What #NFL scouts are saying about the Specialists about the draft
Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal is a very solid reporter, who breaks down what NFL scouts are saying before the NFL Draft. He has completed his final rankings for the NFL Draft and his intel on the prospects is impressive. Today he broke down the specialists, and I think you will want to read about these guys. We have chosen a few of each position and you can read the rest in his article here.
KICKER
1. ROBERTO AGUAYO, Florida State (6-0, 208, no 40, 3-4): First kicker to enter draft as junior since 2003. “He may be the best kicker I’ve seen since (Sebastian) Janikowski,” one scout said. “He’s just so strong and consistent. Quick to the ball. Excellent leg strength. Gets the ball up quickly. Extremely accurate. Good kickoff distance, but of course that means nothing today.” Never missed an extra point (198 attempts) and hit on 69 of 78 FGs (88.5%). “There’s a little too much hype there,” a special teams coach said. “He’s had a lot of accolades. He can be taken too early.” Average distance on kickoffs was 60.8 yards in 2013 and 62.8 the past two seasons. “He was really good his first two years and not quite as good this year,” another special teams coach said. “He has a very explosive kickoff leg but I’m not quite as sold on him as a field-goal kicker. If you ask me who the best combination of the two (Aguayo and Ka’imi Fairbairn) is, it’s a hard call for me. I’ll still probably say Aguayo but it’s not as big a gap as everybody thinks.” From Mascotte, Fla.
PUNTER
1. DREW KASER, Texas A&M (6-2, 213, no 40, 6-7): Three-year starter. “Like him,” one coach said. “He’s got the distance and hang time. He’s just got a powerful leg. The ball explodes off his foot. He’d be a good guy for Green Bay to take.” Averaged 46.3 yards, breaking many of Shane Lechler’s school records. No blocks in 161 attempts. “If directional punting is what you do, he might not be your guy,” another coach said. “Kaser is a little bit like Mike Scifres. His leg isn’t as big as Scifres’ but Scifres can’t directional, either.” Served as a holder during a portion of his career. From Strongsville, Ohio.
LONG SNAPPER
1. CHANDLER “REID” FERGUSON, Louisiana State (6-1, 235, 5.07, FA): Snapped in all 50 games over four years after receiving a scholarship immediately at LSU. “I saw his pro day,” one coach said. “He can really snap and move to block. He’s very accurate and really can throw it hard. Not great (40) speed. It’s hard to find guys that can cover.” From Buford, Ga.
KICK RETURNER
1. CYRUS JONES, CB, Alabama (5-10, 198, 4.46): Led the nation with four TDs on punts (57, 69, 43, 72) in 2015. “He’s got the quickness to make the first man miss,” one scout said. “He’s not just a wall returner. He can see a seam and hit it. I don’t know if he’s got top-end speed but he’s got pretty good speed and quickness.” Returned 54 punts for a 12.5 average and 15 kickoffs for 23.4. “Catches the ball in a crowd,” one coach said. “He comes up. He’s not afraid, which is huge. Plants a foot, gets up field. Very courageous. He’s going to be a high pick.” Moved from WR to CB in ’13 and was a 2 ½-year starter. From Baltimore.
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