Top 5 specialists in the NFL Draft

In the NFL there are many special teams that are looking to create many special plays for all of their new special players.

We will focus on the latter of those three heading into the draft weekend.

Here are my top 5 specialists in this year's 2024 NFL Draft.

5. Ainias Smith, Texas A&M, 5-foot-9, 190 pounds, WR

Many teams are going to be in the market for a kick returner with the new kickoff rules for next season. Smith fits the bill to be a great prospect for NFL teams that need to fill that returner hole.

Over his total career at A&M, Smith has two punt return touchdowns and has been an explosive and dynamic threat every time he gets the ball.

He may not be super tall at 5-foot-9, but Smith has the potential to be an instant impact player as a returner for a good team in the NHL.

4. Harrison Mevis, Missouri, 5-foot-11, 243 pounds, K

A similar size to the former Steelers punter Pressley Harvin III, Mevins has the ability to be a day-one starter for a team that needs a new punter.

In his career at Mizzou, Mevis only missed one extra point in the SEC and was a consistent 80% field goal kicker throughout the duration of his career for the Tigers.

Even if Mevis is not drafted because it is rare for kickers to even get drafted, Mevis is too good for teams to not pick him up as an undrafted free agent.

The standout at Missouri should draw lots of attention in this draft because of his explosive leg.

3. Joshua Karty, Stanford, 6-foot-3, 205 pounds, K

Even though Will Reichard will get more attention during the draft for his many points in college, I believe that Mevis and Karty are both better than the Alabama standout.

For Karty specifically, his longest kick of 61 yards proves that he has the range to kick long-field goals in the NFL. He has made 41-45 field goals in the past two seasons for Stanford and continued to improve year in and year out.

Karty also has one of the stronger kickoff legs in the draft, resulting in lots of touchbacks in college that will translate to the NFL.

With new kickoff rules for the 2024 season, teams need to rely on kickers to be good at getting touchbacks and kicking field goals with extra points.

2. Lideatrick Griffin, Mississippi State, 5-foot-10, 181 pounds, WR

The fact that a returner is so high on my list of specialists shows exactly why the position is of growing importance. Griffin was a nightmare as a returner in the SEC, and he looks to be just as dangerous at the next level.

Griffin’s stats at the combine show that he has a ton of potential. He ran a 4.43-second 40-yard dash and showed tons of speed.

Another interesting tidbit to know about Griffin is he averaged 30.4 career yards per kickoff return, which was second in SEC history.

Any team that is looking for a barnburner at both receiver and returner will most certainly turn into one of the best returners the SEC has ever seen.

1. Tory Taylor, Iowa, 6-foot-4, 223 pounds, P

There are fans that went to Iowa football games wearing shirts that supported the punter reading, “Punting is Winning”. If that doesn’t tell the story, then I don't know what does.

Taylor was easily Iowa’s best option on offense last season with an NCAA record 43 career games averaging at least 40 yards per punt.

What’s even crazier is that of his 295 total punts in his career, 129 of them landed within the 20-yard line.

Taylor is easily the best specialist in this draft, and it is not particularly close at all.

Giustino Racchini is a first-year majoring in broadcast journalism. To contact him please email him at gar5448@psu.edu.