With so many draft picks any logic in drafting a punter?

[jefmblrd]

Seeing as how we have a large number of draft picks this year and compensatory picks are not tradable, I was wondering about the possibility of drafting a punter. Pro Football Weekly says this about Thomas Morstead from SMU:
"Big, tall, long-legged punter who booms the ball with excellent hang-time. Immediately could improve a team's punting unit and should be drafted to step into a starting job." They go on to say that he is a well-respected team captain who launches "skyscrapers."

Sporting News talks about his big leg as well but also adds that he needs to work on his directional kicking.

PFW predicts he'll be drafted in rounds 5 or 6.

I know we have Malone on the Practice Squad, and I don't want to waste a pick, but I just thought I'd throw it out there.

 

[mayoclinic]

Seeing as how we have a large number of draft picks this year and compensatory picks are not tradable, I was wondering about the possibility of drafting a punter. Pro Football Weekly says this about Thomas Morstead from SMU:
"Big, tall, long-legged punter who booms the ball with excellent hang-time. Immediately could improve a team's punting unit and should be drafted to step into a starting job." They go on to say that he is a well-respected team captain who launches "skyscrapers."

Sporting News talks about his big leg as well but also adds that he needs to work on his directional kicking.

PFW predicts he'll be drafted in rounds 5 or 6.

I know we have Malone on the Practice Squad, and I don't want to waste a pick, but I just thought I'd throw it out there.

I think there's a lot of logic. We have to be able to do better than Chris Hanson.

There are two obvious candidates: Kevin Huber from Cincinnati, and Thomas Morstead from SMU. We've been kicking this around (pun intended) for a while now, with Patchick favoring Morstead and myself favoring Huber, so obviously Patchick must be correct. Both are likely 5th-7th round picks right now. I prefer Huber because of his hang time and accuracy at pinning opponents inside their 20, both things which BB prizes over just a big leg. As you mentioned, directional kicking seems to be more of a weakness with Morstead.

 

[jefmblrd]

I think there's a lot of logic. We have to be able to do better than Chris Hanson.

There are two obvious candidates: Kevin Huber from Cincinnati, and Thomas Morstead from SMU. We've been kicking this around (pun intended) for a while now, with Patchick favoring Morstead and myself favoring Huber, so obviously Patchick must be correct. Both are likely 5th-7th round picks right now. I prefer Huber because of his hang time and accuracy at pinning opponents inside their 20, both things which BB prizes over just a big leg. As you mentioned, directional kicking seems to be more of a weakness with Morstead.

Huber is an intriguing possibility as well. Interesting that PFW says he is a 2 step directional kicker who can hang it high, kick outside the numbers, and pin opponents deep. While Sporting News says he has a big leg but is a line-drive punter who outkicks his coverage.

PFW puts him as a possible 6th round choice.

I haven't seen either of them kick, so I'll need to do some more research.

I liked the pun by the way.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

With two punters in camp I don't see the value in drafting one. I know Hanson has been controversial, but I think some of the kicks and stats that have people up in arms are the direct result of coaching decisions and not "failures" on his part. As for Morestead and Huber, good kids, but they do need to work more on control, Huber in particular needs to speed up his release. There's another good kid in their class, Miller from Ball State, who looked good when I saw him kick. He'll probably be there as a UDFA so I don't see drafting one of the other kids.

 

[WhiZa]

The only way I see them drafting a punter is if Hanson was not signed. A lot like the Ghost situation. No kicker was signed before the draft so the Pats took their favorite kicker early in the draft. Because Hanson is there the Pats don't need to waste a draft pick and select a punter, but instead try to get a good one in UDFA territory who can compete with the rest of the players on the roster.

 

[patchick]

The only way I see them drafting a punter is if Hanson was not signed. A lot like the Ghost situation. No kicker was signed before the draft so the Pats took their favorite kicker early in the draft. Because Hanson is there the Pats don't need to waste a draft pick and select a punter, but instead try to get a good one in UDFA territory who can compete with the rest of the players on the roster.

To play devil's advocate...how would you feel if the Pats' placekicking the past 3 years had been of the same JAG quality as their punting? By spending a draft pick on a kicker they got an elite one.

 

[captain stone]

Eggs-actly, Batchick.

The only downside to replacing the Predator would be that the Memphis Ghost would have to work with both a new LS & a new Holder.

 

[WhiZa]

To play devil's advocate...how would you feel if the Pats' placekicking the past 3 years had been of the same JAG quality as their punting? By spending a draft pick on a kicker they got an elite one.

True. Now i wonder by signing Hanson to one year deals that they have a punter in mind for a certain draft pick where if they don't get him they can always fall back to Hanson. Somewhat like a Gramatica situation when Ghost was drafted. Thought Gramatica wasn't much of a fall back option

 

[VJCPatriot]

Don't forget Gano. I could see the Pats taking him with their comp 5th. Not only is the guy a 92% placekicker but he is excellent at pinning teams inside the 10 with his punts. He'd upgrade the punting game and be a great backup PK.

02/13/09 - PRO POTENTIAL: PK-P Graham Gano - If kicking jobs were more plentiful in the NFL, Gano would be even higher rated. But he joins Brown as the only two FSU players invited to the NFL combine, so that should tell you plenty about FSU's prospects. Gano came from nowhere in 2008, rising to lead the nation in field goals, set all sorts of school records and be an equally valuable punter in pinning teams inside the 10. He won the Lou Groza Award as the nation's best kicker.

Graham Gano | Florida State, K : 2009 NFL Draft Scout Player Profile

 

[Bring Back Antowain!]

IMO we have a perfectly capable punter in Hanson.... might not be flashy, but he gets the job done.

That being said, I think, depending on how many picks we actually plan on using, taking a punter is always a possibility in rounds 6 or 7, but, we could always wade through the rookie free agents to find some competition for Hanson.

 

[Revman]

Yes-the Pat's are thrilled over Graham Gano-Florida State. I be Pat's get him in round 6. Field Position-the kid is great dropping punts inside the 15 yard marker.

 

[mayoclinic]

Yes-the Pat's are thrilled over Graham Gano-Florida State. I be Pat's get him in round 6. Field Position-the kid is great dropping punts inside the 15 yard marker.

I don't see Gano lasting to the 6th because of his versatility as both a kicker and a punter, and because kickers often go much higher. I could see him going 4th-5th round, and I think that would be too high for us given other values. But in the 6th I'd definitely consider him.

 

[Liverpool_Patriot]

I'd say maybe the only pressing need is good pass rushing OLB and with 12 picks at our disposal, it wouldn't harm us to draft a punter in rounds 6 - 7.

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Yes-the Pat's are thrilled over Graham Gano-Florida State. I be Pat's get him in round 6. Field Position-the kid is great dropping punts inside the 15 yard marker.

I like Gano too - where have you heard of their interest in him?

 

[Water Boy]

To play devil's advocate...how would you feel if the Pats' placekicking the past 3 years had been of the same JAG quality as their punting? By spending a draft pick on a kicker they got an elite one.

Yah, but according to Mel Kiper taking a kicker as high as we did in the draft was a reach.