Aussie top punter in NFL draft

An Australian who was named US college football's top punter is expected to be the next Aussie rules convert to play in the NFL.

Another former Australian rules footballer is set to make the jump to the NFL in the United States.

Tom Hornsey, a 191cm tall big boot from Geelong, is expected to be the first punter selected in the NFL Draft, which gets underway in New York on Thursday (11am Friday AEST).

Hornsey capped a stellar four-year stint at the University of Memphis by winning the Ray Guy Award, college football's top prize for punters.

Scouts have pointed to his "booming leg strength" and "impressive consistency when attempting to pin opponents deep in their own territory".

It will likely be a long, agonising wait for the 25-year-old, who may not be selected until the sixth or seventh round of the draft, or picked up as an undrafted free agent after the close of the draft.

The New York Jets have been named as a potential suitor.

Hornsey played in the Geelong Football League and in 2009-10 took up an invite from Nathan Chapman's ProKick Australia to try American football punting.

Last year, Australian nose tackle Jesse Williams slipped from a potential first round pick to the fifth round of the draft while the talented punter Brad Wing went undrafted, but was signed by the Philadelphia Eagles.

Williams was drafted by the eventual Super Bowl champions the Seattle Seahawks, but sat out the entire season due to injury.

Wing was cut by the Eagles, but has been signed by the Pittsburgh Steelers for the 2014/15 season.

Other Australian punters who have played in the NFL include Darren Bennett, Ben Graham, Sav Rocca and Mat McBriar.


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Source: AAP


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