Official 2023 Punt Runts Punter Big Board

Before we get into our rankings, let’s get one thing straight: it’s hard to tell which college punters will make good pros. This is true of every position, of course, but we often forget that guys like Johnny Townsend and JK Scott were drafted whereas prospects like Jack Fox and Ryan Stonehouse were not.

Here at Puntalytics we subscribe to a “kick ball far good” ideology. We value punters who above anything else can punt the ball far, really really far. We’re sort of renegades among the puntalygensia for that. Now let’s get to those rankings!

Read on for our takes and custom metrics on all your favorite punting prospects. Be sure to keep checking back at our twitter feed for the latest draft content! Curious about our custom EPA metric, pEPA? Read about it and our other metrics here.

1. Bryce Baringer (Michigan State)

HT: 6017 WT: 220 age: 23

2022: Punts: 51, net: 47.1, pEPA: 0.38, OF: 0.58, PD: -0.25
2021: Punts: 61, net: 45.9, pEPA: 0.30, OF: 0.43, PD: -0.01
2020: Punts: 36, net: 41.9, pEPA: -0.02, OF: 0.11, PD: -0.33
2018: Punts: 15, net: 45.9, pEPA: -0.49, OF: -0.77, PD: -0.17

3-year starter at MSU, Baringer headlines the 2023 class. After spending his first years of eligibility figuring out how to be a consistent punter, he put it all together in his last two seasons at Michigan State. His Open-field vs Pin-deep differential is the largest we have on record, but the alarming -0.25 PD score might be more a product of sample size and touchback luck. With good coaching he should quickly become a plus starter.

Bottom line: Baringer perfectly fits the model of a modern NFL punter. Massive leg and the rest can be figured out NFL Comp: Ryan Stonehouse

2. Michael Turk (Oklahoma)

HT: 6002 WT: 227 age: 25

2022: Punts: 67, net: 46.3, pEPA: 0.19, OF: 0.30, PD: -0.02
2021: Punts: 35, net: 48.5, pEPA: 0.44, OF: 0.55, PD: 0.15
2020: Punts: 14, net: 44.4, pEPA: 0.02, OF: -0.03, PD: 0.05
2019: Punts: 67, net: 43.9, pEPA: 0.31, OF: 0.49, PD: 0.17

Turk showed elite potential in limited action in 2021, before coming back down to earth in his final year at OU. He boasts a powerful leg with more control than Baringer. He declared for the 2022 draft but was not selected or signed. This may be a red flag for teams, but we believe he has what it takes to make a solid pro. His punt-to-punt consistency makes him the most pro-ready punter in the class.

Bottom line: More refined punter than Baringer with a lower ceiling. May have played his draft cards wrong. NFL Comp: JK Scott

3. Adam Korsak (Rutgers)

HT: 6005 WT: 191 age: 25

2022: Punts: 68, net: 44.3, pEPA: 0.24, OF: 0.22, PD: 0.28
2021: Punts: 72, net: 45.8, pEPA: 0.21, OF: 0.21, PD: 0.21
2020: Punts: 48, net: 42.9, pEPA: 0.19, OF: 0.19, PD: 0.21
2019: Punts: 76, net: 43.3, pEPA: 0.15, OF: 0.06, PD: 0.33
2018: Punts: 78, net: 41.9, pEPA: 0.03, OF: 0.04, PD: 0.02

2022 Ray Guy Award winner Adam Korsak put together an impressive body of work in his 5 years at Rutgers. He boasts impressive pin-deep numbers and solid but unflashy open-field numbers. In a changing NFL punting landscape, Korsak may be a dying breed, but plenty of college punters have figured out how to boom punts only after they leave college (see Jack Fox).

Bottom line: Remarkably consistent punter with elite pin-deep skills but without the elite leg strength of the two punters above him. NFL Comp: Arryn Siposs

4. Brad Robbins (Michigan)

HT: 6003 WT: 200 age: 24

2022: Punts: 43, net: 41.2, pEPA: 0.14, OF: 0.17, PD: 0.05
2021: Punts: 45, net: 45.4, pEPA: 0.27, OF: 0.27, PD: 0.27
2020: Punts: 23, net: 44.7, pEPA: 0.18, OF: 0.23, PD: 0.05
2019: Punts: 63, net: 37.9, pEPA: -0.11, OF: -0.13, PD: -0.08

A four-year starter at Michigan, Robbins has been a consistent weapon for the Blue in the last two years. Though he did not follow up a great 2021 with an even better 2022, he has been a much better precision punter than the two guys above him. Eye-popping stat: Robbins only has three total touchback in the last two seasons (none in 2022).

Bottom line: Consistent, pro-ready punter with pin-deep skills who will thrive in a ball-control offense that prioritizes giving the defense long fields to work with NFL Comp: a poor man’s Jordan Stout

5. Ty Zentner (Kansas State)

HT: 6015 WT: 199 age: 24

2022: Punts: 65, net: 42.5, pEPA: 0.15, OF: 0.18, PD: 0.09
2021: Punts: 43, net: 42.1, pEPA: 0.12, OF: 0.29, PD: -0.06
2020: Punts: 28, net: 40.21, pEPA: -0.01, OF: -0.05, PD: 0.06

Bottom line: Highlight reel punter with a knack for shanks (Four 60+ yarders downed inside the 5 to go with 8 shanks in 2022) NFL Comp: Jake Bailey but we could truly mean any of his seasons

6. Joe Doyle (Memphis)

HT: 6000 WT: 195 age: 25

2022: Punts: 51, net: 42.8, pEPA: 0.13, OF: 0.15, PD: 0.09
2021: Punts: 42, net: 43.9, pEPA: 0.18, OF: 0.25, PD: 0.00
2020: Punts: 22, net: 39.7, pEPA: -0.16, OF: -0.03, PD: -0.65
2019: Punts: 66, net: 39.2, pEPA: 0.00, OF: 0.05, PD: -0.05

Bottom line: Above-average college punter who couldn’t build off of his successful 2021 season. NFL Comp: Matt Haack

7. Paxton Brooks (Tennesee)

HT: 6054 WT: 199 age: 23

2022: Punts: 40, net: 39.3, pEPA: -0.11, OF: -0.14, PD: -0.06
2021: Punts: 45, net: 43.6, pEPA: 0.15, OF: 0.07, PD: 0.29
2020: Punts: 49, net: 43.5, pEPA: 0.14, OF: 0.26, PD: -0.11
2019: Punts: 29, net: 41.0, pEPA: -0.02, OF: 0.03, PD: -0.11

Bottom line: Inconsistent punter who has shown enough flashes to get him to someone’s spring workouts NFL Comp: J. Schroeder with a tiny chance to turn into Blake Gillikin

8. Lou Hedley (Miami)

HT: 6027 WT: 222 age: 29

2022: Punts: 49, net: 44.1, pEPA: 0.22, OF: 0.27, PD: 0.12
2021: Punts: 45, net: 43.3, pEPA: 0.17, OF: 0.16, PD: 0.18
2020: Punts: 49, net: 46.6, pEPA: 0.14, OF: 0.47, PD: 0.29
2019: Punts: 29, net: 41.8, pEPA: 0.08, OF: 0.07, PD: 0.11

Bottom line: 29 year-old Aussie with elite college production, who is probably too old to be considered by NFL teams. NFL Comp: Max Duffy

NB: There is enough buzz about D2 Wingate punter Ethan Evans, that he should probably be ranked here. We just don’t have enough stats and info to rank him.