The NFL Draft 2017 is just days away, and while the spotlight will shine once again on quarterbacks and star players, inevitably a special teams player or three will get taken that greatly impacts your team's chances of winning or losing.
For every Sebastian Janikowski, there's a Russell Erxleben — so you never know exactly what you're going to get.
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While there's no safe bet when it comes to special teams players in the 2017 NFL Draft, here are a handful of kicking and punting standouts worthy of consideration.
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Zane Gonzalez, PK — Arizona State
The all-time FBS leader in field goals made hit an incredible 92% of his kicks last season and finished his college career with 96 FGs made. The 6-1, 190-pound kicker accumulated an astounding 492 points during his four years with the Sun Devils.
Some mock drafts have Gonzalez going as high as the fourth round.
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Jake Elliott, PK — Memphis
While a bit smaller than Gonzalez, the 5-9, 167-pound kicker out of Western Springs, Illinois, hit from an impressive 80% or better in three of his four years with the Tigers.
Elliott's most interesting stat line from the 2016 season? 11 points on 11 of 11 PATS with no field goal attempts in the Tigers' 77-3 thrashing of Bowling Green.
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Conrad Ukropina, PK — Stanford
Ukropina only missed one extra point in his entire career on The Farm, and his four field goals against Oregon State on November 5 and North Carolina in the Sun Bowl proved to be the difference makers.
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Matt Davis, PK — UNC Pembroke
The 6-1, 195-pound Davis hails from D2 UNC Pembroke. After going 27 for 32 in his senior season, NFL squads would be crazy to not give this kid a serious look.
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Austin Rehkow, PK/P — Idaho
The Vandals duel threat was 22 of 24 on field goals last season with a long of 50 yards. He also punted for an impressive 43.2 yards per game.
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Justin Vogel, P — Miami
Any NFL team that takes Vogel will instantly have one of the biggest punters in the league.
The 6-4, 215-pounder from Tampa, Florida, averaged 43.8 yards per boot in 2016 over 64 kicks.
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Kenny Allen, PK — Michigan
Well let Allen's stats — as posted by the kicker himself on his YouTube page — do the impressive talking.
37 of 45 (82.2%) on field goals and 99 of 99 on PATs (school record) while making the last 15 FGs of his career. A career 43.7-yard-per-boot punter, he knocked 24 punts inside the 20 yard line for yet another school record.
