Nick Veltsistas NFL Draft Showcase Might Decide Everything Next

Virginia Tech punter Nick Veltsistas enjoyed a breakout season in 2025. The Fairfax, Virginia native enters the 2026 NFL Draft having averaged 45.5 yards per punt, placing 16 of them inside the opponent’s 20-yard line. Veltsistas will participate in Virginia Tech’s pro day on March 27th, with NFL teams expected to attend.

Veltsistas recently spoke exclusively with NFL Draft On SI. Veltsistas discussed finally getting his opportunity at Virginia Tech, directional punting, balancing the mental aspects with the physical, and more.

JM: You had to wait your turn at Virginia Tech. What did it feel like to finally get on the field this season as the primary punter?

Nick Veltsistas: It was a great feeling. I knew once I got my opportunity this year that I was going to make the most of it. At the same time, I tried to not make it bigger than it needed to be. I’ve been doing this almost my whole life and have gotten thousands and thousands of reps over the years. I just had to go out and execute.

JM: How do you balance the mental aspects of punting with the physical? It feels like a mental battle more than anything.

Nick Veltsistas: Physically, punting is something you train all the time until it becomes muscle memory. I usually know what the punt is going to look like based on how it feels off my foot without even looking at where it ends up.

Only getting three or four opportunities per game is where the mental aspect of punting comes into play. You have to be able to flush the rep, good or bad, and get ready for the next one. That’s something I struggled with early in my career, but I've shown tremendous growth in recent years.

JM: When it comes to directional punting, how can you work and improve on that? It's a big deal with NFL scouts today.

Nick Veltsistas: Absolutely, directional punting is something I did at Virginia Tech at a high level, but I still have room to improve. When I train, whether that’s by myself or with my coaches, I don’t hit any punts outside of my warm up unless they are directional.

It sounds very simple and it really is, but the key to being a great directional punter is having consistent short steps that go straight to your target.

JM: Have you met with any NFL teams throughout this pre-draft process? Had any conversations with scouts?

Nick Veltsistas: What I’m most looking forward to is the opportunity to show why teams should be interested and take a shot on me at my pro day March 27th.

We've appreciated your time today. Why should a team take a chance on Nick Veltsistas?

Nick Veltsistas: Teams should take a chance on me because I believe I have the highest upside of anyone in this class. I can directionally punt at a high level with hangtime and distance.

I put a bunch of punts on tape this year with NFL level hangtime, direction, and distance. I averaged 45.5 yards a punt playing at Virginia Tech, which is not an easy place to play, especially in the back half of the season.

Elements are not an issue with me and I can also placehold at a high level, which is non-negotiable in the NFL for punters.