5. 1st Kicker Drafted
PICK: Tyler Bass +400
The first step in trying to figure out who the first kicker drafted will be is to try figuring out if a kicker will actually be drafted.
2015 was the last time a kicker wasn’t picked, and compared to other position players, it usually turns out to be one of the best value selections a team can make.
The top four kickers in field goal percentage last season – Josh Lambo, Justin Tucker, Chris Boswell and Dan Bailey – weren’t drafted, and the No. 5 guy – Mason Crosby – was drafted by Green Bay in the sixth round.
Zane Gonzalez was great for Arizona last year, but Cleveland took him in the seventh in 2007 – and had to draft Austin Seibert last year. Seibert was picked at the end of the fifth round and was solid, but Tampa Bay selected Matt Gay earlier in the fifth and he struggled.
The Bucs are still trying to figure out their kicker situation after an all-time whiff of taking Roberto Aguayo in the second round in 2016.
Long preamble short, drafted kickers are usually good, but they’re not usually good in the order in which they were drafted – if that makes any sense.
This year, Georgia’s Rodrigo Blankenship is expected to be the first one off the board, but that’s a total guess and he’s a -170 value. Utah State’s Dominik Eberle is a good choice at +260, but considering this is a value call, Georgia Southern’s Tyler Bass is the best value chance to go first at +400.
He’s good on kickoffs, has a deep leg, and he should at least be drafted.
– Bet on this, BetMGM latest line