I’ve been a big NFL fan for as long as I can remember.I’m sure you’ve heard at least a thing or two about kickers in the NFL – why they’re so crucial, and whether or not they get drafted.I get it, it sounds a bit silly.However, it’s really important to understand how kickers fit within the league, how they’re selected, and why they’re so important.
Kickers play a crucial role in the NFL – they are, of course, responsible for a team’s scoring, and they have the ability to completely change the game in an instant. A kicker can single-handedly win or lose a football game.Due to this important role, kickers often receive a lot of pressure from both their team and the fans.
When it comes to the NFL Draft, kickers are rarely ever selected. The reasoning behind that is mostly because kickers typically don’t have a direct impact on the game like other positions do. Kicker isn’t exactly seen as a ‘glamorous’ position, so teams are usually willing to wait and find them in free agency or from another team. The rare occasion that a kicker is selected in the draft is usually a late-round pick.
That being said, not all kickers are created equally. Some of the best kickers in the NFL were not even drafted; Adam Vinatieri, the all-time leading scorer in NFL history, was undrafted! This goes to show you that while kickers aren’t typically given the glory they deserve, their performance is still important, and some teams will find their diamond in the rough without having to spend a first or second round draft pick on a kicker.
Ultimately, the answer to the question ‘Do kickers get drafted in the NFL?’ is nope. However, they still play an important role and can make or break a team’s game. It just takes a bit more scouting, and sometimes luck, to find a good kicker.
Now, history has said that when it comes to kickers, there’s a certain level of unpredictability. I remember the game between the Jaguars and the Raiders in 2015, when Josh Scobee ended up winning the game for the Jaguars by kicking a field goal on the final play of the game. So, it’s not always the case that a big name kicker will be the one to make the kick, but it’s still important to at least have someone who is reliable when it comes to kicking field goals.
That said, it’s important to remember that kickers are more than just their kicking abilities. While it’s their job to make field goals and extra points, many teams also require their kickers to be able to punt and kick off of a kickoff. This requires a different kind of kicking ability and technique, so it’s important for teams to scout and find someone who can do all three.
It’s also important to think about the character of the kicker. Sure, most of us think about how accurate they might be or how far they can kick the ball, but they also have to be mentally tough and have the ability to handle pressure. It takes a special kind of player to be able to handle the high-pressure situations that kickers often find themselves in.
In the end, it’s up to the team to decide whether or not to go out and search for a kicker in the draft. Given the unpredictable nature of kickers, it may not always be the best option. However, most teams are willing to take a risk on kickers who can prove themselves in the big moments and who have character and mental toughness to handle the pressure. In the end, there’s no ‘right’ answer when it comes to kickers and drafting, it simply depends on the individual situations.
So, when it comes to comparing kickers and drafting in the NFL, the answer is not as cut and dry as it might seem. Sure, there are certain stereotypes surrounding kickers, but it’s important to remember that they can be game changers, and it’s often very difficult to predict how they will perform in any given situation.
What happens if the team doesn’t draft a kicker? Well, some teams are more than willing to go out and find a kicker in free agency. This is a risky decision because the kicker they get may or may not have experience, however it is an option. Some teams may even choose to waive kickers from other teams that they think have had a good track record in the past.
Another approach teams might take would be to invest in a kicker in the early rounds of the draft, as some kickers have gone on to have fantastic careers in the NFL and have performed at a high level for many years. This route is typically seen as a safer play, as you’re more likely to get a reliable kicker for your team.
Finally, some teams may choose not to draft a kicker at all. While this is generally seen as a riskier approach, there have been some cases in which teams have gone with this route and been successful. A great example of this would be the Super Bowl champion Baltimore Ravens, who went all the way to the Super Bowl without drafting a kicker.
At the end of the day, the decision of whether or not to draft a kicker is up to the team, and every situation is different. It’s important to remember to always evaluate a kicker’s character, work ethic, and mental toughness, above all else, when making a decision on whether or not to draft a kicker. Who knows, maybe the next best kicker in the NFL wasn’t even drafted!