Official 2018 Fifth round pick #2 JK Scott - A punter?

[Libertarian]

I actually wanted to take a break before posting again to fairly evaluate the entire draft class but that move changed my mind.

With Vogel having had a solid season in 2017 it's absolutely mind-boggling that Gutekunst felt the need to draft a punter in the fifth round. Especially as the Packers still have some other positions to address the team should definitely have taken a gamble on a different prospect.

I'm Alabama alumni and have watched every game this kid has played in. He's the best college punter I've ever seen and I was actually excited about the pick. Two years ago he was out kicking coverage or pinning inside the 20 on every attempt. This year he was told to focus on hang time so they limited returns (due to out kicking coverage). The result- 5 second hangtime and only 5 punts returned all year. He's got a huge leg but even more importantly is that he's excellent at pinning opponents deep. I thought Vogel preformed fine but Scott is a big upgrade.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Not your imagination. I've heard the reason they went away from the coffin corner punt was to force the catch which gives a slight opportunity for the turnover as opposed to zero turnovers out of bounds .

To add to that, coffin corner kicks take an extreme amount of accuracy and can result in a ball going out of bounds a lot earlier than planned or into the endzone. Whereas a high hanging punt gives your punt coverage team sufficient time to get down and as Poppa said, force a fair catch, down it themselves or get lucky and have the return guy muff it. Finally, a punter usually has to angle his body towards whatever corner they are attempting to kick to, this exposes them to a rusher getting a cleaner shot at attempting to block the punt, with less of a chance of running into them if they miss.

Also, and maybe more important, the style of punting has changed for many punters since the 90's as well. This style is called "Aussie" or rugby style. It allows the punter to put more spin (back or front on the ball), as well as more hang time.

 

[Curly Calhoun]

I've been waiting on a head scratcher...

From what I've read, this was a good year for college punters, and Scott is supposed to be one of the best.

Punters matter, and can flip a field. So, perhaps this turn out well for Green Bay. Time will tell.

Once upon a time, the Oakland Raiders spent a 1st round pick on a punter.......

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray_Guy

 

[Sunshinepacker]

Hey, you gotta waste a pick sometime! Let's all be honest, the transition from college punter to pro punter is kind of random. How many punters have been drafted early and then been busts (Packers fans know this one well). Picking a punter should be like drafting a kicker in fantasy football, save it for the last round and only if he's good.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Hey, you gotta waste a pick sometime! Let's all be honest, the transition from college punter to pro punter is kind of random. How many punters have been drafted early and then been busts (Packers fans know this one well). Picking a punter should be like drafting a kicker in fantasy football, save it for the last round and only if he's good.

While I get that philosophy, you could use the same theory with every position, when it comes to later round picks. The difference is, you are getting a P or K that is coming out of college ranked as one of the elite at his position VS. an OL, CB, Q, etc. that is towards the bottom of a very long list of players.

 

[Sunshinepacker]

While I get that philosophy, you could use the same theory with every position, when it comes to later round picks. The difference is, you are getting a P or K that is coming out of college ranked as one of the elite at his position VS. an OL, CB, Q, etc. that is towards the bottom of a very long list of players.

Not really. I don't consider a fifth round pick to necessarily be a "late" round pick. However, if you wanna call it that, fine. The positional value of hitting on a late round pick at OT or DL is WAY better than the value of getting a good punter. That's the problem. You can't just look at success, you need to look at what position that success is coming at.

 

[Mondio]

i would not call a 5th rounder wasting an early pick either. it's definitely on the back half, but then i'm not gooder at math. Anyway, a good punter is valuable. if he is better than Vogel, it was worth it.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Not really. I don't consider a fifth round pick to necessarily be a "late" round pick. However, if you wanna call it that, fine. The positional value of hitting on a late round pick at OT or DL is WAY better than the value of getting a good punter. That's the problem. You can't just look at success, you need to look at what position that success is coming at.

I guess I base it on this, if you look at the history of the Packers draft, when you get into that late of the 5th round and beyond, the names you see there are mostly names you only recognize as busts. While I agree with you, the Packers have hit on a few over the years at various positions, I would argue that the odds of Scott making the team and being of value, are higher than the rest of the guys picked behind him (not including Punters and Kickers). If the Packers didn't see it that way, why pick him?

I have to believe what Gute said after the draft, they saw "Rare" talent in Scott and decided the pick was worth it.

 

[sschind]

i would not call a 5th rounder wasting an early pick either. it's definitely on the back half, but then i'm not gooder at math. Anyway, a good punter is valuable. if he is better than Vogel, it was worth it.

Not to much gooder at English either it would seem.

 

[thequick12]

if he allows only 5 punts to be returned all year he was well worth a fifth round pick

 

[Mondio]

Not to much gooder at English either it would seem.

Between my barely adequate math skills and grammar deficits and fat thumbs on a little key pad, it's a wonder I make sense at all

 

[Dantés]

In case you haven't seen it.

Packers scout Matt Malaspina explains J.K. Scott & Marquez Valdes-Scantling picks.

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When Nagler asked him about holding and if some of the exchange issues played into the pick, Malaspina’s reaction says it all. He kind of smirks, says he can’t speak to that, and then says “it doesn’t hurt.” I think it’s safe to say that was part of the motivation in taking a punter. Hopefully Scott and Bradley are really good and in sync with Crosby and the whole thing becomes an issue that we don’t even think about any more.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Looks like Scott is the new Packer punter, that didn't take long! Vogel cut today.

 

[RepStar15]

Coaches must have really liked what they saw out of this kid today at rookie orientation to already cut ties with Vogel.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Coaches must have really liked what they saw out of this kid today at rookie orientation to already cut ties with Vogel.

That and I think there was more to the Vogel story than we know. As a punter, he was pretty good, but as a player, teammate, someone to coach, there might have been something going on to cut him this quickly.

 

[rmontro]

Looks like Scott is the new Packer punter, that didn't take long! Vogel cut today.

Gotta keep the new GM happy!

 

[longtimefan]

I just love arm chair draft experts .

Maybe something is going on with Vogel. Maybe not happy with him..maybe he wants out of GB..all sorts of reasons.

Released.

When will people believe me

 

[Mondio]

Released.

When will people believe me

NEVER!!!

 

[longtimefan]

I've been waiting on a head scratcher...

1) Scott is mucho better than Vogel. And I'm a Vogel stan.

2) Scott is also better at holding for kicks.

3) Scott can also kickoff well.

4) 5th round picks don't matter. It's early UDFA. Chill.

5) This will vastly increase our defense. That's a good thing.

I love sitting here reading all the so called experts saying it wasn't worth it.

All the while the team knew he was being cut..

Won't get into why, maybe it will come out..

But this is a CLEAR case 99.99999 percent here that research and read 24 sites, watch 500 hours tape, still have no clue on some picks

My advice to those that think they are smarter? Don't bash a pick right away..Gute, Mike, Mark just might be aware of something you have no clue about

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Released.

When will people believe me

Why listen to you, when we have 199 other experts here?

 

[Deleted member 6794]

Coaches must have really liked what they saw out of this kid today at rookie orientation to already cut ties with Vogel.

I highly doubt Scott's performance during rookie orientation camp had anything to do with the Packers releasing Vogel.

 

[Curly Calhoun]

That and I think there was more to the Vogel story than we know. As a punter, he was pretty good, but as a player, teammate, someone to coach, there might have been something going on to cut him this quickly.

They might be doing him a favor - By cutting him this early, it gives him a better chance to latch on to another team.

I haven't heard anything negative about Vogel as a teammate, unless I missed something.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

They might be doing him a favor - By cutting him this early, it gives him a better chance to latch on to another team.

I haven't heard anything negative about Vogel as a teammate, unless I missed something.

They definitely gave Vogel a quicker path to landing another job, one he would need, if he hadn't beat out Scott. That is the part that bothers me, he assumed he was finished in GB and couldn't beat out Scott. I also don't think the Packers did themselves any favors by releasing him from his contract. So did they do it to be "the nice guy" or did they do it because they were just done with Vogel? I almost have to conclude they were done. I mean why draft Scott and why just let a guy walk that was your insurance policy at a position that we have all seen doesn't always go as planned.

 

[Curly Calhoun]

They definitely gave Vogel a quicker path to landing another job, one he would need, if he hadn't beat out Scott. That is the part that bothers me, he assumed he was finished in GB and couldn't beat out Scott. I also don't think the Packers did themselves any favors by releasing him from his contract. So did they do it to be "the nice guy" or did they do it because they were just done with Vogel? I almost have to conclude they were done. I mean why draft Vogel and why just let a guy walk that was your insurance policy at a position that we have all seen doesn't always go as planned.

Was Vogel drafted by Green Bay? I thought he was a street free agent.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Was Vogel drafted by Green Bay? I thought he was a street free agent.

Sorry, I meant Scott, corrected. Vogel was an UDFA signing last year. While Scott could have been BPA on the board at the time he was picked, I think the Packers had it in their minds that with 12 picks, they were going to try to land a top punter, which leads me to believe that Vogel was on the chopping block, for whatever reasons, before the draft.