He needs to get used to the k-ball and colder temps. That takes 15yds off if he can't adjust. Less room for error with a cold ball. Getting used the 1" tee used in the pro's will help too. Most kickers use a 2" tee thru college. Not sure if Nugent did or not.
Nuge is gonna only improve at his FGs. Kickoffs are not important, we can EASILY solve this issue by signing a kickoff specialist, or give graham a shot (like when doug brien never did kickoffs and the punter did, I can't believe I forget his name).
He probably won't, since there are pretty high expectations for a kicker chosen early in the 2nd round, but I think he will end up being solid as far as distance and accuracy are concerned, he has the tools and has demonstrated them at times. The real question is whether he can be consistant. John Hall could boot the hell out of that ball and make some amazing kicks, only to shank a 30 yarder when it mattered. The kickoffs were pretty ugly, but we drafted this guy to put points on the scoreboard.
Some of you are making WAY WAY WAY too much out of a rookie season kicking 10 of his games in Giants Stadium, Orchard Park and Gillete. Get over it. He will keep on improving and will be a Top 5 K in the NFL someday soon. Right now he's the best kicker in the AFC East as well.
Well we finished about in the middle of the pack with a rookie kicker... which is solid for his first season. As has been said, he made progress throughout the year and he'll continue to get better as he adjusts to an NFL ball. Atleast it's better then Oakland's 1st round kicker who was dead last in FG% last year...
I think we have to also be careful not to blame nugent for his draft spot. Its not fair to expect more from him than another kicker in his rookie year. You can always use nugents stats in deciding if the front office screwed up by taking him that high,but not nugent. Not sayin that if nugent ends up sucking(which theres no reason to believe) you cant kill the guy. But you cant blame him for where he was picked. I happen to think hes going to be a very solid kicker in this league.
I think we will see a very good season this year from Nugent, he has a good leg, and is now acclimated to the NFL. I think he will live up to his hype and will become a terrific K.
You cant blame Nugent himself for getting drafted in that spot but his accomplishment will always be tied to it. The one thing that is being overlooked with the comparisons to other kickers in the first post is How many of them were a 2nd rd draft pick or first pick of that team? Unfortunately if he is only as good as kickers that were udfa's or very late round draft choices then the value of Nugents draft pick was wasted.
Yeah I can't really say it was a great idea to get a kicker that early, but I'm starting to feel it's a moot point and waste of energy to dwell on players in terms of where they are drafted and how they perform. We are trying to build a perennial contender, first and foremost. You can look 95% of our picks at any point in any draft and say we could have gotten someone better, but hindsight is 20/20. I don't care if our 1st rounders turn into average players, we just need guys who can make a positive contributions on the team and make this team better. I hope that in a couple years from now when he becomes more consistent we can drop all this 2nd round nonsense and just let him play. I know some people are always going to rely on our high draft picks, but if anything its the built in pressure that comes with that type of thinking that probably makes those high draft picks as risky as any other pick later in the draft. The superior talent we perceive the higher draft picks have are sometimes offset by the added pressure/responsibility placed on there shoulders. All in All, I don't expect this guy to become the next Adam V, but IMO I think he'll still end up being the best jets kicker we've seen for quite some time.
You are right. In the end it just matters on how they play. If he gets into the position where he starts to make game winners regularly then his draft position will be forgotten.
Dead on...between that...and his weak kick offs...that has me a bit concerned...much more concerned because where he was drafted. I give him a pass this year...for a rookie..it was pretty solid...just that distance doesnt grow on trees...so its hard to see that improving much. Seems like he will eventually be a very good kicker...but wont be the boomer most of us thought coming out of the draft...at least on kick offs.
My main complaint is about field position and number of touchbacks is directly related to that. I can't find the stat you're referring to that shows the Jets as in the top 5 in starting defensive field position. I'd be very surprised if that is true (please provide link). From what I remember oppenents were starting past the 25 yard line quite a bit, and often past the 30 yard line.
And try replying to the thread as it was written. The author clearly prefaced the thread, and it is his thread, as comparing Nugent to the more notable kickers in the league, and not all the kickers in the league. Reply to the thread as it was written, if you can't don't reply. To try to twist it, just so you can't post a negative is biased and transparent. And anyway to compare Nugent to every kicker in the league is not accurate anyway. It is better to compare him to the other rookie kickers last year, or to the rookie seasons of the best kickers in the league. The best kickers in the league had sub-par rookie seasons, Vinetari, Vanderjegt, Akers, etc. So for you, or anyone else to call Nugent a bad draft pick or bust, after his rookie season is moronic and shows a lack of knowledge, considering the best kickers in the league had bad rookie seasons.
I think Nugent put out a memo stating "not to be drafted before the 7th round" but the Jets never got the memo.
