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Will There Ever Be Another Punter Like Ray Guy?


ChasBB

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The Raiders were the first team (maybe only team for I can recall) to ever draft a punter in the 1st round of the NFL draft back in 1973.  He was well worth the pick.  His hang times were insane and he had plenty of distance, too.  What a difference maker in a game of field position!  If another punter like Ray Guy ever comes along, I'd have NO PROBLEM with the Bills expending a 1st round pick on him.  It was because of Ray Guy that the NFL even began to track "hang time" as a punting statistic.  It's kind of amazing that no one has ever really come close to being a difference maker at the punter position since Guy played.

Edited by ChasBB
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27 minutes ago, ChasBB said:

The Raiders were the first team (maybe only team for I can recall) to ever draft a punter in the 1st round of the NFL draft back in 1973.  He was well worth the pick.  His hang times were insane and he had plenty of distance, too.  What a difference maker in a game of field position!  If another punter like Ray Guy ever comes along, I'd have NO PROBLEM with the Bills expending a 1st round pick on him.  It was because of Ray Guy that the NFL even began to track "hang time" as a punting statistic.  It's kind of amazing that no one has ever really come close to being a difference maker at the punter position since Guy played.

When he appeared on the scene it was game changing!

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19 minutes ago, Mcdermott said:

For the record, the Saints drafted Russell Erxleben in the first round to be both punter and kicker but ended up only being a punter.

Thanks for that - didn't realize another team had done so.  I don't think he's earned quite the name recognition Ray Guy did (well, at least not for me, anyhow).

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25 minutes ago, Mcdermott said:

For the record, the Saints drafted Russell Erxleben in the first round to be both punter and kicker but ended up only being a punter.

 

I do often wonder why specialists don't try to excel at both kicking and punting.  You'd save a roster spot if your kicker and punter were the same person - it seems like this is something Belichick would think of.

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2 hours ago, sullim4 said:

 

I do often wonder why specialists don't try to excel at both kicking and punting.  You'd save a roster spot if your kicker and punter were the same person - it seems like this is something Belichick would think of.


Guy actually handled kick offs for a few years while Blanda handled field goals.

 

A friend pointed out that the Raiders also drafted Sebastian Janikowski in first round and before the common draft Charlie Gogolak was drafted in first round.

 

So, in NFL history, 3 kickers and 1 punter selected in first round.

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I searched a bit trying to find what his hang time averages were, but couldn't find it. Maybe they didn't track that back then. These days the average is like 4.4 seconds. Just wondering how his hang time compared.

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"Will There Ever Be Another Punter Like Ray Guy ?"

 

......I wonder the same thing about Madonna minus the punting expectation.

 

My wife is well aware, knows the situation, if ever.....

 

Edited by I am the egg man
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