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Expected to go undrafted next week, Georgia Tech kicker Harrison Butker should be someone the Bengals are eyeing in undrafted free agency, should the team fail to draft a kicker during the 2017 NFL Draft.
As the Yellow Jacket's all-time leading scorer, Butker ended his college career on a high note, which many in the Cincinnati area may remember. He kicked four successful field goals in Georgia Tech's Bowl game win over Kentucky. In 2016, Butker made third-team All-ACC by league media and converted on 100% of his extra point opportunities, in addition to 88.2% of his field goals.
Harrison Butker
Height: 6’4"
Weight: 199 pounds
Arm length: 31 3/4"
Hands: 8 3/4"
Class: Senior
College: Georgia Tech
Projected Round: UDFA
Harrison Butker 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% |
| 2013 | 10 | 14 | 71.40% | 5 | 7 | 71.40% | 5 | 7 | 71.40% | 53 | 54 | 98.10% |
| 2014 | 11 | 18 | 61.10% | 7 | 12 | 58.30% | 4 | 6 | 66.70% | 65 | 66 | 98.50% |
| 2015 | 7 | 11 | 63.60% | 3 | 4 | 75.00% | 4 | 7 | 57.10% | 44 | 44 | 100.00% |
| 2016 | 15 | 17 | 88.20% | 7 | 9 | 77.80% | 8 | 8 | 100.00% | 46 | 46 | 100.00% |
| Total | 43 | 60 | 71.70% | 22 | 32 | 68.80% | 21 | 28 | 75.00% | 208 | 210 | 99.00% |
Important Notes:
- Former high school soccer player who won multiple state soccer championships.
- He didn’t begin playing football until his sophomore season in high school.
Scouting Report Consensus - What to like:
- Improved his percentage of kickoffs for touchbacks from 41% as a freshman to 74% as a senior, averaging about 60% for his career
- Had a good senior season, making 88.2% of his field goals, including 100% of his kicks beyond 40 yards
- He was 208/210 on extra points during his college career with one miss in each of his first two seasons.
Scouting Report Consensus - What to not like:
- Low career field goal accuracy (71.7%).
- Especially disappointing accuracy inside of 40 yards (68.8%) for an NFL prospect.
Conclusion:
Butker has always had a decent NFL leg, but accuracy plagued him during his college career. His senior season was a marked improvement from his first three years in this category, and he would worth be taking a flier on as an undrafted free agent to see if the accuracy can be sustained and improved with NFL coaching.
If the Bengals opt to add multiple rookie kickers to the offseason competition, Butker could be a good second option.