There is a lot of buzz around punting prospect Matt Araiza. Would the Miami Dolphins be smart to avoid the hype and look elsewhere?
The Miami Dolphins have done some serious work to their roster and depth chart so far this off-season.
They began the new league year as one of the richest teams when it came to salary cap implications, and they were not shy about doling out big bucks in areas of need. They fortified their abysmal offensive line from a season ago by adding Terron Armstead and Connor Williams and bolstered the running game by adding Chase Edmonds and speedster Raheem Mostert.
The biggest splash came on the trade market, however, when the Dolphins sent a trove of draft picks to the Kansas City Chiefs in exchange for Tyreek Hill. The front office did their due diligence on the defensive side of the ball as well, bringing back essentially every starter from a season ago and financially taking care of some of their own by giving new contracts to their most productive defenders.
Despite the spending and acquisition spree, the Miami Dolphins still have holes to fill on their roster. The inside linebacker play needs to be improved, and the team could use some depth help in the trenches.
But there is one very noticeable absence on the Dolphins’ depth chart. The position of starting punter is still available in Miami, and there are plenty of different theories about which direction the team may go in that regard. There are still some veteran booters available on the free-agent market, but there has been talk of the front office looking towards the draft in order to fill the spot.
The popular name among the fan base is Matt Araiza, and many are calling for the Dolphins to call his name in the later rounds of the 2022 Draft. But would picking him be the best idea? We take a look at both arguments.
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?
Reasons for the Miami Dolphins to draft Matt Araiza.
Who wouldn’t want a guy with a huge leg and the ability to flip the field?
The running joke is that the Miami Dolphins won’t be doing a whole lot of punting this upcoming season given their new weapons on offense, but they’ll certainly need to address the issue before mini-camps begin over the summer. The only picks that Miami holds in the 2022 Draft are mid-round selections, putting them in prime position to draft the Punt God.
They’d be getting a player with elite field-flipping talent, and has a style of kicking that allows the ball to roll even further upon landing. Araiza has so much power, in fact, that it is believed that NFL coaches will ask him to dial it back a bit in the name of hang time and precision.
He would certainly be a breath of fresh air for the Dolphins. Michael Palardy’s performance was nothing to write home about in 2021, producing similar numbers to the man he replaced in Matt Haack. It would not only be interesting to see how easily Araiza can flip the field for Miami, but Mike McDaniel could conjure up some serious special teams trick plays if he has a former track and field hurdler as a punter.
Reasons the Miami Dolphins shouldn’t draft Matt Araiza.
Every prospect comes with red flags, so don’t consider a mid-round special teamer any different.
With his booming leg and routine 60-yard punts, it is easy to become enamored with the idea of flipping the field. But with all of that power comes precision issues, as well. He struggles with accuracy in the coffin corner drill, and a high percentage of his pooch punts ended up as touchbacks, negating any idea of field flipping for the opponent. Araiza has been described as having “relative disregard for touchbacks and coverage consideration”, and his quick operation doesn’t allow ample time for his coverage team to get set against opposing returners.
Araiza’s stock is high, but there are other punters in the class who are far more accurate with solid legs themselves. Jordan Stout from Penn State has excellent precision on his punts, and Ryan Stonehouse of Colorado State also has a chance to get drafted in the later rounds. With the aforementioned holes to fill in certain areas, it may be wise of the Dolphins to let another team reach for Araiza, use their earlier draft picks for linebackers and depth, and find another way to acquire a legit punter.