2014 NFL Draft Prospects: Kickers

The top 2014 kicker prospects available for the 2014 NFL Draft. * – denotes 2015 prospect. ** – denotes 2016 prospect.

This page was last updated May 5, 2014. Follow me @walterfootball for updates.

1. Nate Freese, K, Boston College
   Height: 5-11. Weight: 192.
   Projected Round (2014): 6-FA.
   5/5/14: Freese could be the first kicker selected. He has taken some pre-draft visits and teams have shown interest in him. Freese was a perfect 20-for-20 as a senior and made both of his attempts from greater than 50 yards. He was very reliable in other seasons for Boston College. Freese hit 18-of-20 in 2012, 10-of-16 in 2011 and 22-of-25 in 2010.



2. Chris Boswell, K, Rice
   Height: 6-2. Weight: 210.
   Projected Round (2014): 6-FA.
   5/5/14: The inaccuracies of his senior year could cause Boswell to fall to the seven round or go undrafted. He had a rough start to 2013 with three misses. Boswell bounced back to a degree and finished 14-of-21. Three of his misses came from over 50 yards with one in the 40+-yard range. Boswell did well at the Senior Bowl.
   
   8/19/13: Boswell was one of the top kickers in the nation last year. He connected on 23-of-29 field goals (79 percent). It was improved accuracy over his first two seasons. Boswell showed off the strength of his leg by leading the nation with six field goals from over 50 yards with only two misses from beyond 50 yards. He also was called on to do some punting and averaged 41 yards per punt.
   
   Boswell has made 51-of-67 (76 percent) field goals in his career. He was 17-of-21 on field goal attempts in 2011, missing from 60, 54, 45 and 38 yards. The sophomore had two field goals over 50 yards, including a career long of 54 yards. Boswell needs to continue to show improved accuracy and leg strength.
   
   Personal: Majoring in kinesiology. Son of Rick and Dawn Boswell.





3. Travis Coons, K, Washington
   Height: 6-2. Weight: 199.
   Projected Round (2014): 6-FA.
   5/5/14: Coons was 15-of-16 as a senior. While he didn’t attempt one from 50 or more yards, he was 6-for-7 in the 40-yard range. Coons showed improvement over his junior year when he was 4-of-7 in the 40 yard range. He made 9-of-14 overall in 2012. Coons has taken some pre-draft visits.



4. Anthony Fera, K, Texas
   Height: 6-2. Weight: 208.
   Projected Round (2014): 6-FA.
   5/5/14: Fera was 16-of-21 on his kicks as a junior and sophomore, but he had an excellent senior season that saw him go 20-of-22. Fera showed a strong and accurate leg from long distance. He was one-for-one from 50+ and five-for-five in the 40+ range in 2013. Fera could end up being the first kicker selected.



5. Chandler Catanzaro, K, Clemson
   Height: 6-2. Weight: 200.
   Projected Round (2014): 7-FA.
   5/5/14: Catanzaro was 13-for-14 in 2013. He made all three attempts in the 40+-yard range and was one-for-one from 50+.
   
   8/19/13: Catanzaro took over kicking for the Tigers in 2010. The freshman didn’t do all that well in his debut, hitting only 14-of-22 field goal attempts. Catanzaro showed a lot of improvement in 2011. He made 22-of-27 (81.5 percent) field goals and did well from long distances. The sophomore hit on 9-of-12 on his attempts of 40+.
   
   Catanzaro was extremely reliable last year, making 18-of-19 field goals including two clutch field goals in Clemson’s 25-24 last minute win over LSU to end the season.
   
   Catanzaro has a powerful enough leg, and the senior could make a move to be the top kicker in the class.
   
   Peronal: Majoring in biological sciences and an ACC Academic Honor Roll selection.



6. Zach Hocker, K, Arkansas
   Height: 6-1. Weight: 180.
   Projected Round (2014): 7-FA.
   5/5/14: Hocker kicked well in 2013, making 13-of-15. Both misses came against Ole Miss with one in the 40-yard range and one over 50 yards. Hocker hit one from each distance in that same game.
   
   8/19/13: Hocker made 78 percent (21-of-27) of his field goals in 2011. He made 16-of-19 field goals as a freshman in 2010. Hocker made his only attempt over 50 yards that year. He connected on 11-of-18 field goals last season. Hocker needs to improve his performance as a senior.



7. Cairo Santos, K, Tulane
   Height: 5-8. Weight: 160.
   Projected Round (2014): 7-FA.
   5/5/14: Santos finished 16-for-23 in 2013. He made four field goals of over 40 yards against East Carolina. Santos missed four field goals from 50+ while making two. He was five-for-seven in the 40-yard range.
   
   8/19/13: Santos took over as Tulane’s kicker in 2010, and the true freshman turned in an impressive debut, connecting on 13-of-16 attempts. However, his season long was only 39 yards. Santos was a disappointing 11-of-18 in 2011, but he made five field goals of over 40 yards.
   
   Santos was a perfect 21-of-21 on field goal attempts last season. He was 12-of-12 from 40+ yards and was two-for-two on attempts from 50+ yards. He set the school record with a 57-yard field goal. Santos may be undersized, but he is a natural kicker.
   
   Personal: From Sao Paulo, Brazil and was a high school exchange student. Majoring in management. Son of Cairo and Magalie Santos.





8. Jeff Budzien, K, Northwestern
   Height: 5-11. Weight: 165.
   Projected Round (2014): FA.
   5/5/14: Budzien made 23-of-25 field goal attempts in 2013. He has one miss in the 40+-yard range and zero attempts from over 50 yards.
   
   8/19/13: Budzien had a breakout season in 2012 for Northwestern, connecting on 25-of-30 field goals (83 percent) with a long of 44 yards. He was only 6-of-10 the year before, so Budzien needs a big senior season to have a shot at being drafted.
   
   Personal: Economics major. Son of Katie Petroff and Bill Budzien.



9. Cade Foster, K, Alabama
   Height: 6-1. Weight: 224.
   Projected Round (2014): FA.
   5/5/14: Foster was 12-of-17 in 2013. He made four kicks of over 40 yards and one from over 50 yards. Foster was the goat for missing three field goals against Auburn in Alabama’s upset loss that cost the Crimson Tide a shot at the SEC and National Championships.
   
   8/19/13: Foster is the starting kicker on kickoffs and field goals longer than 40 yards. Obviously, he has a powerful leg and needs to continue to work on his accuracy. He was 7-of-9 on his field goal attempts above 40 yards in 2010. Foster had a rough run during the Crimson Tide’s National Championship run in 2011. The sophomore was 2-of-9 on his attempts. He was 4-of-9 on field goals last year, but connected on three from 50+.



10. Aaron Jones, K, Baylor
    Height: 6-3. Weight: 190.
    Projected Round (2014): FA.
    5/5/14: In 2013, Jones made 14-of-23 field goal attempts. He had four misses in the 30+-yard range and three in the 40+-yard range.
    
    8/19/13: Aaron “Stork” Jones has a quality leg, but has to become more accurate. He was 10-of-17 as a freshman and 19-of-27 as a sophomore on his field goal attempts. Jones made 16-of-27 field goals last year. If the senior can improve his accuracy in 2013, he could become a draftable prospect.
    
    Personal: Earth science major. Son of David and Pauline Jones.

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