This year’s punter class is clearly headlined by Alabama’s James Burnip who deserves attention. In 52 punts this season, he averaged:
- 45.4 yards per punt with a 43.7 net average
- 0.9 yards per return, a mark not seen since pin-deep specialist Adam Korsak
- Unlike Korsak who had no hangtime, Burnip sported a 4.29 second average, one of the best times in recent years
- 24 punts pinned inside the 20 yardline and 25 fair caught
- And he’s 6’6″, 236 lbs…
Here’s a sample and you won’t see a better punt.
He’s P1. But who needs a punter and where could he go? Here are the top teams, which GMs have shown they will draft specialists, and where this year’s punters go:
Buffalo Bills: Bank on it…
R5-169: James Burnip, Alabama
The Bills are an annual Super Bowl contender and moved on from Sam Martin after the 2024 season. In an attempt to upgrade, they signed two this off-season: Brad Robbins and Jake Camarda. Neither are proven and for a team that just can’t get over the KC Chiefs hump, they need to leave no weaknesses.
- They have five prime punter picks at 169, 170, 173, 177, and 206…
- Their GM – Brandon Beane – one of the league’s savviest and best drafters, has twice drafted special teams players – punter Matt Araiza at pick 180 and kicker Tyler Bass at pick 188.
The first punter typically goes a round higher but after the past few years in this punter Renaissance, there just aren’t a ton of teams that need one. And the Bills jump on Burnip, an incredible value here, with one of their 5th rounders.
Denver Broncos: The dark horse…
R6-197: Luke Elzinga, Oklahoma
The Broncos lost Riley Dixon to the the league’s most punter-needy team, Tampa Bay. Dixon signed for 2 years at $3M AAV and as good as he is, Denver should have matched it.
Instead they brought in 31-year old journeyman Matt Haack, a guy who hasn’t had a good punting season in years. The thin air will help him, but the Broncos would be smart to upgrade.
The issue? GM George Paton hasn’t shown he will draft specialists. Also, they don’t have a 5th – after their pick at 122, they don’t pick again until 191, 197, and 208 and would definitely have to acquire a higher pick to get Burnip. The Broncos stay put and have their pick of Florida’s Jeremy Crawshaw or Oklahoma’s Luke Elzinga.
Crawshaw may be the better all-around punter, but I have them taking Elzinga as the better fit in Denver – he has shown bad weather skills and the thin air will offset his tendency to sacrifice hangtime for distance.
Minnesota Vikings: They would if they could…
UDFA: Jeremy Crawshaw, Florida
Another Super Bowl contender (at least in their mind), they have Ryan Wright who is definitely upgradeable. GM Kwesi Adofo-Mensah has only been on the job since 2022 but has shown he will draft specialists, taking kicker Will Reichard at 6-203 last year.
The issue? They are a draft capital disaster with only four picks in this draft – pick 24, 97, 139, and 187…
As much as I support drafting specialists, they just can’t afford to and will likely wait for the UDFA period. And they do well, getting Jeremy Crawshaw in a lean punter class.
Steelers: The team that should have…
An extra bonus team.
The Steelers had one of the worst punter situations last year and decided to upgrade by… signing 33-year old Cameron Johnston to a 3 year, $9M free agent contract…
With picks 185 and 229, they would have good punter picks to take would should be their best punter in a long time. But, as the Steelers do, they do the exact opposite of what I think they should do.
Yes, they have bigger issues and needs, so this ultimately doesn’t matter, but good teams do smart things on the margins. And signing a mid punter to the 4th highest AAV deal in the league isn’t smart.
Enjoy the draft everybody! And make sure to have a big extra happiness when the first punter gets taken… punters are football players too.