Football Recruiting Advice for Kickers/Punters

Another series of articles that I am going to continue doing is breaking down the recruiting knowledge that I have for different positions in both basketball and football. While some may feel that recruiting is all the same, that is definitely not the case at all. The recruiting process for a quarterback, lineman, linebacker, or kicker is very different. That is why I plan on focusing on a variety of positions to help with basketball recruiting and football recruiting.

With the majority of football positions, players can attend normal camps and that will allow them to showcase their skills in front of those coaches. But those at the next level expect something different from kickers and punters. Schools normally hold camps for just players of the special teams. While it may be strange, this really does happen and it is an important part of the recruiting process.

These camps obviously are not as well published as the elite and other week long camps that colleges hold. But the coaches will do the same steps that they do for other position players. They will send out invitations to potential recruits that may have what it takes to play at these positions.

With kicking and punting, there are things that are on a national level that allow coaches to watch the players in action. With it being pretty easy to determine who is the best kicker/punter at an event, college coaches will do what they can to attend these events. But with rule changes in recent years, this may be happening less and less.

When putting together your highlight video, you do want to show the coaches that you are athletic and can make plays at other positions. But for 99.9% of the kickers and punters out there, it is obvious that you will be a special teams player at the college level. You want to make sure that you showcase your best kicks and punts.

For a kicker, I would start with the long field goals that you hit. Follow that up with touchbacks (The reason I would put this second is that wind during the fall can help even the worst kickers have long boots) and any other good kicks that you have made.

As for punters, I would show your longest punts through the air first and then those that bounced (Coaches won’t be as impressed with an 80-yard punt if it bounced thirty of the yards). Then show where you got the ball inside the 20-yard line.

Really, it is going to be extremely tough to earn a scholarship as a punter/kicker on tape. If anything, these may be some of the hardest positions to earn a scholarship with just video. Many coaches will want to see you in action themselves so going to those special teams camp is essential. I have always stressed that you don’t need to be at a camp longer than one day and it will be pretty obvious to the coaches if you have the ability to play at that level.

While I think the number of scholarships extended to players at these spots have gone up, a lot of these players will have to go to schools and try to eventually earn a scholarship. Most programs will tell you that if you come in and eventually become the starter, they would be willing to offer you a scholarship. They will be true to their word but you will probably have to beat a scholarship player to do so.

It really depends on the school if a scholarship will be extended. Iowa State had been struggling in recent years in their kicking game and their new coach went so far as bring in two kickers on scholarships. If they don’t end up winning games, it will be questionable moves like that which may cost him his job. But if it helps them win more close games, than it looks like a brilliant move. It was just strange considering now all schools extend scholarships to special teams players.

The transition from high school to college will be a difficult one with the difference in the tee height and the athletes on the field but if you are good enough, getting your name out there at camps and combines should help you overall.