdoor conditions,” Mesko explained to those on hand. “My last outdoor punting session [had been] November 21 against Ohio State. I had been at Michigan completing my Masters and that was indoors.”

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Coach Zauner's
2nd Annual Free Agent Specialists Combine
March 27, 2010
Phoenix, Arizona



Larry McDuff, UFL Las Vegas and Scottie O'Brien, New England Patriots

College Senior Specialists Combine

The Three Levels of Evaluation:

My evaluation of the participants of this College Senior Specialists Combine was based on their performance in a competitive format. I also factored in how they handled the adverse weather conditions. All of the specialists competed in the same weather conditions. This made it a level playing field. The weather factor also gave me the opportunity to gain insight in evaluating their ability to adjust to challenging conditions. A players’ ability to adjust to the unknown reflects the importance of the ‘mental side of the game’.

I created three Group levels of evaluation results for this event: I categorized the specialists into three groups:

Group 1) Specialists I believe currently have the skills and talent to be in a NFL, CFL or UFL training camp and compete for a roster spot.

Coach Zauner identified two Punters whom he felt were NFL ready:

Delbert Alvarado
Punter & Kicker/KO
U. of South Florida

Will Batson
Punter & Kickoffs
U. of N. Alabama

NE had personnel at both Pro-Days. There is no indication any NFL personnel attended the "specialist's combine" of Coach Zauner's, but he provided DVDs to all 32 teams in Indianapolis at "The Combine" and Scottie O'Brien was at the Zauner Free Agent's combine per the photo above.

 

[Nonentity]

My primary interest is a punter's ability to cope with the cold weather. Anyone can kick the ball in a dome or in a sunny climate. I want to know how they do when it's windy, when it's raining, when they have snow in their eyes, when the ground is slippy.

I also don't know what Bill is looking for when it comes to punters. Does he want a guy who can hammer the ball or one with accuracy?

I come from a rugby background in England, so I want a punter who can get the ball downed inside the 20, who is good at directional punting and who doesn't out-kick his coverage. It's not *difficult*, it really isn't.

The worst punter I saw all year was the Colts' punter. Lots of aimless punts down field which the opposition always had a chance to return. Give me a lifetime of fair catches and I'll be happy - don't let the punt returner get the ball in his hands and running at us, any team is easy meat by then. I couldn't care less about tackling ability, by the way - when was the last time you saw a punter make a true tackle as opposed to simply pushing a returner out of bounds?


Brent Bowden out of Virginia Tech looks the best choice to me.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Brandtner out of Iowa State has been the most impressive in the brief look I've gotten of Punters this draft season, his kicking in TvN was in chilly, windy conditions and quite good. The kid out of East Carolina wasn't too bad in their bowl game against Arkansas. Mesko was very disappointing kicking opposite Bowden in the Senior Bowl. I expect BB to draft at least one Punter and sign at least one additional kid as a UDFA. That kid out of N. Alabama would be a good UDFA signing, I'd love to see BB draft Brandtner or Bowden or both and have a Punting duel over the Summer.

EDIT: I'm expecting a Punter on the Practice Squad this year to pressure whichever rookie wins the Summer.

 

[patchick]

Bowden's my top choice, followed by Brandtner.

Mesko seems like a risk to be the JaMarcus Russell of punters -- an impressive physical specimen with great strength to get the ball downfield...but not necessarily to the place you want it to go.

 

[Nonentity]

EDIT: I'm expecting a Punter on the Practice Squad this year to pressure whichever rookie wins the Summer.

Nope, I think it'll be Chris Hansen against the drafted rookie. Makes the most sense to me.

What do you think of Bowden, Box?


The other question is where we draft our punter. Last year 2 punters went in the 5th round. In 2008 the only drafted punter went in the 6th round. In 2007 2 punters went in Round 4, and one in Round 7. All in all, it's a real mess to try to guess where to get your guy.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Nope, I think it'll be Chris Hansen against the drafted rookie. Makes the most sense to me.

What do you think of Bowden, Box?


The other question is where we draft our punter. Last year 2 punters went in the 5th round. In 2008 the only drafted punter went in the 6th round. In 2007 2 punters went in Round 4, and one in Round 7. All in all, it's a real mess to try to guess where to get your guy.

Bowden had a good Senior Bowl, if memory serves, I'd give him a chance. I don't expect Hanson back, I'd welcome him, but I don't expect him. I believe NE has made the decision to move on and are looking to this draft class for their new Punter, that's why I expect them to keep a "spare" on the PSquad so they can push each other.

(Using the current list of NE's Punter contacts): NFLDS ranks them Mesko (1), Bowden (2), Malone (4), and Cullen (11), which makes me think NE is looking to draft one of the top kids and have them compete with someone like Cullen who will likely end up on the PSquad.

 

[dryheat44]

Or we bring in Tom Malone once again. I'm sure he's still in BB's Rolodex. Hell, he might still be on the practice squad.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Or we bring in Tom Malone once again. I'm sure he's still in BB's Rolodex. Hell, he might still be on the practice squad.

Scout.com: Pre-Draft Needs: Seattle Seahawks

Tom Malone/P - He spent some time with the New England Patriots previously. Malone will get a chance to compete against Jon Ryan for a job.

 

[captain stone]

Who needs a Punter fresh out of college when we now have a niggly, in-your-face Back-Man?