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New Orleans Saints sign Notre Dame kicker Blake Grupe as undrafted free agent

IMG_9992by:Tyler Horka•04/30/23•

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(Chad Weaver/BGI)

Blake Grupe turned his one season with Notre Dame into a chance to make an NFL roster. The kicker was signed by the New Orleans Saints on Saturday as an undrafted free agent.

There were only three kickers selected in the 2023 NFL Draft. Grupe wasn’t expected to be one of them. But it didn’t take long for the Saints to snatch Grupe up from the undrafted market. Notre Dame announced Grupe’s signing within 15 minutes of the conclusion of the draft.

Grupe, 5-7 3/8 and 156 pounds, made 14-of-19 (73.7 percent) field goal attempts for the Fighting Irish after transferring in from Arkansas State, where he spent the first four years of his college career. In total, Grupe made 78-of-105 (74.3 percent) field goal attempts and 211-of-217 (97.2 percent) extra point attempts in five seasons at the college level. He didn’t miss any of his 49 extra points at Notre Dame.

Grupe made 5-of-5 kicks from 20-29 yards, 3-of-4 from 30-39 and 6-of-10 from 40-49 in 2022. Grupe didn’t attempt any kicks from beyond 50 yards last season, but he was successful from long range at Notre Dame’s Pro Day in March. Despite his small stature, he can put a strong boot on the ball.

Grupe will head to New Orleans with former Notre Dame defensive end Isaiah Foskey. The Saints took Foskey in the second round with the No. 40 overall selection. Foskey was one of three Irish players to go during the draft; tight end Michael Mayer went to the Las Vegas Raiders with the No. 35 overall pick in the second round, and the Houston Texans scooped up offensive lineman Jarrett Patterson in the sixth round with the No. 201 overall choice. Notre Dame had multiple players selected in the draft for the 11th time in the last 12 years.

Defensive tackle Jayson Ademilola was signed by the Jacksonville Jaguars as an undrafted free agent, and safety Brandon Joseph got reeled in by the Detroit Lions as an UDFA.

As for Grupe, he’s looking to become the next great Notre Dame kicker to have success in the NFL as an undrafted free agent. John Carney went undrafted in 1987 and earned two Pro Bowl selections in a 25-year career. He played until he was 46-years-old. He won a Super Bowl ring as a member of the Saints as a 45-year-old in 2009.

Carney is proof enough for Grupe that anything can happen.

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