From Bob McGinn's article on specialists. I don't think we're going to have serious competition for Cameron Dicker, so I didn't bother including the kickers. Maybe we'll bring in an undrafted punter, though.
PUNTERS
1. RYAN ECKLEY, Michigan State (6-0 ½, 200, 7): Understudied Brooks Baringer in 2022 before claiming the job the past three years. Averaged 47.6, surpassing Baringer’s 46.0 for the record in East Lansing and Iowa’s Tory Taylor (46.3) as No. 1 in Big Ten annals. “Like him, like his makeup, like his mannerisms,” one coach said. “He proved at the combine that he could get the ball up in the air in addition to also getting it down the field.” Had the best hang time at the combine, averaging about 5.0 seconds. “Somebody said it was the best they had ever seen him punt,” a second scout said. “He has big numbers. He punted on a day (at MSU) with the wind or whatever the weather is.” Averages were 46.8 gross and 42.5 net in 2023, 47.9 and 41.2 in 2024 and 48.5 and 40.6 in 2025. His career net on 148 punts was 41.4. None were blocked. Kicked off 16 times last season, averaging 63.2 with six touchbacks and one out of bounds. Played quarterback while kicking and punting as a prep. From Lithia, Fla.
2. TOMMY DOMAN, Florida (6-4 ½, 213, 7-FA): Redshirted at Michigan in 2021, punted once in 2022 and was the regular in 2023-’24 before moving to Florida. Career gross average was 43.6 and career net average was 39.9. “He doesn’t have a great career average,” one coach said. “It’s on the bottom end of things. But he proved at the combine that he has a pretty powerful leg. He directionals really well. He’s a real good holder. He can kick off, too, if you want him to do that.” In 2023, his averages were 44.3 and 41.4. In 2024, they were 42.6 and 37.3. In 2025, they were 44.0 and 40.7. Kicked off 166 times in 2023-’24, averaging 63.9 with 111 touchbacks and three out of bounds. Three-time All-Big Ten academic honoree. ”He’s a little bit aloof,” one coach said. “He just has a different feel. Just a different type of guy. It’ll be a challenge to work with him on a day-to-day basis. Not that we couldn’t do it or can’t do it. I do recognize he has talent.” Earned his master’s degree in 2025. Three-star recruit from Rochester Hills, Mich.
3. JACK STONEHOUSE, Syracuse (6-2, 209, 7-FA): Redshirted as a walk-on at Missouri in 2021 before winning the job in ’22. Was the regular for the Orange the past three years. “He’s legit,” one scout said. “He’ll be punting for somebody next year.” His cousin, Ryan Stonehouse, punted for the Titans from 2022-’24 after a career at Colorado State. Ryan led the NFL in gross average at 53.1 in each of his first two years (nets of 44.0, 44.7) but his net dipped to 38.6 in 2024. The Titans failed to tender him and he was cut by Miami in August 2025. “All the issues that his cousin had this kid will have,” one coach said. “They have exactly the same technique. They overstride. They use what we call a cradle grip. His good hits are going to be spectacular but his bad hits will be (terrible). Maybe I pigeon-hole him a little bit with some of Ryan’s failures. Jack can have a solid career if he gets it all figured out. He had a poor combine but he does have a powerful leg. The inconsistency part will be what would hurt him.” His career averages were 44.8 (gross) and 40.1 (net). No blocks. His yearly averages were 42.4 and 38.8 in 2022, 44.6 and 38.4 in 2023, 45.7 and 41.9 in 2024 and 46.5 and 41.9 in 2025. “His (cousin) was the little guy (5-9 ½, 193),” another coach said. “He out-punted his coverage. He’s bigger than his cousin.” Averaged 53.0, 45.0 and 4.9 seconds of hang time on five punts in the East-West Game. His father, John, punted at Southern Cal and briefly with the Giants (never even in an exhibition game). Kicked off two times in 2023. From Camarillo, Calif.
THE NEXT THREE
Brett Thorson, Georgia (6-1, 237)
Said one coach: “He tore his ACL in the (SEC) championship game in 2024. He’s pretty solid as a punter. My biggest issue is he hasn’t held. I don’t know that it’s because he can’t do it. Historically, the punter at Georgia has not held. Kirby Smart likes to have a backup quarterback do it in case of fakes. He’s not draftable.”
Wes Pahl, Oklahoma State (6-5, 207)
Said one coach: “He’s an interesting guy. Going into it he wasn’t that highly regarded but he came out turning some people’s eyes. He was playing with a bad team on windy days. He also kicked off better than most of the kickers.”
Mitch McCarthy, Indiana (6-5, 242)
Said one coach: “He’s got a hell of a leg but he only had like 22 punts (37 at IU in 2025 and 152 total, counting three years at Central Florida). Most of them were kind of a weird running punt so it was hard to really evaluate the guy. Aussie. He held. He is one big dude. He’s a sleeper.”
PUNTERS
1. RYAN ECKLEY, Michigan State (6-0 ½, 200, 7): Understudied Brooks Baringer in 2022 before claiming the job the past three years. Averaged 47.6, surpassing Baringer’s 46.0 for the record in East Lansing and Iowa’s Tory Taylor (46.3) as No. 1 in Big Ten annals. “Like him, like his makeup, like his mannerisms,” one coach said. “He proved at the combine that he could get the ball up in the air in addition to also getting it down the field.” Had the best hang time at the combine, averaging about 5.0 seconds. “Somebody said it was the best they had ever seen him punt,” a second scout said. “He has big numbers. He punted on a day (at MSU) with the wind or whatever the weather is.” Averages were 46.8 gross and 42.5 net in 2023, 47.9 and 41.2 in 2024 and 48.5 and 40.6 in 2025. His career net on 148 punts was 41.4. None were blocked. Kicked off 16 times last season, averaging 63.2 with six touchbacks and one out of bounds. Played quarterback while kicking and punting as a prep. From Lithia, Fla.
2. TOMMY DOMAN, Florida (6-4 ½, 213, 7-FA): Redshirted at Michigan in 2021, punted once in 2022 and was the regular in 2023-’24 before moving to Florida. Career gross average was 43.6 and career net average was 39.9. “He doesn’t have a great career average,” one coach said. “It’s on the bottom end of things. But he proved at the combine that he has a pretty powerful leg. He directionals really well. He’s a real good holder. He can kick off, too, if you want him to do that.” In 2023, his averages were 44.3 and 41.4. In 2024, they were 42.6 and 37.3. In 2025, they were 44.0 and 40.7. Kicked off 166 times in 2023-’24, averaging 63.9 with 111 touchbacks and three out of bounds. Three-time All-Big Ten academic honoree. ”He’s a little bit aloof,” one coach said. “He just has a different feel. Just a different type of guy. It’ll be a challenge to work with him on a day-to-day basis. Not that we couldn’t do it or can’t do it. I do recognize he has talent.” Earned his master’s degree in 2025. Three-star recruit from Rochester Hills, Mich.
3. JACK STONEHOUSE, Syracuse (6-2, 209, 7-FA): Redshirted as a walk-on at Missouri in 2021 before winning the job in ’22. Was the regular for the Orange the past three years. “He’s legit,” one scout said. “He’ll be punting for somebody next year.” His cousin, Ryan Stonehouse, punted for the Titans from 2022-’24 after a career at Colorado State. Ryan led the NFL in gross average at 53.1 in each of his first two years (nets of 44.0, 44.7) but his net dipped to 38.6 in 2024. The Titans failed to tender him and he was cut by Miami in August 2025. “All the issues that his cousin had this kid will have,” one coach said. “They have exactly the same technique. They overstride. They use what we call a cradle grip. His good hits are going to be spectacular but his bad hits will be (terrible). Maybe I pigeon-hole him a little bit with some of Ryan’s failures. Jack can have a solid career if he gets it all figured out. He had a poor combine but he does have a powerful leg. The inconsistency part will be what would hurt him.” His career averages were 44.8 (gross) and 40.1 (net). No blocks. His yearly averages were 42.4 and 38.8 in 2022, 44.6 and 38.4 in 2023, 45.7 and 41.9 in 2024 and 46.5 and 41.9 in 2025. “His (cousin) was the little guy (5-9 ½, 193),” another coach said. “He out-punted his coverage. He’s bigger than his cousin.” Averaged 53.0, 45.0 and 4.9 seconds of hang time on five punts in the East-West Game. His father, John, punted at Southern Cal and briefly with the Giants (never even in an exhibition game). Kicked off two times in 2023. From Camarillo, Calif.
THE NEXT THREE
Brett Thorson, Georgia (6-1, 237)
Said one coach: “He tore his ACL in the (SEC) championship game in 2024. He’s pretty solid as a punter. My biggest issue is he hasn’t held. I don’t know that it’s because he can’t do it. Historically, the punter at Georgia has not held. Kirby Smart likes to have a backup quarterback do it in case of fakes. He’s not draftable.”
Wes Pahl, Oklahoma State (6-5, 207)
Said one coach: “He’s an interesting guy. Going into it he wasn’t that highly regarded but he came out turning some people’s eyes. He was playing with a bad team on windy days. He also kicked off better than most of the kickers.”
Mitch McCarthy, Indiana (6-5, 242)
Said one coach: “He’s got a hell of a leg but he only had like 22 punts (37 at IU in 2025 and 152 total, counting three years at Central Florida). Most of them were kind of a weird running punt so it was hard to really evaluate the guy. Aussie. He held. He is one big dude. He’s a sleeper.”
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