Expectations for Mitch Wishnowsky's Sophomore Season
No matter what fans say, punters (and kickers) are football players, too. So of course I am going to continue the expectations series with Mitch Wishnowsky.
The San Francisco 49ers selected the Australian born player 110th overall in the fourth round of the 2019 NFL draft. His selection came with some backlash from the Faithful, which was understandable at the time. Taking a punter in the fourth round is rather high.
Given the other needs the 49ers had, looking at almost any other position aside from punter seemed like the better choice. Considering he was taken high for a punter, there were expectations that he should develop into an accurate punter. That he should be able to pin the opposition consistently.
Wishnowsky isn't on an elite level (yet), but he did prove adequate last season.
Now that he is entering his sophomore season in 2020, the expectations for him will rise. His room for error on punts will be reduced and he must provide beneficial field position for the defense.
This is where some fans believe a punter's job is extremely easy. In comparison to other positions in football, it is easier. But that doesn't make it necessarily easy. Otherwise, there would be a ton of punters being touted for how well they pin the opposing team.
In certain situations, a punter can prove to be a deciding factor of a game.
A punter could be the difference between winning and losing down the wire. A touchback versus a punted ball that is downed within 10 yards of the endzone is a stark difference.
The last thing an offense wants is to have 10 more yards of field to drive against the 49ers' suffocating defense. Wishnowsky might be just a punter, but he is a player that can improve the situation for the defense with every ball that comes off his laces.
