Drew Kaser - Texas A&M

Position: Punter
Height: 6’2”
Weight: 212 lbs
Year: redshirt Senior
Hometown: Strongsville, Ohio
Experience: 3 year starter

Measurables:

40yd dash: NA
Broad jump: NA
Vertical: NA
3-cone: NA
20yd. Shuttle: NA
Bench Press: NA

Career Notes:

Drew Kaser played in one game at kicker as a true freshman before sitting out a year. From his redshirt sophomore season onwards, Kaser held the starting punting job, performing at a high level for all three seasons.

Kaser’s 47.5 yards per punt in 2015 was good enough to rank 3rd in the NCAA. He received All-SEC First team accolades in 2015, was a 2014 Ray Guy semifinalist, and a 2013 Ray Guy finalist. His season mark of 47.5 yards per punt set a school record, previously held by well-known NFL punter Shane Lechler. Kaser’s biggest strength is his powerful leg, as he crushed nearly half of his 60 punts over 50 yards. However, this can at times be a detriment, as he sometimes outkicks the coverage and allows the returner to set up blockers. He has zero blocked punts in his career.  Additionally, he shows inconsistent touch near the opponent’s end zone, leading to frequent touchbacks, although he also has a high number of punts downed inside the 20. One other possible concern is the fact that Kaser only has two tackles in his entire career, leaving a question mark surrounding his ability to be the last line of defense against a breakaway punt return.

Kaser had three games in 2015 where he punted the ball at least 4 times and averaged over 50 yards per punt. In his best game, he averaged 47.9 yards per punt on 10 punts vs. Ole Miss, making up for a poor showing by the offense. His performance was the only bright spot for Texas A&M, including his long punt of 64 yards.

Injury Report: 

Kaser only missed one game during his three years as a starter. He suffered an injury after being hit late against Arizona State in 2015 and missed the team’s home opener against Ball State.

Career Stats: http://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/drew-kaser-1.html

Analysis

Accuracy: 3.8/5

Kaser was not asked to do much from a directional punting perspective at Texas A&M, instead relying on his big leg to keep the ball in the air for long enough for the coverage teams to get down the field. He occasionally shows the ability to angle the ball towards the sideline inside the 20, but he frequently was able to get the ball to land inside the 10, away from the sideline, with enough hangtime for the coverage to still down it before it rolled into the endzone or to force a touchback.

Power: 5/5

Kaser’s leg strength is the foundation for his success. He consistently punts the ball 60+ yards in the air when aiming for distance, and can often combine distance with height and hang time to move returners back and force fair catches. While he can consistently crush the ball in terms of distance, the only inconsistent area was in hang time, as he occasionally outkicked his coverage, allowing returners to catch the ball with open space ahead of them.

Athleticism: 4.5/5

Kaser showed the ability to jump and adjust to errant snaps. He also possessed good footwork and the ability to transition quickly from catch to punt, and is not rattled by pressure in his face or being backed up in his own end zone.

Consistency: 4.5/5

Summary

                Kaser possesses great physical tools for the punting position. He already has a bigger leg than many NFL punters, and can be coached to improve his accuracy. His ability to remain cool under pressure will allow NFL teams to rely on him even in high-pressure situations.

Overall Grade: 4.45

If drafted by the Packers:

                Although it is unlikely that Kaser is drafted, if the Packers sign him as an undrafted free agent, it immediately creates a camp battle at the punter position that Kaser would have a strong chance of winning. His leg is unquestionably stronger than Masthay’s, and he is a more consistent punter as well. Like most other punter prospects, he is likely not as valuable a tackler as Masthay, but his big leg will play to the strengths of the Packer’s speedy coverage players, namely Jeff Janis and Demetri Goodson.

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