Usually, Drafted Kickers Get the Boot
GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers used a sixth-round draft pick on kicker Anders Carlson, giving him a leg up in the race to replace longtime standout Mason Crosby.
Carlson might succeed Crosby. But will he be a success?
The history isn’t inspiring.
Crosby was an anomaly. Drafted by the Packers in 2007, he spent 16 seasons with the team. While there was a bump here and there on the road, Crosby was one of the most consistent and productive kickers in NFL history. Assuming he plays in 2023, there’s a strong chance he will become the ninth kicker in NFL history to score 2,000 points.
Obviously, the Packers drafted Carlson with the belief that he can not only win the job but keep it.
If so, he’d be the exception and not the rule.
Draft picks sign four-year contracts. From 2013 through 2019, only one of the 12 kickers survived four seasons with that team. On the other hand: Six played three games or less with that team, two played one season and three played one season and just a few more games.
From 2020 through 2022, five kickers were drafted. Two have been excellent but two are out of the league.
Not all those kickers were busts, as Carlson knows better than just about anyone.
In 2018, his brother, Daniel, was drafted by Minnesota. His Vikings career lasted just two games. In 2022, he was the All-Pro kicker with the Raiders.
Jake Elliott (drafted by the Bengals) and Matt Gay (drafted by the Buccaneers) have been Pro Bowlers with the Eagles and Rams, respectively. Harrison Butker (drafted by the Panthers) has been superb for the Chiefs.
“When they’re out there and the whole world is watching and it’s just them and they have to perform, that’s going to come down to who that individual is as a person,” said kick guru Jamie Kohl, who helped save Daniel Carlson’s career and worked with all three drafted kickers this year Carlson, Jake Moody (third round, 49ers) and Chad Ryland (fourth round, Patriots).
“Sometimes, experiencing crap can help you become a better player if you can make it through the storm. When the NFL monster comes to you, how are you going to handle a negative performance? Some people will bounce back and do better and get better and thrive, and others will allow the voices to continue to multiply and then they get eaten up and they’re out of a job.”
Here are the results from the last 10 years of drafts. (Note, no kicker was drafted in 2014.)
Fifth Round, 2013: Caleb Sturgis, Dolphins
Career duration: 2013-2018, though he played in only seven games during his final two years.
Career field-goal percentage: 80.0.
Years with team that drafted him: 3.
Sixth Round, 2013: Dustin Hopkins, Bills
Career duration: 2015-current. After spending his rookie season on injured reserve and the end of 2014 on the Saints’ practice squad, Hopkins spent six-plus seasons with Washington and is now with the Chargers.
Career field-goal percentage: 84.8.
Years with team that drafted him: 1 (on injured reserve).
Seventh Round, 2014: Zach Hocker, Commanders
Career duration: 2015, with eight games with the Saints and Rams.
Career field-goal percentage: 71.4.
Years with team that drafted him: 0.
Seventh Round, 2014: Nate Freese, Lions
Career duration: 2014. After missing four kicks in three games, Fresee was out of a job and, as it turns out, out of the league.
Career field-goal percentage: 42.9.
Years with team that drafted him: 1 (three games).
Second Round, 2016: Roberto Aguayo, Buccaneers
Career duration: 2016. Aguayo was the first kicker selected in the second round since 2005. As a rookie, he had the worst field-goal percentage in the league. The Bucs released him during training camp the following summer and he never kicked in another game.
Career field-goal percentage: 71.0.
Years with team that drafted him: 1.
Fifth Round, 2017: Jake Elliott, Bengals
Career duration: 2017-current. Elliott failed to make the Bengals’ roster as a rookie. He landed on the Eagles, where he’s been exceptional with only one season of less than 83 percent.
Career field-goal percentage: 84.7.
Years with team that drafted him: 0.
Seventh Round, 2017: Zane Gonzalez, Browns
Career duration: 2017-current. Gonzalez was the full-time kicker only twice – with the Browns as a rookie and with the Cardinals in 2019. He spent last year on injured reserve and was acquired by the 49ers in a trade in March.
Career field-goal percentage: 80.5.
Years with team that drafted him: 1-plus.
Seventh Round, 2017: Harrison Butker, Panthers
Career duration: 2017-current. Butker failed to make the Panthers’ roster during his rookie training camp. The Chiefs grabbed him off their practice squad and landed one of the great kickers in the NFL.
Career field-goal percentage: 88.2.
Years with team that drafted him: 0.
Fifth Round, 2018; Daniel Carlson, Vikings
Daniel Carlson was out after missing three kicks at Lambeau Field in his second career game. (Photo by USA Today Sports Images)
Career duration: 2018-current. In Week 2 as a rookie, Carlson missed one kick in regulation in two in overtime in a 29-29 tie at Lambeau. The Vikings released him the next day. With the Raiders, he was first-team All-Pro last year and has made 90-plus percent each of the last three seasons.
Career field-goal percentage: 88.3.
Years with team that drafted him: 1 (two games).
Seventh Round, 2018: Jason Sanders, Dolphins
Career duration: 2018-current. Sanders is the rare kicker who was a hit with the team that drafted him. He was All-Pro in 2020, when he was an astounding 8-of-9 from 50-plus yards.
Career field-goal percentage: 82.9.
Years with team that drafted him: 5 (and counting).
Fifth Round, 2019: Matt Gay, Buccaneers
Career duration: 2019-current. The Rams found Gay on the Colts’ practice squad in November 2020 and were rewarded with 92.5 percent marksmanship in two-and-a-half seasons. This offseason, he returned to the Colts in free agency.
Career field-goal percentage: 87.8.
Years with team that drafted him: 1.
Fifth Round, 2019: Austin Seibert, Browns
Career duration: 2019-2022. Seibert kicked in all 16 games for the Browns as a rookie, then in 14 games with the Browns, Bengals and Lions the last three years. He remains unsigned.
Career field-goal percentage: 80.0.
Years with team that drafted him: 1-plus.
Fifth Round, 2020; Justin Rohrwasser, Patriots
Career duration: Rohrwasser never played in a game.
Career field-goal percentage: DNP.
Years with team that drafted him: 1 (practice squad).
Sixth Round, 2020: Tyler Bass, Bills
Career duration: 2020-current. Bass hit 87.5 percent of his field goals in 2021 and 87.1 percent in 2022.
Career field-goal percentage: 85.6.
Years with team that drafted him: 3 (and counting).
Seventh Round, 2020: Sam Sloman, Rams
Career duration: Eight games in 2020, with practice-squad stints in 2021 and 2022.
Career field-goal percentage: 76.9.
Years with team that drafted him: 1 (seven games).
Fifth Round, 2021: Evan McPherson, Bengals
Career duration: 2021-current. McPherson had a legendary postseason in getting the Bengals to the Super Bowl as a rookie. With leg and guts, he’s got a chance to be one of the all-time greats.
Career field-goal percentage: 83.9.
Years with team that drafted him: 2 (and counting).
Fourth Round, 2022: Cade York, Browns
Career duration: 2022-current. Only two kickers had a lower success rate than York, though he’s the only kicker on the offseason roster.
Career field-goal percentage: 75.0.
Years with team that drafted him: 1 (and counting).
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