Maybe the Miami Dolphins shouldn’t draft punter Matt Araiza

Who is Matt Araiza and should the Miami Dolphins draft this punter?

Born and raised in San Diego, Matt Araiza is a natural-born athlete. In high school, not only was he a two-time All-American placekicker, but he set school records in the 110-meter and 300-meter hurdles as well. Despite the accolades, Araiza was just a two-star prospect, and only received scholarship offers from three schools, of which he chose San Diego State.

He started out as the placekicker during his freshman year but began punting sparingly during his sophomore season. He took over full-time duties in 2021 and quickly earned himself the nickname “Punt God” for his cannon of a leg. Araiza holds the college record for most punts of 50+ yards, the FBS record for punts of 60+ yards, and now holds the title for the longest average over a season with a whopping 51.2 yards per. He also has two 80-yard kicks on his resume.

Araiza became something of a darling at the NFL Combine in March. His kicking prowess was on full display, and rumors about him going as high as the third or fourth round in the 2022 NFL Draft began swirling.

Would the Miami Dolphins be one of the teams willing to spend a mid-round pick on a special teams player?