Complete 2026 NFL Draft P Rankings:
You are currently viewing our punter rankings for the 2026 NFL Draft. After a solid punting class the past two drafts, can anyone in this year’s class stack up?
Our top punter prospects are selected after thousands of hours carefully scouting the most talented special teamers 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.
We’ll provide you with inside information to help you know who will be a star, who will be a bust, and which deep sleepers will shock the world.
BNB Football is the best place for in-depth analysis of 2026 NFL draft punter prospects at all levels of college football. To view other positions, follow the links below.
(Last Updated: April 22, 2025)
1. Brett Thorson, Georgia
P | 6’2″ | 235 lbs | 4th Year
Brett Thorson Preseason Scouting Report
Coming soon.
Brett Thorson 2024 Stats
42 punts, 47.6 yards per punt, 44.1 net, 22 inside 20yd, 5 touchbacks, 33.3% fair catches forced, 60 long, 78.6% no return allowed
2. Palmer Williams, Baylor
P | 6’2″ | 200 lbs | 3rd Year
Palmer Williams Preseason Scouting Report
Coming soon.
Palmer Williams 2024 Stats
43 punts, 49.3 yards per punt, 44.8 net, 15 inside 20yd, 5 touchbacks, 14% fair catches forced, 79 long, 53.5% no return allowed
3. Jack Stonehouse, Syracuse
P | 6’1″ | 195 lbs | 5th Year
Jack Stonehouse Preseason Scouting Report
Coming soon.
Jack Stonehouse 2024 Stats
33 punts, 45.7 yards per punt, 41.9 net, 11 inside 20yd, 3 touchbacks, 30.3% fair catches forced, 64 long, 60.6% no return allowed
4. Aidan Laros, Kentucky
P | 6’2″ | 210 lbs | 5th Year
Aidan Laros Preseason Scouting Report
Coming soon.
Aidan Laros 2024 Stats
32 punts, 45.4 yards per punt, 41.9 net, 11 inside 20yd, 3 touchbacks, 31.3% fair catches forced, 66 long, 68.8% no return allowed
5. Ryan Eckley, Michigan State
P | 6’2″ | 210 lbs | 4th Year
Ryan Eckley Preseason Scouting Report
Coming soon.
Ryan Eckley 2024 Stats
43 punts, 47.9 yards per punt, 41.1 net, 6 inside 20yd, 4 touchbacks, 20.9% fair catches forced, 61 long, 53.5% no return allowed
Complete 2026 NFL Draft Punter Rankings
| RANK | NAME | SCHOOL | AGE | HT | WT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brett Thorson | Georgia | 4th | 6'2" | 235 |
| 2 | Palmer Williams | Baylor | 3rd | 6'2" | 200 |
| 3 | Jack Stonehouse | Syracuse | 5th | 6'1" | 195 |
| 4 | Aidan Laros | Kentucky | 5th | 6'2" | 210 |
| 5 | Ryan Eckley | Michigan State | 4th | 6'2" | 210 |
| 6 | Jack Bouwmeester | Texas | 7th | 6'3" | 210 |
| 7 | Caden Noonkester | NC State | 5th | 6'6" | 215 |
| 8 | Logan Lupo | Florida Atlantic | 7th | 6'0" | 190 |
| 9 | Etham Craw | TCU | 4th | 6'3" | 220 |
| 10 | Wes Pahl | Oklahoma State | 6th | 6'5" | 205 |
| 11 | Daniel Sparks | Virginia | 6th | 6'6" | 215 |
MORE NFL DRAFT RANKINGS
Traits That Make a Punter Prospect Great
Punter is one of my favorite positions to scout because you get plenty of reps to evaluate. But there’s a lot more to being a punter than just kicking the ball far. Other than distance, you should consider hang time, speed to kick, placement near the end zone, and consistency when scouting the top punter prospects.
Some of the factors we consider when scouting are included below.
Leg Strength
Most importantly, draft eligible punters need to have a very strong leg. Keep in mind that leg strength is a lot more than just having a high punting average, you also need to translate that strength into hang time to prevent returns and avoid outkicking your coverage.
Placement
The best punter prospects are effective with directional punts, able to consistently down the ball inside the 20 yard line, and avoid touchbacks. They need to punt within the system and have good overall accuracy and consistency.
Technique
A lot of college punters use a rugby style, but that doesn’t really fly in the NFL. Future NFL punters need to have a clean, consistent technique to generate power and hang time. They also need to get the punt off incredibly fast to avoid getting blocked.
Holding
It might not be glamorous, but punters are almost always the holder on field goals and extra points. If your punter doesn’t cleanly catch and place the ball, your kicker will struggle. It might not be the hardest part of the job, but some players are significantly better than others.
2026 Punter Draft Prospects FAQs
Who is the best punter in the 2026 NFL Draft?
Brett Thorson from Georgia is heavily favored to be the first punter selected in the 2026 NFL Draft. Despite being a few years older than an average prospect, Thorson has a cannon for a leg that you rarely ever see at the college level.
How good is the punter draft class in 2026?
The 2026 punter class is pretty average. It is boosted by having a great player at the top, but most of the next best players don’t get enough hang time for the NFL and will need to force more fair catches before getting a shot at the NFL.
