K Zane Gonzalez

Alright gentleman, and possibly a lady or two. Each year I bring you an ASU player that could be a gem!

In 2014, it was FS Damarious Randall. I wasn't the biggest fan of his play as safety as he was a high risk high reward guy, but in hindsight I should have realized that was by scheme. What stood out to me was Randall was an exceptional athlete, the best on ASU's roster from their internal testing. He wound up as a 1st rounder as a CB.

In 2015, it was DJ Foster. But he had a dismal senior year . He ended up on Belicheck's roster as an UDFA. I still think he will be a solid player in the right scheme, don't be surprised if 2-3 years down the road he is Mr. Checkdown in Belicheck's offense.


And this year....(wait for dramatic tension), I bring you a KICKER. Yes, I said a KICKER! Zane Gonzalez.

-NCAA Record holder for most FGs and most Points from a Kicker
-Junior year he was decent but not exceptional. This year he is truly exceptional, no joke. 4-4 30-39, 6 for 6 40-49, 6-7 from 50+
-As a Junior, he led NCAA in Touchback % on kickoffs, this year he is 7th

He will probably be a 6th round pick, I'd guess.


His highlight video! lol

Well with Dawson gone, lets go ahead and draft Zane in the 5th!

Originally posted by SunDevilNiner79:

Well with Dawson gone, lets go ahead and draft Zane in the 5th!

No, trade up from the 3rd round and take him in the 2nd!!! Apparently thats a thing now.

Take him at #2

Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:
No, trade up from the 3rd round and take him in the 2nd!!! Apparently thats a thing now.

haha

Looks like we signed Robbie Gould.

The 49er era of Zane Gonzalez is over

Zane Gonzalez Pro Day: Height & length of his kicks is impressive. NFL scouts in attendance commented to each other about his big leg (1/2).

Zane Gonzalez Pro Day: Accurate FGs went over things they shouldn't have & hit things at distance they shouldn't have be able to hit (2/2).

Originally posted by 49er_Rider:
Zane Gonzalez Pro Day: Height & length of his kicks is impressive. NFL scouts in attendance commented to each other about his big leg (1/2).

Zane Gonzalez Pro Day: Accurate FGs went over things they shouldn't have & hit things at distance they shouldn't have be able to hit (2/2).

I think Zane will have a future in the NFL. The thing that impressed me is each year he improved. Like as a freshman he would hit 35-40 yard FGs barely. By the time he was a Senior I felt confident he would hit 50-52 yarders. He is not some athletic freak, but rather a kid who really works on his game and improves.

On kickoffs he also improved every year, but against USC this year for whatever reason he sucked at kickoffs. No idea why. Maybe they didn't want him to kick deep? I dunno, I was annoyed we let USC return kicks.

I've also never seen mental pressure effect him, very cool headed.

http://www.si.com/nfl/2017/03/13/scouting-nfl-kickers-draft-combine

"INDIANAPOLIS — Early into pro football's optimism season, a personnel executive who works for an NFC playoff team stops inside a convention center hallway. "I'm not sure if this makes sense. You wouldn't necessarily think of that position in this way," he says. "It might not be the most important position we evaluate. But it's one of the most difficult positions to evaluate."

This guys a clown. Browns make a crazy play and get f**ked over again.

He was so good at ASU too. Crazy, you just never know with kickers.

College and pros are different couldnt handle the pressure

Damn it is surprisingly hard to evaluate kickers huh. You can't just snag the best kicker in the nation and expect him to be money. I guess its 95% mental an 5% physical.

Originally posted by Phoenix49ers:

He was so good at ASU too. Crazy, you just never know with kickers.

I have no idea how you predict how a kicker will do in nfl lol

lol sounds like hue jackson didn't know he was injured and kept marching him out

Originally posted by SunDevilNiner79:
I have no idea how you predict how a kicker will do in nfl lol

The dude that invents an advanced psychiatric screening that actually works will be rolling in the dough.

Kicker is kind of crazy in that it is the only position where more Pro Bowlers come from undrafted players than drafted. Even with punters, the record for the past 25 years is pretty clear that your odds are best going with a drafted punter.

Kicker is tough to figure out because you never know when these guys are just going to have a mental breakdown and sometimes those breakdowns are permanent. I was a big fan of Brad Craddock out of Maryland a few years ago, he showed enough that I thought he could be at least an average kicker in the NFL. Nope.