2024 NFL Draft: Minnesota Vikings select Alabama PK Will Reichard
Alabama senior placekicker Will Reichard was selected with the No. 203 overall pick (Round 6) in the 2024 NFL Draft by the Minnesota Vikings on Saturday. Reichard was the ninth Crimson Tide player taken in this year’s draft and the fifth Alabama senior off the board.
Reichard is the second Crimson Tide player taken by the Vikings in the 2024 draft, joining first-round pick Dallas Turner. He was the first placekicker selected in this year’s NFL draft and became the first Alabama kicker drafted since the 1966 NFL Draft (David Ray).
The NCAA’s all-time leader in career points, Reichard accepted an invite to play in last year’s Senior Bowl before returning to Alabama for one more year. He ended his final season by making 22-of-25 field goal tries (88 percent) and 55-of-55 extra points. Reichard’s 88 percent on kicks was good for second-best in the SEC and 13th in the country. He finished his career as the Tide’s leader in points (547), field goals (84-of-100) and PATs (295-of-297).
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A top area of emphasis for Reichard in his fifth year of eligibility was to improve his kickoffs, primarily recording more touchbacks. Comparing his 2022 and 2023 seasons, Reichard booted 47 footballs into the end zone with no returns on 94 kickoffs (50 percent) in 2022. On 87 kickoffs in 2023, he recorded 52 touchbacks (59.77), which was a new career-high.
Alabama players taken in the 2024 NFL Draft
Round 1, Pick 7 – JC Latham, OT – Tennessee Titans
Round 1, Pick 17 – Dallas Turner, Edge – Minnesota Vikings
Round 1, Pick 24 – Terrion Arnold, CB – Detroit Lions
Round 2, Pick 41 – Kool-Aid McKinstry, CB – New Orleans Saints
Round 2, Pick 57 – Chris Braswell, Edge – Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Round 3, Pick 80 – Jermaine Burton, WR – Cincinnati Bengals
Round 4, Pick 105 – Justin Eboigbe, DL – Los Angeles Chargers
Round 6, Pick 186 – Jase McClellan, RB – Atlanta Falcons
Round 6, Pick 203 – Will Reichard, PK – Minnesota Vikings
Stay tuned to BamaOnLine for continued coverage of the 2024 NFL Draft.
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