Why MSU’s Eckley Could Be First Punter Drafted This Year

With Michigan State football coming off a difficult 4-8 season, not many Spartans are expected to hear their names called when the NFL Draft kicks off on April 25th.

Only two Michigan State players received invitations to the NFL Combine: offensive lineman Matthew Golbin and punter Ryan Eckley. As mock drafts continue to roll out ahead of draft weekend, Eckley appears to be the lone Spartan with a realistic shot at being selected.

NFL analyst Chad Reuter of NFL.com recently released his five-round mock draft, and Eckley was the only Michigan State player included, projected to go in the fifth round at 174. If that holds, Eckley would not only be the first Michigan State player selected in this year's draft but also the first punter taken off the board entirely.

Eckley as a Prospect

Punters are rarely among the most heavily scouted positions in any draft class, and Eckley is not the consensus top option at his position in this cycle. Among the four punters with significant draft buzz, Eckley ranks third. The two punters rated ahead of him are Georgia's Brett Thorson and Syracuse's Jack Stonehouse.

NFL.com's prospect grading system lists Eckley at 5.65, indicating he is considered an average backup or special-teamer. Draft analyst Lance Zierlein describes Eckley as a punter who excels at hitting the ball deep, which is backed up by his FBS-leading 48.5 average punt yards.

Zierlein also highlights Eckley's ability to land short-field punts inside the 10-yard line as one of his stronger traits over the last two seasons. The primary weakness identified in his evaluation is hang time, which has been consistently below NFL standards throughout his time at Michigan State.

Zierlein's full scouting summary captures the tension in Eckley's profile well. He notes that Eckley's strong gross punt numbers are often undermined by too many returns, and that while Eckley hits the ball with good consistency, his punts can be low line drives that are difficult for gunners to cover.

The Positives

On the positive side, Zierlein praised his touch and his ability to bury opponents deep in their own territory. The overall assessment is that Eckley's chances of making an NFL roster will depend largely on whether he can develop hang time that meets professional standards.

If Eckley is selected in the fifth round, he would be the highest-drafted Michigan State player since Jayden Reed was taken in the second round back in 2023. For a program coming off a 4-8 season, having even one player drafted would be a meaningful moment.

Eckley has built a legitimate case on the strength of his production, and his FBS-leading punt average shows there is real NFL-caliber talent in his leg. The hang time concerns are real, but teams looking for a developmental punter with elite range and strong placement skills will find plenty to like. Draft weekend will tell us whether any of them are willing to spend a fifth-round pick to find out.