2023 NFL Draft – Kicker Rankings

Complete NFL Draft Rankings – K:

You are currently viewing the best kickers in the 2023 NFL Draft. Our top kicker prospects are selected after thousands of hours carefully scouting the best place kickers in college football. Even though no more than 3 will get selected in the draft, several more are signed as free agents, and many more receive a training camp invite. Find who might be worthy of a draft pick, and who is nothing more than a training camp body. Find draft sleepers, draft stars, who will be a bust, and who is being undervalued.

BNB Football is the best place for in-depth analysis of 2023 kicker prospects at all levels of college football. To view other positions, follow the links below.

(Last Updated: April 25, 2023)

2023:  | QB | WR | RB | FB | TE | OT | G | C | DT | EDGE | ILB | S | CB | K | P | LS | OVERALL |

Chad Ryland has one of the smoothest kicking motions you’ll find, with excellent control on his kicks, good leg strength, and fairly trustworthy kickoff abilities. The Eastern Michigan transfer was 5 year starter in college, and made over 80% of his field goals in each of his final 3 seasons. Unlike some other kickers, Ryland was fully trusted on deep kicks. His 19-of-23 field goal rate is solid, but it looks much better when you notice that only 2 of those attempts were from inside of 30 yards. Ryland has always had a big leg, and showed it at Kohl’s Kicking Camps recently with a make from as deep as 66 yards away. His improved accuracy in recent years has turned him into a legitimate NFL prospect.

2022 Stats

39/40 extra points, 19/23 field goals, 2/2 inside 30 yards, 7/7 from 30-39 yards, 7/8 from 40-49 yards, 3/6 from 50+ yards, long of 53, 70% touchback rate

Jake Moody is a 5 year starter for one of the best programs in college football, and was very reliable in his career with an 82% success rate on field goals. Moody won the 2021 Lou Groza Award while making 23 of 25 kicks, before leading college football with 29 made field goals this past year. Moody also connected on one of the most impressive field goals in college football history, a 59 yarder in the college football playoffs semifinals against TCU. Moody has kicked in just about every situation, and has shown both the leg strength and accuracy to make it as an NFL kicker.

2022 Stats

60/60 extra points, 29/35 field goals, 9/10 inside 30 yards, 10/10 from 30-39 yards, 7/8 from 40-49 yards, 3/7 from 50+ yards, long of 59, 67% touchback rate

Jack Podlesny had a rough finish to his Georgia career, but his consistency during his 3 years as a starter was very important to Georgia’s success. Podlesny made over 80% of his field goal attempts every season, and has shown his on the kickoff unit that he has plenty of leg strength despite a season long of just 50 yards. One important note for Podlesny is the degree of difficulty on his kicks was quite low, as 23 of his 26 makes were from inside of 40 yards. Still, he has kicked in the toughest of environments, had a very consistent career, and has plenty of leg strength that isn’t shown on the stat sheet.

2022 Stats

73/74 extra points, 26/31 field goals, 12/12 inside 30 yards, 11/11 from 30-39 yards, 2/5 from 40-49 yards, 1/3 from 50+ yards, long of 50, 65% touchback rate

Gavin Baechle is a major sleeper at the placekicker position. The 5 year starter is one of the best kickoff specialists in the nation, and was among the best in college football as a placekicker this year, making 22 of his 24 field goal attempts. He was 9-of-11 from 40+, including a long of 54 yards. Baechle has shown poise in key scenarios, and has clean mechanics that result in plenty of elevation and control of his kicks. Baechle led the Conference USA in just about every category this year en route to winning the conference’s Special Teams Player of the Year award, and his balanced style should bode well to the NFL.

2022 Stats

31/31 extra points, 22/24 field goals, 9/9 inside 30 yards, 4/4 from 30-39 yards, 7/8 from 40-49 yards, 2/3 from 50+ yards, long of 54, 63% touchback rate

Andre Szmyt was a rare early bloomer at the kicker spot, winning the Lou Groza award and becoming a unanimous All-American as a redshirt freshman back in 2018. That year, Groza led college football with a ridiculous 30 made field goals, while converting on 88% of his attempts and having a long field goal of 54. He’s never put up another season like that, but opportunity has been one of the biggest factors. The 5 year starter made 20 of 26 attempts this year, but the tape is where you see the potential. Szymt has a quick windup to the ball and gets great elevation, assisting in his 0 blocked kicks throughout his career. An unexpected problem for Szmyt is his lack of success as a kickoff specialist. Only one year has he been the primary KOS (2021), and it wasn’t a great performance.

2022 Stats

40/40 extra points, 20/26 field goals, 8/8 inside 30 yards, 5/6 from 30-39 yards, 5/8 from 40-49 yards, 2/4 from 50+ yards, long of 54, 0% touchback rate (few kickoffs)

Complete 2023 K draft rankings

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2023:  | QB | WR | RB | FB | TE | OT | G | C | DT | EDGE | ILB | S | CB | K | P | LS | OVERALL |

Just like the other specialist positions, I don’t see anyone in the 2023 kicker draft class that is a can’t miss prospect. No one looks like a lock to be drafted, with little separation from the guys at the top of the class. A ton of the top programs in college football are sending their long-time kickers to the draft this year, including Jake Moody (Michigan), Jack Podlesny (Georgia), BT Potter (Clemson), and Noah Ruggles (Ohio State), among others. These guys have the added benefit of having kicked in the most stressful of situations, but did it to very mixed results. The NFL always seems to have a hard time determining who they like best, as they invited 6 place kickers to the combine this year. Usually only 2-4 get an invite.