Araiza able to negate disaster with triumph
It’s easy to get swept up in the success story that is Araiza’s path to the NFL Draft. However, a crucial component to achieving greatness is often not how you bask in the glow of glory, but how you respond to the disasters that occur along the way. The San Diego State punter has met disaster along the way, although he’s negated it with triumph.
“It was tough,” Araiza said, reflecting on being redshirted in 2018. “It was the first time in my life that I’d been benched, essentially, and it was a huge wake-up call. The second was when I had the punting responsibilities taken away from me. That was kind of another big slap in the face. All that stuff’s frustrating. But, I enjoyed being the underdog and enjoyed having the determination and belief in myself when other people didn’t.”
Although he heads to the NFL Draft as an elite punting prospect, Araiza’s primary role for the Aztecs for two seasons was as a field-goal kicker. While he was incredibly successful, there were misses that haunted those campaigns. Once again, the San Diego product dug deep to overcome the setback.
“I know some people say kickers should have a short memory,” Araiza said. “That whole thing never worked for me. If you’re going to say you care about competing, your team’s success, and your personal success, how can you go out there, miss a field goal, and just forget about it?
“The biggest thing is letting your emotions calm down, take some deep breaths, try to think about what happened, what you can fix, and try and reset. I found that for me, when things weren’t going my way, sometimes I can kick a few balls right-footed, and it kind of resets my brain.”
Developing into the best punter in the nation
Left foot. Right foot. Punting. Field-goal kicking. Kickoffs. If you look up the dictionary definition of versatility, there’s a good chance you’ll find a picture of the San Diego State punter alongside it. While that will prove valuable during the NFL Draft process, Araiza explains how his two years as a kicker helped develop him as a punter.
“Field goals are a little bit more pressure than punting and kicking off. It’s points. It’s a clear success or failure. Whereas you can have an OK punt, you can’t have an OK field goal. And that was a big part of my development. I think going out there and kicking first taught me a little bit more the mental part of football, dealing with failure. I think that’s made me a little more level-headed and used to the success and failure aspect and being able to handle it better.”
That development came to the fore this year with Araiza’s historic display of punting prowess. Ever wondered what it feels like to boom a football 80 yards down the field?
“It’s a good feeling! It’s kind of hard to explain,” Araiza said. “I would say the best analogy, for people who golf or play baseball, that feeling of hitting the sweet spot. It feels pure. It feels somewhat effortless, even though that might seem surprising to some people. You would think you’re really trying to force that, but usually, the best punts are when you take a little off and it’s just perfect contact. It’s a pretty smooth, effortless, satisfying feeling.”
Araiza on declaring for the 2022 NFL Draft
Following a successful and historic season for the Aztecs, Araiza announced his intention to declare for the NFL Draft. While the kid that grew up in San Diego dreamed of playing soccer, the newly developed dream of playing in the NFL is within his fingertips. However, it wasn’t merely a case of capitalizing on this season’s success that drove the San Diego State punter to forgo his remaining college eligibility.
“I’ll be able to graduate in May, so I felt like I’d done just about everything I wanted to academically. It gives us athletes something to have ready when our careers end. Because that day comes for everyone, no matter how good you are. It’s good to know that I have a degree and I will have the opportunity to get a job after football. It’s something I’m proud of. My mom is an educator, so education is big in the family, and it’s a proud moment to continue that.”
Araiza’s awareness of the longevity (or lack of) in the NFL is apparent in his educational motivation. However, he’s also acutely aware that the position he plays brings a more long-term value to a team than say — and these are my words not his — a running back. While punters might not be considered worthy of a high-value pick, the return on investment can be substantially greater.
“I think this last weekend was a great example of that,” Araiza said. “Kicking was the last play of the game and was more or less the outcome of the game. Obviously, you’re not going to have a kicker drafted in the first round over a quarterback. That’s not how the sport works. But, a punter could last 10, 15, 20 years. That’s a long-term investment that you don’t see from any other position. It is an amazing compliment to have special teams win close games.”
Araiza aims to continue a tradition of punters in the NFL Draft
Of course, a kicker has been drafted in the first round. His name now adorns the trophy of punting excellence at the college level, the same one Araiza earned this season. Ray Guy was a first-round pick in 1973. While he remains the anomaly, punters being selected in the NFL Draft isn’t as rare as you’d think. In fact, since Araiza was born in 2000, only two draft classes have gone by without a punter being selected.
“I know they usually come in the later rounds,” Araiza told me when we shifted focus to the upcoming NFL Draft. “So, my focus is just doing the best I can. At the end of the day, I’m not the one making the decision of when or where I get drafted. That’s up to people with a much higher pay grade than me. I’m just trying to control what I can control right now.”
What he can control right now is a strict training regime. The San Diego State punter is logical and industrious in his approach to the game both on and off the field. Right now, that involves training hard and recovering sensibly. He spends the evenings with his award-winning legs cast in a recovery boot. Araiza is ready and raring to go wherever the next step on his journey takes him. The Punt God is ready to go pro.
“Obviously, I would love to be drafted. That would be cool. I’m ready to play again. I’m ready to start this next season.”
