Sports

SDSU Punter Matt Araiza, AKA ‘Punt God,’ Blows Minds With 80-Yard Punt At NFL Combine

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  • If you don’t know about the Punt God yet, you will now.
  • Matt Araiza was the best punter in college football last season and he is blowing minds at the NFL Combine.
  • Click HERE for more NFL football coverage!

In most years, it would be silly to imagine that a punter could be drafted in the first three rounds of the NFL Draft. This year, it is a legitimate possibility.

San Diego State punter Matt Araiza is unlike anyone who has ever played the position before. The man they call ‘Punt God’ is going to be the first punter off of the board in the upcoming draft and could go as early as Day 2.

Araiza, who won the Ray Guy Award in 2021, averaged an astonishing 51.4 yards per punt during the season and had multiple punts of 80 yards or more— in-game. He was so good last year that he actually earned his offensive coordinator a bonus, which is incredibly ironic.

Over the course of the last two years, Araiza has become a cult hero and folk legend within the college football world. Not only is he phenomenal at what he does, but he is by all accounts a great guy.

In addition to Punt God’s ability to absolutely boot the ball, he also has pinpoint accuracy. He led the nation in punts downed inside the 20-yard-line with 36 in 2021.

Araiza put both of those skills on display at the NFL Combine this weekend. He turned the heads of every NFL organization, just like he did with the Aztecs, and hit one of the best punts that you will ever see.

The video, which has since gone viral, shows Araiza set up at the 20-yard-line. Once he gets the ball off, he is just short of the 25.

In the air, the kick traveled almost sixty yards and landed just short of the opposite 15-yard-line. From there, it rolled down to the goal line and settled inside the 1-yard-line.

The punt may have crossed into the end zone, but in this case, it doesn’t matter.

Araiza’s punt traveled almost 80 yards and sat on the last possible inch that it could have sat without rolling beyond the goal line for a touchback. It was ridiculous, take a look:

Pat McAfee, who knows a thing or two about punting in the NFL, loved what he saw.

As did the rest of the internet, everybody in attendance, and all of the coaches and scouts watching. It will likely be later, but don’t be surprised if Araiza is drafted as early as the second round.