What is too early for a punter?

[Crazy Patriot Guy]

I was looking at mock drafts earlier and found one that had us taking Daniel Sepulveda from Baylor with our 3rd rounder. (#91)

As far as punters go, he's been the stud of college football for several years. I say that would be a good pick for us at that spot. He and Gostkowski would have our special teams solid for a handful of years.

I've always thought that if a player can make your team better, take him because it's impossible to know if he'd still be around. Some people thought that Gostkowski in the 4th round was too high. Does anyone care in the least anymore if we got maximum "draft value" with that pick?

 

[TealSox]

IMO, I think you take the highest rated punter/kicker when you start to have serious question marks about all other positions on the draft board and your need is urgent. This years draft is overhyped and as questionable as Tori Hunter after taking one to the face (get well soon), so I wouldn't be surprised to see a team take either Crosby or Sepulveda in the late third or early fourth.

The way I see it, the last group of overrated players are getting picked up and the rest of the draft board is full of guys with adequate potentional. That is when the cream of the special teams crop arises.

 

[TheBaronPatriot]

I would take a punter if he was the highest rated player on my board.
Think of the advantages a punter can give you.

If he has a huge leg he can get you out of your own 10 yard line and boom it 60 yards it landing the opposing team on the 30 yard line.

Of course this is assuming he can hang the ball long enough in the air for the coverage team to be able to adequately cover the kick.

Secondly, if he has great accuracy he can kick the ball out of bounds on the 5 yard line pinning oppenents and forcing them to play from a very uncomfortable position.

 

[Ring 6]

The end of the 7th round is a little too early to draft a punter.

 

[sieglo]

I would take a punter if he was the highest rated player on my board.
Think of the advantages a punter can give you.

If he has a huge leg he can get you out of your own 10 yard line and boom it 60 yards it landing the opposing team on the 30 yard line.

Of course this is assuming he can hang the ball long enough in the air for the coverage team to be able to adequately cover the kick.

Secondly, if he has great accuracy he can kick the ball out of bounds on the 5 yard line pinning oppenents and forcing them to play from a very uncomfortable position.

Damn, bro, I never realized a punter could do all that!! :rocker:

 

[zippo59]

It depends on how good he is, but I would say no earlier than the sixth, especially with all the punters we have on the roster.

 

[dhamz]

The end of the 7th round is a little too early to draft a punter.

The 7th might be OK.

The draft in the salary cap era is best used to add good players at premium positions. For example, a good DE/DT would cost huge $ if we had to go and get that guy on the free agent market. So you stock up at that spot with quality players in the draft since their value those first few years is off the charts.

Punters are the oppisite - not a highly paid position and they are easy to find in free agency. I don't see much value in drafting one.

 

[jeffd]

I was looking at mock drafts earlier and found one that had us taking Daniel Sepulveda from Baylor with our 3rd rounder. (#91)

As far as punters go, he's been the stud of college football for several years. I say that would be a good pick for us at that spot. He and Gostkowski would have our special teams solid for a handful of years.

I've always thought that if a player can make your team better, take him because it's impossible to know if he'd still be around. Some people thought that Gostkowski in the 4th round was too high. Does anyone care in the least anymore if we got maximum "draft value" with that pick?

NO WAY WE TAKE A PUNTER IN THE 3rd! Without a second round pick we can't screw around in the third round. I'd say 6th rounder or 5th at the earliest if we didn't really like anyone at good value there.

 

[RayClay]

The end of the 7th round is a little too early to draft a punter.

That was going to be my answer.

 

[JoeSixPat]

We grabbed a kicker in the 4th round when we had a high need. Even given Miller's previous health issues I wouldn't say we have the same need with a punter as we did at kicker last year.

I'd say use one of your 6th or 7th round supplementals at most. Undrafted free agents strike me as a much better way to go - so many guys go undrafted and overlooked that it makes more sense to bring in a quanitity of guys to find the diamond in the rough

 

[AzPatsFan]

Re: Punters; nuff said...

Here is a set of picks that will not be well received but:

a) Represent safe picks of guys who will play in the League;
b) Are "fast", "smart", "football players", and also great "athletes";
c) Have open positions which will not end up stocking another team.

#24: SILB: David Harris - First future starter (TJ replacement)

#28: WILB Posluzny/Beason - Second future starter (Seau replacement)

#91: Punter: Danny Sepulveda - Third future starter (Josh is Over the Hill)

#4(positioned): O/ILB: Zak DeOssie - Fourth (Eventual) Starter (TBC/Mays replacement

 

[belichickaholic]

If we had a decent punter against the Dolphins in Miami last year, we would have won the game and probably be SB Champs right now!! I'd take a punter in the 3rd. There are a lot of good players out there.

 

[NE39]

It depends on the punter.

Ray Guy was a first round pick and proved worth it.

 

[belichickaholic]

Re: Punters; nuff said...

Here is a set of picks that will not be well received but:

a) Represent safe picks of guys who will play in the League;
b) Are "fast", "smart", "football players", and also great "athletes";
c) Have open positions which will not end up stocking another team.

#24: SILB: David Harris - First future starter (TJ replacement)

#28: WILB Posluzny/Beason - Second future starter (Seau replacement)

#91: Punter: Danny Sepulveda - Third future starter (Josh is Over the Hill)

#4(positioned): O/ILB: Zak DeOssie - Fourth (Eventual) Starter (TBC/Mays replacement

Awesome! But what about CB? Ellis Hobbs is too small and inconsistent and Asante thinks he's "getting paid" so he's outta here.

 

[TealSox]

The overall value of a punter is relatively low. Consider that the difference between a Pro Bowl punter and any other punter in the league is a few yards on their average and a couple more touch backs. Shane Lechler has one of the biggest legs in the game and what separates him from the rest is his ability to put a backspin on the ball when kicking at a certain distance to pin the opposition. That said, his punts are winning games in Oakland.

 

[Urgent]

If you can get a Pro Bowl player - even a punter - in the fifth, I would do it. The shot at a fifth rounder making it is low. So getting a high-probablility punter at that position makes sense.

I'd like to see the Pats grab Sepulveda in the fifth. Thanks, David Givens.

 

[JoeSixPat]

Wow - I'm floored by how many people think using some pretty damn early picks on a punter would be worthwhile.

Here's a link that dryheat44 turned me onto last year... the data hasn't been updated for last year but its still relevant.

http://www.footballoutsiders.com/2007/04/19/ramblings/nfl-draft/5088/

Basically it takes each position and shows where the proven talent in the NFL charts its heritage from.

My gut reaction was that value at P/K can be found all over the map - and that if one wants to use a 6th or 7th pick fine - but one is better off bringing in a ton of undrafted free agent punters to compete - after all, look how many colleges there are an how many spots there are in the NFL for punters... there's a lot of guys vying for a spot - many of whom could start but just never had the chance.

Indeed 22% of the punters in the league were undrafted free agents - you won't find a higher percentage in any other round - be it first, second all the way down to 7th.

So if you're looking for a punter, and really have your heart set on one guy - maybe you want to draft him... but generally you're not giving yourself a better shot at finding a guy by using a 3rd round pick than you are by bringing in a dozen undrafted free agent rookies to compete.

 

[shakadave]

If you can get a Pro Bowl player - even a punter - in the fifth, I would do it. The shot at a fifth rounder making it is low. So getting a high-probablility punter at that position makes sense.

I'd like to see the Pats grab Sepulveda in the fifth. Thanks, David Givens.

I'm right with you, Urgent. Whoever gets Sepulveda, I predict will get him in the 5th, and I hope it's us.

 

[VJCPatriot]

I would go as high as a 4th rounder for Sepulveda. Hopefully we can get him with our 5th.

 

[unoriginal]

The overall value of a punter is relatively low. Consider that the difference between a Pro Bowl punter and any other punter in the league is a few yards on their average and a couple more touch backs. Shane Lechler has one of the biggest legs in the game and what separates him from the rest is his ability to put a backspin on the ball when kicking at a certain distance to pin the opposition. That said, his punts are winning games in Oakland.

His punts are losing games by less in Oakland.