Ranking the Big Ten: Kicker
As the 2024 college football season quickly approaches, it is time to look at the top players in the Big Ten Conference.
We continue our Ranking the Big Ten series with the best-returning kickers. In a league often defined by special teams, plenty of x-factors return this season.
Ranking the Big Ten: QB | RB | WR | TE | OT | C | DT | OLB/EDGE | ILB | CB | S
1. Dragan Kesich, Minnesota
The top spot on this list was an easy choice, as the Big Ten’s top kicker last season returns in 2024.
Dragan Kesich won the conference’s Bakken-Andersen Kicker of the Year award and was a first-team all-league selection. He made 23-of-27 field goals and 27-of-27 extra points to become a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award.
Not only did the fifth-year senior from Oak Creek, Wisconsin, hit 85% of his field goals, but 10 of those makes came from 40+ yards. Kesich also led the Big Ten with a 64.7-yard average on kickoffs, as 53 of his 62 attempts went for touchbacks.
2. Drew Stevens, Iowa
Iowa’s specialists have become stars of the program in recent years, and Drew Stevens returns as a critical piece of the Hawkeyes in 2024.
A two-time Groza Award semifinalist, Stevens connected on 18-of-26 field goals and 19-of-20 PATs last season. The junior is now 34-of-44 on field goals for his career, including a freshman school record 16 makes in 2022.
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Stevens earned third-team All-Big Ten a year ago, and he’ll almost certainly decide even more games for the Hawkeyes this season.
3. Nathanial Vakos, Wisconsin
Another Groza semifinalist last season, Nathanial Vakos made 15-of-19 field goals and all 34 of his extra points.
A former transfer from Ohio, Vakos became the first Badger kicker to hit his first eight FG attempts since 1988. The junior from Avon, Ohio, was also nearly automatic inside 50 yards, making 14 of his 15 tries.
4. Jai Patel, Rutgers
No Rutgers kicker has ever been more automatic than Jai Patel was last season.
After making 15 of his 18 field goal tries, the Monmouth Junction, N.J., native set a single-season program record for FG percentage at 83.3% (minimum 15 attempts). He was named third-team All-Big Ten for his efforts.
5. Jonathan Kim, Michigan State
Jonathan Kim transferred to Michigan State from North Carolina last year and quickly showcased his talents.
He hit 13-of-18 field goals and all 17 PATs in 2023. Most impressive was that four of those made FGs came from 50+ yards, which tied for the third-most in FBS. The sixth-year senior returns to build off his honorable mention All-Big Ten debut.
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