Dominic Zvada Brings Fresh Leg to Giants' Unsettled Kicking Battle

Graham Gano started all 17 games for the New York Giants in 2022, making 29 of 32 field goals — the last time a single kicker held down the job for a full season. Not surprisingly, that was the last time the Giants had a winning record.

Since that year, the quality as well as the health of the kicking position has taken a major hit. There have been multiple kickers on the team asked to perform when Gano has been unable to suit up, and overall, the performance has been less than mediocre.

Michigan kicker Dominic Zvada brings the kind of young, strong-legged exuberance the Giants haven't had at the position in years.

He is a kicker who can grow alongside the other young talent on this team. It is a departure from a grizzled veteran like Gano, who has been around for well over a decade.

One of the best things about Zvada as a kicker is his consistency. Over four seasons, (two at Arkansas State and two at Michigan) he only missed two extra points.

Through 54 games and 142 attempts, he made 140 extra points. He also boasts a career field goal percentage of 82.8%.

He made 72 of 87 field goal attempts throughout his career. He has a fresh, live leg that gives the Giants an opportunity to turn the field goal into a weapon again.

DOMINIC ZVADA, K

Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 187 lbs
Exp: Rookie
School: Michigan
How Acquired: UDFA-'26

2025 in Review

Zvada had a nearly perfect season in 2024. He was 21 of 22 on his field goals made and 26 of 27 on extra points. Even more impressive, he was a perfect 7-for-7 on kicks from 50 yards or more.

His only miss was a blocked field goal. Many people considered him the best long-range kicker in the nation, as he set the program's single-season field goal accuracy record. Because of that record-breaking season, his 2025 numbers were a big letdown for himself and the Wolverines.

Coming off a season where he was named first-team All-American by ESPN, The Athletic, and The Sporting News, as well as the Bakken-Andersen Big Ten Kicker of the Year and first-team All-Big Ten, he had massive expectations and widespread national recognition.

He was named a preseason first-team All-American by the Walter Camp Football Foundation and CBS Sports. He was also on the Lou Groza Award preseason watch list.

While he was flawless on his extra-point attempts, a perfect 43-for-43, he struggled with consistency as a field-goal kicker. He only completed 17 of his 25 attempts, a far cry from his 2024 numbers.

He missed a 32-yard kick against Oklahoma, a 47-yarder against Central Michigan, and a 48-yarder against Washington. The true Jekyll and Hyde game for him came against Northwestern, where he missed a 34-yarder and a 60-yarder in the first half before ultimately nailing the game-winner.

His biggest highlight of the season was the game against Nebraska when he was three for three on his field goal attempts.

He made a 46-yarder and a 21-yard field goal, and he matched his career long: a 56-yard kick in the third quarter to break a 17-17 tie and power the Wolverines to their eventual victory.

He was named co-Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week as well as the Lou Groza Award Star of the Week.

Contract/Cap Info

According to Spotrac, Zvada signed a three-year, $3.125 million contract as an undrafted free agent with the Giants. He has a $25,000 signing bonus and $145,000 in guaranteed money.

He will make an average of $1.041 million per year. This season, he will earn a base salary of $885,000. He will carry a cap hit of just over $893,000 and a dead cap value of $145,000.

2026 Preview

The 2026 season should be a head-to-head challenge between kickers. It was originally thought that this would be a three-man race, but former Miami Dolphins kicker Jason Sanders was released in May, clearing the way for the incumbent Ben Sauls and Zvada to duel it out for the kicking duties in 2026.

Sauls stepped in late in the season and, over the final three games of 2025, went a perfect 8 for 8 on field goals and 7 for 7 on PATs. It was impressive because he seemed to be able to handle the difficult conditions of the Meadowlands as if he were a veteran.

But throughout spring practices, he has seemed to struggle with his consistency. Additionally, his ability to generate touchbacks last year was not what one hopes to see from the full-time kicker.

So, for Zvada, he has to be able to rely on his ability to wow people with his potential. As the starting kicker, the upside on him should be greater than the upside on Sauls. If he can tap into his 2024 accuracy, he becomes the favorite to win the job.

The pressure on rookies can be extremely difficult, so it is good that, during training camp, he will have a challenger to contend with. If he shows the poise to fight through the competition, he should be the Giants' starting kicker in 2026.

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