Michigan State All-American Baringer first punter taken in draft in sixth round by Patriots
Bryce Baringer was the first punter taken in the 2023 NFL Draft, when the New England Patriots selected the Michigan State specialist in the sixth round at No. 192 overall. Baringer, a consensus All-American during his sixth-year at Michigan State, and Big Ten Punter of the Year in 2022, is the first Spartan punter drafted since Brandon Fields in 2007.
Baringer was the consensus Top punter in the 2023 NFL Draft after outperforming his peers at both the Reese’s Senior Bowl and the NFL Draft combine.
“In talking to teams around the league, everybody was unanimous in saying he’s the best punter in the draft,” ESPN Draft guru Mel Kiper said prior to the NFL Draft. “It will be interesting to see when he goes, where he goes.”
Baringer ranks No. 1 all-time among Big Ten punters with a career punting average of 46.0 yards. That career mark broke the previous record (45.5) set by Iowa’s Reggie Robie (1979-82). Baringer’s career punting average ranks sixth all-time among FBS punters.
Baringer set a Michigan State record with a single-season punting average of 49.0 yards during his final season as a Spartan. During his time at Michigan State totaled 64 punts (40 percent) of 50 yards or longer. More than one-third of Baringer’s punts were inside the 20.
Baringer is the fifth Michigan State punter all-time to be selected in the NFL Draft. He joins Fields, Craig Jarrett (2002), Greg Montgomery (1988), and Ray Stachowicz (1981) among Michigan State punters to be drafted. Montgomery and Stachowicz were both third-round picks.
Baringer began his college career as a walk-on at Illinois, where he redshirted in 2017 before transferring to Michigan State the following season. Baringer played in four games at Michigan State as a redshirt freshman in 2018 after injuries to then starting punter Jake Hartbarger and back-up punter Tyler Hunt, who switched positions to tight end later in this Spartan career. Baringer averaged just 32.4 yards per punt as a redshirt freshman at Michigan State.
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Baringer did not make the 105-man practice roster at Michigan State as a sophomore in 2019, but he continued to work on his craft, and was invited to rejoin the Spartan football program by Mark Dantonio, who retired during the spring of 2020.
Baringer served as Michigan State’s starting punter from 2020-2022. After finishing fifth in the Big Ten in punting average in 2020, Baringer led the Big Ten in punting average in 2021 and 2022.
Baringer is one of the biggest Cinderella stories of the 2023 NFL Draft, something he reflected upon during a pro-day interview with SpartanMag.
“It’s cool having the story that I have but I’m trying to re-write (that story) from here on out,’’ Baringer said. “You never know what’s going on and that’s, that’s the hardest part. It’s all a guessing game. You (just) try and have fun with it and just put your best foot forward.’’
