2008 CFN All-Americans & Top Players - PKs

CFN 2008 All-Americans and Top 25 Players - Placekickers

2008 CFN All-Americans

Kickers

CFN 2008 All-Americans and Top 25 Players
2008 Preview | Quarterbacks | Running Backs | Wide Receivers
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Safeties | Punters | Kick Returners

2008 CFN Preseason First Team All-American

Preseason Top 25 Kickers
1. Austin Starr, Sr. Indiana
2. Sam Swank, Sr. Wake Forest
3. Louie Sakoda, Sr. Utah
4. Jeff Wolfert, Sr. Missouri
5. Thomas Weber, Soph. Arizona St
6. Kai Forbath, Soph. UCLA
7. Ryan Bailey, Sr. Texas
8. Conor Lee, Sr. Pitt
9. Obi Egekeze, Sr. Maryland
10. Jason Bondzio, Sr. Arizona
11. Kevin Kelly, Sr. Penn State
12. Tony Ciaravino, Sr. Connecticut
13. Kyle Brotzman, Soph. Boise St
14. Igor Ivelijic, Soph. Akron
15. Pat McAfee, Sr. West Virginia
16. Swayze Waters, Sr. UAB
17. Jose Martinez, Sr. UTEP
18. Brett Jaekle, Sr. Nevada
19. Brooks Rossman, Sr. Kan State
20. Dan Kelly, Sr. Hawaii
21. Drew Edmiston, Sr. UL Laf.
22. Ryan Succop, Sr. South Car.
23. Sinisa Vrvilo, Sr. Bowling Green
24. Ryan Harrison, Sr. Air Force
25. Alex Steigerwald, Jr. Toledo

Austin Starr, Sr. Indiana
Starr has gone from good to Lou Groza Award great. The 6-3, 204 pounder nailed 12 of 15 field goals as a sophomore, and then connected on 21 of 23 kicks last year including 11 of 12 from 40-to-49 yards. He has the leg to start getting some chances from beyond 50.

2008 CFN Preseason Second Team All-American

Sam Swank, Sr. Wake Forest
A starter since his freshman season, he’s a dead-on kicker who can also connect from long range with accuracy. The nation’s active leader in field goals, he’s 60-of-76 for his career including 9-of-12 from beyond 50 yards. As a punter, however, Swank has been sub par, averaging less than 40 yards a year ago and getting one blocked.

2008 CFN Honorable Mention All-Americans
(in alphabetical order)

Ryan Bailey, Sr. Texas
Bailey went from a nice, steady prospect to a major-league placekicker with NFL potential nailing 18 of 22 field goals including an impressive eight of 10 from beyond 40 yards. He missed two short-range shots, but he showed off the consistent big leg that'll allow the coaching staff to count on him anytime the offense gets around the 35 and in.

Jason Bondzio, Sr. Arizona
Bondzio proved he learned something as Nick Folk’s understudy, nailing 21-of-26 field goal attempts and showing off better leg strength than expected.  Only 5-9 and 165 pounds, he was 8-of-10 outside 40 yards and almost one-third of his kickoffs couldn’t be returned. 

Obi Egekeze, Sr. Maryland
Egekeze nailed 17-of-23 field goal attempts, missing just one in ACC play and showing off above average leg strength. 

Kai Forbath, Soph. UCLA
Forbath was brilliant in his first season replacing All-American Justin Medlock, connecting on 25-of-30 field goal attempts, including 5-of-5 outside 50 yards. A future All-America candidate himself, he gives way on kickoffs to junior Jimmy Rotstein, who has a slightly stronger leg.

Conor Lee, Sr. Pitt
Lee is the jewel of the Pittsburgh special teams, a laser-straight kicker who’s rarely off target. Entering his third-year as the regular, he’s nailed 30-of-36 career field goals and all 75 of his extra points. While the 5-11, 195-pounder is virtually automatic on the intermediate kicks, the Panthers have never asked him to make an attempt beyond 50 yards.

Louie Sakoda, Sr. Utah
Sakoda is a special player who'll be the difference in at least two games this year. As a punter he averaged an excellent 44.3 yards per kick and dropped a ridiculous 28 inside the 20 while forcing 23 fair catches. As a field goal kicker, he nailed 19 of 22 shots with all three of his misses coming from beyond 40 yards. He has the leg to hit from deep, nailing a 51-yarder last season, and he connected on ten of 13 from beyond the 40. He's one of the nation's most accurate all-around kickers and he'll be a weapon once again. He's a rare candidate for both the Ray Guy and Lou Groza awards.

Thomas Weber, Soph. Arizona State
If he keeps this up, Weber will go down as the best Sun Devil to ever walk on to the program. In his freshman debut, he nailed 24-of-25 field goal attempts, earning All-America recognition and winning the Lou Groza Award. More than just accurate, Weber also displayed a big leg, hitting both of his attempts beyond 50 yards and averaging 64 yards on kickoffs. 

Jeff Wolfert, Sr. Missouri
The already potent offense has yet another weapon in Wolfert, who nailed 18 of 20 field goals in 2006 and 21 of 25 last season. He's not just consistent, he's long hitting eight of 12 from beyond 40 yards over the last two seasons. While he's a candidate for the Lou Groza Award and is ultra-reliable, he has a limit of about 48 yards. What makes his success all the more remarkable is his background. A former walk-on, Wolfert came to Mizzou as a diver.