:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/54309201/625763218.0.jpg)
Zane Gonzalez is widely considered the best kicker in the 2017 NFL Draft and a potential early Day 3 pick, who’s anticipated to be the first special teams player taken off the board.
The Bengals got to see Gonzalez up close at his pro day at Arizona State University and sent the top decision makers in Marvin Lewis and Duke Tobin to meet with him privately. That’s a relatively good indication that the Bengals truly are interested in considering Gonzalez and investing a draft pick into the kicker position.
So, let’s take a look at Gonzalez and what he could offer the Bengals in the long-run.
Zane Gonzalez
Height: 6’0"
Weight: 202 pounds
Class: Senior
Arm length: 29 1/2"
Hands: 9"
Position: Kicker
College: Arizona State University
Projected Round: 5-6
Zane Gonzalez College Stats
| Year | FGM | FGA | FG% | FGM 0 ~ 40 | FGA 0 ~ 40 | FG% 0 ~ 40 | FGM 40+ | FGA 40+ | FG% 40+ | XPM | XPA | XP% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | FGM | FGA | FG% | FGM 0 ~ 40 | FGA 0 ~ 40 | FG% 0 ~ 40 | FGM 40+ | FGA 40+ | FG% 40+ | XPM | XPA | XP% |
| 2014 | 25 | 30 | 83.30% | 21 | 24 | 87.50% | 4 | 6 | 66.70% | 63 | 65 | 96.90% |
| 2014 | 22 | 27 | 81.50% | 16 | 17 | 94.10% | 6 | 10 | 60.00% | 50 | 52 | 96.20% |
| 2015 | 26 | 34 | 76.50% | 22 | 24 | 91.70% | 4 | 10 | 40.00% | 52 | 52 | 100.00% |
| 2016 | 23 | 25 | 92.00% | 10 | 10 | 100.00% | 13 | 15 | 86.70% | 39 | 40 | 97.50% |
| Total | 96 | 116 | 82.80% | 69 | 75 | 92.00% | 27 | 41 | 65.90% | 204 | 209 | 97.60% |
Important Notes:
- 2016 first-team All-American
- Set the NCAA FBS record for most career field goals made with 96, and attempted with 116
- Lou Groza Award finalist
- Had 494 points, also an FBS record for points by a kicker
- Averaged 9.7 points per game in his career (51 games played)
- Never played a game in which he didn’t score a point
- Kicked 60 of his 79 kickoffs in 2016 for touchbacks (75.9 percent); that percentage was good for fourth nationally while the 60 total ranked third in the nation.
Scouting Report Consensus - What to like:
- Over the past two seasons, 75 percent (126-of-167) of his kickoffs have gone for touchbacks, an impressive feat and a big consideration for NFL kickers
- His leg has gotten stronger each year in college
- His long kicks have good trajectory, and end-over-end rotation
- Was a remarkable 13 for 15 from beyond 40 yards as a senior (87%)
Scouting Report Consensus - What to not like:
- Failed to make a 50 yard field goal until his remarkable senior season (0-4 before that)
- Gave up three kick returns for touchdowns over the past two seasons, with undesirable pursuit angles in attempt to stop returners
- Missed at least one extra point attempt in three of his four seasons at Arizona State
Conclusion:
After his first three seasons at Arizona State, Gonzalez was not a very promising NFL prospect, only making 80% of his kicks, including less than 54% from beyond 40 yards, and a career long of 49 yards. But his senior season was fantastic, as he was a perfect 16 for 16 inside of 50 yards, and 7 for 9 from 50+.
If Gonzalez is the real deal, then he’s possibly a better prospect than Robert Aguayo, who the Buccaneers horribly over-drafted in the 2016 NFL Draft. Gonzalez made seven kicks of 50 yards this past season and was perfect from everything shorter than 50 yards.
Of the five kickers who stand a chance of being drafted in the 2017 NFL Draft (and will be featured in upcoming draft previews), Gonzalez has the highest career accuracy inside 40 yards (92%) and had the best single season of the group, with his highly admirable 2016 campaign.
With Gonzalez making seven of nine kicks from beyond 50 yards, any die-hard Star Trek fan would want him, as should any Bengals fan who sees his 2016 as a natural evolution in his game, and not a single season outlier.