This Saturday inside Kinnick Stadium is a special one. It is Senior Day for the Iowa Hawkeyes. It will also be Tory Taylor’s final time putting on a punting display that many fans and supporters have come to love and appreciate.
The Australian native has informed the media that he will be foregoing his final year of eligibility next season and instead declaring for the 2024 NFL draft.
Taylor confirmed the news to Blake Hornstein of WHBF.
Tory Taylor confirmed to me today that he will not use his remaining year of eligibility and will enter his name into the NFL draft next year
— Blake Hornstein (@BlakeHornTV) November 14, 2023
Taylor has been nothing short of excellent for the Hawkeyes. He has single-handedly helped win games with his ability to flip field position and pin opponents deep with precision punting accuracy. This season, his punting has him among the semifinalists for the Ray Guy Award, given to the nation’s best punter.
Taylor has punted 64 times this season for an average of 47.8 yards per punt with a long of 62 yards. Nearly 40% of his punts have landed inside the opponent’s 20-yard line.
In his career, Taylor has punted 266 times for an average of 46 yards per punt with a career-long of 70 yards. He has landed a whopping 45.1% of his career punts inside the opponent’s 20-yard lines. Taylor has punted for 12,234 yards during his time with the Hawkeyes.
Since 2000, there have been 49 punters drafted. In 2023, three punters were drafted, although all were taken in the sixth round or later.
There have been three punters selected as high as the third round. Bryan Anger in 2012 by the Jacksonville Jaguars, Dustin Colquitt in 2005 by the Kansas City Chiefs, and B.J. Sander in 2004 by the Green Bay Packers are the three punters to be taken that early.
Tory Taylor has a fantastic chance at getting drafted. Should he hear his named called during the 2024 NFL draft, he will join Iowa legend Reggie Roby, who was taken in the 1983 NFL draft, as the only Iowa Hawkeyes punters to be drafted.
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