Ranking the Big Ten: Punter
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 of the Big Ten series with the top five punters in the conference. With Iowa’s Tory Taylor off to the NFL, there is a new No. 1 kicker in the conference. The vast majority of the best kickers in the conference are back for the 2024 season.
Related: QB | RB | WR | TE | OT | OG | C | DT | OLB | CB | S | K |
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1. Ryan Eckley, Michigan State
Ryan Eckley made a huge impact on Michigan State in his first season starting. The 6-foot-2, 211-pound kicker was named a unanimous second-team All-Big Ten pick. Naturally, he was behind Tory Taylor, one of the best punters in Big Ten history. Lindy’s chose Eckley as the No. 8 punter in 2024.
He led the Big Ten with an 86.2 punt grade, according to Pro Football Focus. As a redshirt freshman in 2023, Eckley averaged 46.7 yards per punt, the second-highest returning grade in the new Big Ten. On his 56 punts in 2023, he recorded a NET of 42.5, the third most of the returning conference punters. The Lithia, Fla. native pinned 26 punts inside the 20-yard line.
2. James Evans, Indiana
Indiana punter James Evans was the 2023 third-team All-Big Ten selection by the conference coaches. Phil Steele selected him as a fourth-team All-Big Ten player. Evans has recorded 8,814 yards on 201 punts in his three seasons at Indiana. He averages 43.9 yards per punt over his career and has pinked 66 punts inside the 20-yard line with 32 in 2022.
In 2023, he averaged a career-high 45.7 yards per attempt on 57 punts. Against Rutgers, Evans launched a career-high 70-yard punt, the fourth-longest punt in the Big Ten in 2023. The 6-foot-1, 219-pound senior has been very consistent over his three seasons at Indiana, and he also keeps improving.
3. Tommy Doman, Michigan
Punter Tommy Doman had a very eventful first season as a starting punter. He claimed a Big Ten championship and a National Championship title. Against Washington in the National Title game, Doman avered 46.8 yards per punt and placed two inside the 20-yard line.
In 2023, he averaged 44.2 yards per attempt for 2,343 yards. He also led the conference with a 4.33 average hangtime and had the second-highest in the country behind Alabama’s James Burnip (4.38).
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The 6-foot-4, 215-pounder earned an 81.5 punt grade, the fourth highest amongst the new 18 Big Ten teams. Doman had his best game of the season against Ohio State to secure Michigan the Big Ten East victory. He punted three times and averaged 52 yards per attempt, his second-highest of the season. He had a career-high 71-yard punt. His best YPA average of the season was against Nebraska, where he had one punt for 65 yards.
4. Riley Thompson, Penn State
Punter Riley Thompson was a conscious All-Big Ten honorable mention for the conference’s special teams in his first season at Penn State. He finished the 2023 season with 48.8 average yards per punt, which is the second-highest all-time in a single season at Penn State. He transferred after three seasons, with one starting, at Florida Atlantic.
Thompson punted 51 times in 2023 for 2,327 yards. He pinned 19 inside the 20-yard line and had only two touchbacks during the entire season. Over his career at Penn State and FAU, he has five touchbacks in 111 career punts and 30 career kicks over 50 yards.
5. Mark Crawford, Minnesota
Mark Crawford is back for his fifth and final season at Minnesota. He had his best season yet in 2023. The 6-foot-5, 230-pound punt averaged 42.6 yards per punt on 65 punts. He punted for 2,767 yards in 2023 and has 7,266 career punting yards in four seasons.
Last season, Crawford pinned 38 punts inside the 20-yard line, which was second behind Tory Taylor’s 35 punts. His 2,767 yards in 2023 were third, with Taylor in first with 4,491 yards. Taylor had 28 more punts than Crawford.
The Australian had a 16.9 return percentage, which was the second-highest in the Big Ten for players with over 50 punts. Rutgers’ Flynn Appleby was first with seven percent. The 2023 season featured Crawford’s highest PFF career punt grade (75.8). He’s slotted for a big final season in 2024.
