Kai Kroeger recaps impressive showing at NFL Specialist Showcase
On Wednesday, former South Carolina punter Kai Kroeger took part with more than a handful of punters at this year’s NFL Specialist Showcase.
The showcase, which was first held last year, coincides with the NFL Combine to give more punters, kickers, and long snappers opportunities to workout in front of NFL coaches and scouts at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, IN.
While no numbers have been shared from the showcase, to our knowledge as of this story, GamecockCentral spoke with Kroeger to get an update on how things went. To say the Gamecock shined during the showcase is an understatement.
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“From what I know, I had the highest hang time. It was 5.4 seconds, from what scouts have told me,” Kroeger shared with GamecockCentral, ahead of flying back to Columbia, SC on Thursday. “A lot of my other punts were over five seconds, so I was really happy about that.”
To give you an idea how impressive that number is, the average NFL hang time is around 4.7 seconds.
Like NFL Combine participants, Kroeger also had a chance to speak, as well as do interviews, with teams. Kroeger informed us that while he spoke with every NFL team during his time out in Indianapolis, he specifically mentioned having good conversations with several coaches and special teams coordinators including the Tennessee Titans, Buffalo Bills, Carolina Panthers, and the Denver Broncos.
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One thing that many teams mentioned to Kroeger was the fact that he played under South Carolina special teams coordinator Joe DeCamillis. Kroeger said that many people either worked with DeCamillis or knew someone who did, because of his long and successful reputation of working in the NFL for over three decades. That, along with playing for a head coach who prioritizes special teams as much as Shane Beamer as well as time spent being coached by Pete Lembo, Kroeger said it was noticeable how positive the Gamecocks’ special teams reputation has become to those in the league.
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In addition to punting, Kroeger also had a chance to showcase his abilities as a kickoff specialist and as a holder. Teams were impressed with what he did as a holder because he was very consistent while holding for both lefty and righty kickers.
“I held for two lefties and a righty, which was a good, because it showed that I can hold on both sides,” said Kroeger. “It was rapid fire too. It went lefty, lefty, righty, back to lefty. From what I’ve heard from teams, they liked that from me.”
Kroeger said that invitees for the NFL Specialist Showcase did practically everything that those who were invited to the NFL Combine did. The only major difference was that specialists didn’t test in events such as the 40-yard dash, bench press, vertical, etc.
The two-time All-American added that he’ll be working out over these next few weeks back in Columbia ahead of South Carolina’s Pro Day on March 18.
