Daily NFL Draft Prospect Profile: Zoltan Mesko, P, Michigan
by Ed Valentine on Feb 21, 2010 11:00 AM EST
in 2010 NFL Draft
50 comments
[Remember to check the '2010 NFL Draft' section for all stories relating to the draft.]
Today let's do something a little different with our Daily NFL Draft Prospect Profile. Let's talk about a player our New York Giants almost certainly WILL NOT DRAFT this April.
That would be Michigan's massive punter, the 6-foot-5, 231-pound Zoltan Mesko.
Forget, for just a minute, about all the reasons for not using a draft pick on a punter. Think about the possibilities for a second.
Say you draft Mesko, and he beats out Jeff Feagles. Then Sam Swank beats out Lawrence Tynes as placekicker.
You would have Zoltan holding for Swank, which is a lot cooler to say than 'Feagles holding for Tynes.' You could also be hearing lots of "tackle by ROOOOO--LANDO" over the PA at the Giants new stadium. Or maybe "that's a sack by Seeergio."
Throw in Bear Pascoe making the team as a backup tight end and the Giants might be the NFL's all-name team. Good luck, Joe Buck!
Seriously, though, Mesko is a guy with a booming leg, a reputation for also being able to kick directionally, and the ability to drive the ball deep on kickoffs. Plus, he's got those guns. That's gotta count for something, especially in a kicker.
I would fall out of my chair if the Giants used a late-round pick on Mesko. But, let's take a closer look anyway.
Zoltan Mesko Scouting Reports
From Draft Breakdown.
Extremely accurate, and can still boot the ball with the best of them. Has a lot of experience as a punter, holder, and kickoff specialist. Most of his kickoffs (89%) went into the end zone. ...
Has the best name in the draft, and isn’t too shabby as a punter either. Will come in and start immediately and probably save a team a roster spot because of his kickoff abilities. Holds punts and punt average records at Michigan.
From Fantasy Football Toolbox.
Mesko averaged 41.6 and 41.1 yards per punt as a freshman and sophomore respectively. He improved those numbers as junior, punting a career high 80 times for an average of 43.0 yards. He improved again as a senior, averaging 44.5 yards per punt in 2009. Mesko has had 78 punts downed inside of the 20 yard line during his time at Michigan, which is a 30 percent rate. The aspect of his game that has improved the most however, is his accuracy. He has learned to kick directionally and take something off a kick to pin opponents deeper in their own territory. His combination of accuracy and power should make him the first punter selected in the 2010 draft -- somewhere in the late fifth or sixth round.
Why Mesko fits with the Giants
The guy is a terrific punter with a big leg and directional ability. Feagles, who may or may not be back, has the directional ability but can't hit the bomb that will kick the Giants out of a field position hole. Mesko might be able to. He could likely also handle kickoffs for the Giants, an area where Tynes was near the bottom of the league in 2009. Thus, he has multiple skills the Giants could really use.
Why the Giants should pass
Conventional wisdom is that you just don't draft punters, and the Giants will probably follow that convention. They have lots of other needs, and they will probably still have Feagles. The ageless Feagles did not have a great year in 2009, but he is still a quality kicker and if he wants to continue punting the Giants will probably let him. Maybe they bring in a punter as an undrafted free agent to compete, but if Feagles does not retire the Giants can probably find other ways to use their late-round draft picks.
(E-mail Ed at bigblueview@gmail.com. Follow Big Blue View on Twitter.)
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Anyone ever find it odd
that one man cant do punts and field goals? Presumably most of these guys are converted and/or failed soccer players, so they should have the skills and leg power to do both, particularly if they were a goalie….seems like that would open a roster spot if you could get one guy to do the job of both
Okay, just so I understand it... in your wildest fantasy, you are in hell. And you are co-running a bed and breakfast with the devil.
Don Chandler did both for us....
And was pretty good too. This was in the early sixties.
by giant fan since 57 on Feb 21, 2010 12:39 PM EST up reply actions
Failed soccer player?
Na man running and kicking a football is nowhere close to what skill is required in playing soccer
A couple of things
It’s tough to train practice for both. Plus the risk of injury if you’re only carrying one kicker of any type.
I agree,
Look at Jay Feely. He had to step in during the post season when Weatherford went out with an injury, and I thought he did a more than respectable job kicking AND punting that game. I mean, if Ochocinco can boom a kick, we should be able to shave off a roster spot with hidden talent elsewhere (jk. maybe…)
LOL!
…don’t we get a compensatory pick for Derrick Ward? Or did they lose that by signing the other FA’?
If they have an extra pick in the late rounds? Why not?
You can’t tell me…No one, that David Beuhler wasn’t a part of the Cowboys success this year. Field position was HUGE problem for the Giants, and largely that’s the kickoff team.
Now…if these dunces can’t tackle or shed blocks…uh, why not have a guy who can kick it into the stands?
…I am FOR drafting the Zoltan.
+1
Hey, what about the giants keep tynes, feagles, and this guy. They were thinking about grabbing an extra guy for kickoffs anyway, and he can do that. This guy could also handle the times the giants need a deep punt, where feagles can handle the ones where they need to pin the other team deep. Would be a perfect threesome.
by Ahmad Bradshaw on Feb 21, 2010 11:24 AM EST up reply actions
+1 X 2
Plus, Feagles could teach the kid a few things, I’m sure. Let Feagles handle the coffin corners for sure. Of course, the downside is blowing a roster spot and an active player on a 3rd kicker, means we’ll be one short in another position, but I agree, it’s worth it.
I’m also in favor of using a 6 or 7 on a guy like this. Unless you have some sort of pre-draft arrangement to get him as a UDFA (which I’m not sure is legal), why not guarantee is with a late pick??
no compensatory pick for ward i think bc he was undrafted
by shenkthetank592 on Feb 21, 2010 11:53 AM EST up reply actions
I don't know if that matters
I think it’s the contract the player signs, how much playing time they get, and what kind of free agent(s) the Giants signed.
"The good teams don't come in and say 'could have'. They get it done. Alright? It's that simple."
To be honest
Doing that would not bother me at all. Especially since he can kick off, as well. But, I would be stunned if it happened.
by Ed Valentine on Feb 21, 2010 11:53 AM EST up reply actions
The Giants comp pick
The Giants should get at least one pick at the price he was signed for.
by jerseyjoehaven on Feb 23, 2010 1:51 AM EST up reply actions
Perfect Threesome?
I don’t know, I would have to throw Selma Hayek in there somewhere, but I digress…As far as the punter is concerned, I’m with FreeB again. I’ve mentioned this before, but the Giants defense was rated a top ten unit (yards-wise) as late as the second Eagles game. That wasn’t because the D was so good, but because Feagles and Tynes were so bad that opposing offenses didn’t have far to go to score…Which brings me back to the third in that perfect threesome. Who should join Selma?
The only good threesomes I have heard about lately involve Tiger Woods..
"When I was a boy and had no sense I got my pecker stuck in an electric fence..Well it curled my hair and tickled my balls, and made me shit in my overalls"
You don't Mesko with the Zoltan!
They actually sold t-shirts that said just that outside the Big House on game day this past season. I think the G-Men should draft him seventh round just for laughs, and yes I still regret not buying that shirt or the classic “Charlie Weis tried to eat me!” t-shirt when I was up in Ann Arbor this season.
intriguing Prospect
Good stuff Ed. Have we now entered the era of the 6’5" 240 pound tackling punter? Why hasn’t anyone thought about this before. Very interesting indeed.
GO NY GIANTS!!
There isn't much in the NFL that hasn't been done before.
BAck in the fifties Lou Groza who was 6’3" and about 250 lbs played offensive tackle and also did the place kicking. Check out his profile on Wikipedia…
by giant fan since 57 on Feb 21, 2010 12:54 PM EST reply actions
This would be a good late round pick. Feagles is done. I’m sick of Tynes kickin it to the 15 yard line and opposing offenses having great field position.
by Giants56 on Feb 21, 2010 1:03 PM EST via mobile reply actions
No doubt
He would be a good pick up in the 5th round even.
It’s a shame that the Giants are very conservative and they would never do it.
by mclaren_is_the_best on Feb 21, 2010 1:20 PM EST reply actions
Have you ever noticed that "conventional WISDOM"....
in a world that has more have nots than haves often makes no sense. I’ll be the idiot and say forget this foolishness and draft the guy. Our kickoffs were awful, and Feagles is a shadow of his former self. And among the other positions that one would draft for, kicking and punting are probably the most similar between college and the pros. It’s still a football, you still kick it. On kickoffs you don’t have anyone larger and faster rushing at you (though you do on punts), a yard is still a yard and the sidelines are still the sidelines. You know you’re going to be kicking off (hopefully a lot for the Giants next season) every game, and you’d better expect to be punting on occasion too, no matter how good your offense is. We were awful at both. Making the opposing offense go an extra 15 yards down the field per drive is as good as a negative yardage play from someone else along the drive. If they think this guy is the real deal and can handle his chores in New York, get him already in the the late rounds. He’d be much more useful (and have better longevity) than a late round flier who probably doesn’t make the team at all. A good young kicker/punter could be around for ten years. Exactly how much impact did the Giants last two draft selections have in 2009? If the statas quo isn’t what you want it, to hell with “conventional wisdom”, go about changing it.
zoltan
would definitely put an end to the infamous “pooch kick”, and the bigger leg would be advantageous in the oft frigid Meadowlands. I’d say worth a late round shot
"Zoltan"..Sounds like a sci-fi movie..
"When I was a boy and had no sense I got my pecker stuck in an electric fence..Well it curled my hair and tickled my balls, and made me shit in my overalls"
Hmm
I hope he does well with kickoffs because thats what the Giants desperately need an upgrade. Jeff Feagles, I agree, is still solid. Tynes is clutch. I’m only just getting tired of opponents starting at their own 38 yard line after kickoffs.
At 6'5", 231 lbs.
He might also be a better “last line of defense” than Feagles on punts. Jeff didn’t look so good on his tackling last year, though admitedly that isn’t what they pay him the bucks for.
needless to say
desean jackson vs feagles is not a great recipe for success for the 2010 punting game
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dmByScUyJKY
Why not draft him?
Why dont the giants ask themselves this, who are we going to get with our 7th round pick? Lets say at best we get a guy like mike johnson, a player who isnt very good but was able to start for us a couple of years. So we can get a fairly poor role player or we can get one of if not the best punter with that pick. What do you think is more valuable? Field position is extremely important and any GM is would say otherwise is stupid and should be fired, and a great punter vs a player who more than likely wont even make the team like last years 7th round pick seems more than worth it to me especially when he can kick off as well. Let him learn with feagles for one year then allow him to succeed him the following year, that sounds rather ideal to me! What other contingency plan do we have for when feagles retires, get an average punter like we got an average kicker in tynes? Not wise… So i say lets make sure we get this guy with our 7th round pick instead of hoping he is there as a UDFA.
He won't be there in the 7th though
Unfortunately if we want to make sure we take him we will have to spend at least a 5th or 6th round pick
by mclaren_is_the_best on Feb 21, 2010 5:50 PM EST up reply actions
Feagles might be open to a possible player/coach position....
like the Saints did with John Carney this year as well. That would allow him to keep in shape, teach, get a paycheck, stay in the organization and help groom his replacement.
Sounds Like Oaklands Number One Pick
Zoltan sound like the guy Oakland would pick in the first round.
Ray Guy
Why not they have do it before. They drafted Ray Guy in the 1st round in 1973 and they were actually good with him in the team.
by michaelkhan3 on Feb 23, 2010 9:41 AM EST up reply actions
Nice profile
But it reminds me of Brad Maynard, 3d round pick in 97, gone to free agency.
Is there really a better use for a pick that late?
Look at what David Buehler did for Dallas last year. He had 29 touchbacks last season and really helped put opposing offenses back closer to their own end zone all year. Field position (and special teams in general) is a very underrated aspect of football. That became no more apparent to me as a Giants fan than in the Cardinals game this past season, when Feagles struggled just to get a punt 20 yards downfield. We’re going to need to find a replacement for Feagles sooner or later, so why not make the move now? What else would we spend a late round pick on? Another DeAndre Wright or Stoney Woodson, some practice squad dummy that won’t make it to Week 1 of the regular season? I wouldn’t even mind using a 5th round pick on the guy. I say why not.
ZOLTAN?
isent zoltan the fat lineman from the little giants movie?
by old man strahan on Feb 21, 2010 11:19 PM EST reply actions
I would have no problem picking this guy in the sixth or seventh round
It’s not like they’d be using a first on him.
President of the Ramses Barden Fan Club
Barden
How does a guy that doesn’t play get a fan club? What about the Sinorice Moss fan club?
He didn't need to play this year
Wide Receiver wasn’t our problem. And if you ask Ed, I’ve been the president of his fanclub since about january of last year.
President of the Ramses Barden Fan Club
by Hoyadestroya85 on Feb 22, 2010 5:13 PM EST up reply actions
No One Can Match...
The power of ZOLTAN!!!
Wasn’t that the Herculoids – or maybe it was Zoltar?
I for one think a true impact kicker would be worth a LATE draft pick. I have no idea why anyone would draft “Mr Irrellavant” every year and not take one of the better kickers in college.
Jeff...
Love ’ya, but time to move on to retirement in Arizona. Speaking of Arizona, if you watched that game closely last season with the Cardinals, two main reasons they lost:
1) Adrian Wilson, Giants could not control him in run support
2) Feagles terrible punting, seemed like the Cards had the ball at near midfield
the entire game, we need a stronger leg.
What do we know about Sam Swank anyone (as a placekicker)?
Zoltan Mesko and the Giants
This time you do mess with the Zoltan. The Giants should pick up the Zoltan in the 6th or 7th round according to what is heard on draft day projections on draft day. This way he can cover both punting and kicking in the future.
by jerseyjoehaven on Feb 22, 2010 12:48 PM EST reply actions
Zoltan and the Giants
If the Giants do get Mesko they should keep Feagles on the team if he is interested in being a coach and emergency backup. Zoltan would replace Tynes from the start. Feagles on standby saves a player position. Zoltan 6th round.
by jerseyjoehaven on Feb 23, 2010 1:59 AM EST up reply actions
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