I'll argue in NFL qb position is #1 but kicker is almost as important

There is a lot of sarcasm here in drafting a kicker early. Why? I'm not saying rounds 1-3 but a kicker is sooooooooo important. In NFL the average victory of margin is less then 5 points. A majority of games come down to a last second kick or a kick that was made or missed sometime during the game. A field goal kicker makes all the difference in the world. Not great athletes I agree but very valuable in the game of football.

True, but there isn't a lot of difference between the top 20-25 NFL kickers or so. As has become apparent here, most fans only even notice a kicker when he's in the bottom third (or in our case, dead last).

While I would rather not draft a kicker higher than the 5th, I do agree that we're going to start to see them go higher and higher. As I mentioned in your other thread, the Jags used a 3rd on a punter last year and a lot of other rookie kickers had a lot of success.

You may argue such, but your argument, sir, would be incorrect

Originally posted by JamesGatz83:
True, but there isn't a lot of difference between the top 20-25 NFL kickers or so. As has become apparent here, most fans only even notice a kicker when he's in the bottom third (or in our case, dead last).

While I would rather not draft a kicker higher than the 5th, I do agree that we're going to start to see them go higher and higher. As I mentioned in your other thread, the Jags used a 3rd on a punter last year and a lot of other rookie kickers had a lot of success.

And the guy who wasted that 3rd on a punter is no longer employed as the GM of the Jags.

Kickers are notoriously fickle. A kicker can look great one year and completely horrid the next. (See Akers, David. Crosby, Mason). Hell Billy Cunduff was a pro-bowler one year. They're like bullpen arms in baseball. There are a lot of free agent kickers available and I'd rather give a bunch of guys a tryout and see who rises to the top, and if they're truly is no one out there who can cut it then and only then do we use a late rounder on a kicker. Using anything above a late 5th would be foolish imo.

There is also a lot more supply of college kickers than there is demand. You can get a long term solution at K as an undrafted free agent. Akers himself was undrafted and although he did not enjoy a good 2012, let us not forget he had one of the best seasons of any kicker in team history in 2011 setting league records and making the Pro Bowl.

I'd like to get Hopkins in the 5th.

VERY SMALL price to pay for a guy who can win close games for 10+ years.

Originally posted by AllTimeGreat:
And the guy who wasted that 3rd on a punter is no longer employed as the GM of the Jags.

Kickers are notoriously fickle. A kicker can look great one year and completely horrid the next. (See Akers, David. Crosby, Mason). Hell Billy Cunduff was a pro-bowler one year. They're like bullpen arms in baseball. There are a lot of free agent kickers available and I'd rather give a bunch of guys a tryout and see who rises to the top, and if they're truly is no one out there who can cut it then and only then do we use a late rounder on a kicker. Using anything above a late 5th would be foolish imo.

I endorse this. I say draft one in the 6th or 7th, bring in a bunch of undrafted's and just have a Survivor-style tryout and see who is the last one to remain standing.

You can argue Jim Kelly would of had as many Superbowls as Tom Brady...in that case the difference was the kicker

Originally posted by dyNASTYmode:

You can argue Jim Kelly would of had as many Superbowls as Tom Brady...in that case the difference was the kicker

Um no it wasn't. In one of their four SBs they were reamed, twice they were reasonably beaten and in one case it was close enough to be settled by the kicker.