Rd 6, Pick 180 (1): Punter Matt Araiza, San Diego State

[JohnNord]

5 hours ago, junior said:

Scout quotes per long-time Packers and NFL beat writer, Bob McGinn:

 

NFL special-teams coordinator: “This guy is Corey Bojorquez. He’s got just phenomenal numbers. He’s got a great gross average but he’s pretty inconsistent. He’s certainly more of a line-drive guy. He didn’t get near the same hang time that (Jordan) Stout gets. But, he had a really good combine and a really good pro day. He’s never held because he kicked field goals. After watching him at pro day the holding is going to be a deal for him. He kicked off, but he’s more of a line-drive guy like he is as a punter. He can really get it deep down the field but he doesn’t get it up as well. I can’t shade him above Stout because I think Stout will be a better holder. You’d be taking a little risk. I think he’ll get drafted. Fifth or sixth round.”

 

NFL special-teams coordinator: “Very talented. Big-time leg. Raw, very raw. He’s got a big leg. He’ll probably be in a camp. I don’t know if he makes it right away.”

 

AFC scout: “He has the strongest leg. He’s a three-step guy. He outkicks his coverage a lot of the time.”

I read this too.  The more I learn about Araizia, the less I think he makes this team.  
 

Fans don’t like Haack, but I really think Buffalo would be confident with him as punter - knowing that he helps to kicking game.  Beane even called him an “elite” holder and that he was coming off a bad season.  I think he gets ever chance to make the team

[MrEpsYtown]

4 minutes ago, Doc said:

 

Link?

My DVR

[MrEpsYtown]

5 minutes ago, MrEpsYtown said:

My DVR

Just to add, a nice article here where he talks about the adjustments he’s making to get more hangtime. 
 

https://www.si.com/.amp/nfl/2022/04/22/matt-araiza-nfl-draft-viral-punter

 

 

 

[TBBills]

Best punter in the history of punting. 

[MrEpsYtown]

Araiza training and catching a snap with one hand.

 

 

[starrymessenger]

Hes got things to work on for sure. But he’s an athlete and looks to have a mature attitude. He has a legit chance to be very very good. 

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

6 hours ago, ChevyVanMiller said:

Interesting take on the pick by CBS News. I hope the writer’s supposition is off base.

 

Loser: Bills fans 

The Bills selected San Diego State punter Matt Araiza, also known as "Punt God," with the No. 180 overall pick in the draft. While employing a player known as "Punt God" seems cool, it might tempt Bills coach Sean McDermott to eschew some of the aggressive decision-making that has made the Bills such a dangerous (and fun to watch) team over the past couple years, in favor of punting the ball more often. That's not good! Let Josh Allen and Co. win the game themselves instead of worrying about things like field position. 

FWIW

1 links are required per TOS. Copyrights and all that 

2 so we can see what idiot wrote it.  
 

[MJS]

I know there is a contingent of Bills fans who believe that we don't need a good punter because we punted the least in the NFL last year.

 

That's true, but we still punted over 45 times. That's significant. For instance, Gabriel Davis only touched the ball 35 times on offense. Isaiah McKenzie only had 29 touches on offense.

 

Obviously, not the same thing at all, but it's not like we never punt. We do punt. We can't face the Patriots every week, you know

Edited May 2, 2022 by MJS

[MrEpsYtown]

Some tidbits from SI article a linked above:

 

The first thing to understand about Araiza is he’s not just a twig in pads. He’s 6' 1", 200 pounds and ran a 4.68 at the combine; Deakin says he would run with the skill-position group during offseason conditioning. He’s described by multiple people as a tremendous athlete, making five tackles covering his own punts (Novak is trying to rein that part of Araiza’s game in as to preserve his longevity). He’s a football player who happens to be able to punt, and that’s part of the reason he didn’t punt early on at SDSU….

 

The second thing to understand about Araiza is he’s a punting wonk. Be careful asking him about his craft unless you’re prepared to get a lengthy crash course on the topic. He’s shortening his steps to get more under the ball at impact, increasing his hang times. He’s shortening how far he drops the ball from his body as well.

 

“The swing path is like a crescent, so [dropping it closer to the body] changes where it is in that crescent,” Araiza says. “When you’re hitting the ball, the ball’s coming out more as a line drive, whereas the shorter the arms are, the ball gets a lot higher.” 

He describes hitting a good punt as understanding where the ball is in space and matching your foot up to it as the ball moves on the axis of direction (right, left, up or down). Even though the ball is dropping maybe 12 inches in the air from his hands to his foot, little things can change where it goes as it travels downfield. A drop to the right of his foot means the ball is likely going to end up to the right of his target.

 

 

Highly recommended read.

 

https://www.si.com/.amp/nfl/2022/04/22/matt-araiza-nfl-draft-viral-punter

 

[ChevyVanMiller]

5 minutes ago, SlimShady'sSpaceForce said:

FWIW

1 links are required per TOS. Copyrights and all that 

2 so we can see what idiot wrote it.  
 

Here’s the link:

 

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/news/2022-nfl-draft-day-3-winners-and-losers-ravens-strike-it-rich-again-browns-find-no-takers-for-baker-mayfield/amp/

 

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

3 minutes ago, ChevyVanMiller said:

Here’s the link:

 

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/news/2022-nfl-draft-day-3-winners-and-losers-ravens-strike-it-rich-again-browns-find-no-takers-for-baker-mayfield/amp/

 

thanks. 
 

By Jared Dubin  
 

Who?   😝 

[Ralonzo]

You know how Allen running the ball gives the Bills an extra blocker? Araiza punting the ball gives the Bills an extra coverage man.

[MJS]

5 minutes ago, ChevyVanMiller said:

Here’s the link:

 

https://www.cbssports.com/nfl/draft/news/2022-nfl-draft-day-3-winners-and-losers-ravens-strike-it-rich-again-browns-find-no-takers-for-baker-mayfield/amp/

 

It's a pretty dumb concept by him. Has a coach EVER wanted to punt more just because they have a decent punter? I would think that would be the last thing on the coach's mind.

 

You go for it at mid field and onward, where having a big leg is meaningless. When you get stalled in your own end, you don't go for it because it is too risky giving the other team the ball in scoring position. That's when having a big leg is great because you can flip the field position.

1 minute ago, Ralonzo said:

You know how Allen running the ball gives the Bills an extra blocker? Araiza punting the ball gives the Bills an extra coverage man.

I bet they'll try to reign that in, though. You only have one punter and can't afford for them to get hurt making a tackle.

[TheyCallMeAndy]

I think even if he struggles out of the gate, the team will try other avenues before releasing him. 
 

Glad to see him working on it!

[costrovs]

17 minutes ago, starrymessenger said:

Hes got things to work on for sure. But he’s an athlete and looks to have a mature attitude. He has a legit chance to be very very good. 

 

This, right here.  This is one of the first things I noticed when I watched the first interview I saw with him. Doesn't matter which interview, It's noticeable in all of them. 

Does his matureness remind anybody of a certain player on our team? 

[starrymessenger]

1 minute ago, costrovs said:

 

This, right here.  This is one of the first things I noticed when I watched the first interview I saw with him. Doesn't matter which interview, It's noticeable in all of them. 

Does his matureness remind anybody of a certain player on our team? 

Hmmm…how bout the other man with the strong legs.

And arm.

[TBBills]

1 hour ago, MrEpsYtown said:

Araiza training and catching a snap with one hand.

 

 

S. T. U. D.

[costrovs]

36 minutes ago, starrymessenger said:

Hmmm…how bout the other man with the strong legs.

And arm.

 

Yes, I was thinking Allen. I'm not saying that he's gonna be the Allen of punters.... What I am saying is that his matureness is telling me that he's the type of guy who's gonna put in the work to make himself better. Probably wants to prove all those naysayers and haters wrong.

Edited May 1, 2022 by costrovs

[4BillsintheBurgh]

3 hours ago, UKBillFan said:

 

Unless we just go with Haack and Bass, keeping Araiza on the PS.

Maybe, but I don't think they spent the draft pick to keep him on the ps. If he shows any ability to kick the professional football in the preseason he would get poached. 

 

In the end he seems like a good enough athlete to get the holding done well and change his kicking style enough to hang it as well as be more directional. For me the bigger issue with bojo was his holding, I think we'll let Matt work things out as we go along.

[Warcodered]