It’s not often a kicker gets drafted as high as the second round, but that’s exactly what happened in this year’s draft. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers selected Roberto Aguayo in the second round out of Florida State, which is almost unheard of for that position.
Most NFL analysts criticized the decision to draft a kicker that high. The 22-year-old Mexican kicker has had quite an up and down season for the Buccaneers so far.
After nine games of play this season, Aguayo has successfully made nine of his 14 field goal attempts, just 64.3 percent. That’s hardly living up to second round expectations, and furthermore Aguayo has also missed two extra points. Aguayo has been perfect with kicks under 30 yards, but his distance kicking has been put to the test. Dealing with kicks over 40 yards, Aguayo is a disappointing two for six.
The only kickers in the league with more missed field goals so far are Sebastian Janikowski and Wil Lutz, who have each missed six.
Being a rookie and adapting from the college game to the NFL is no joke, even for a kicker. When a kicker loses his confidence, they can be in big trouble; just ask former Minnesota Vikings kicker Blair Walsh.
Aguayo didn’t get off to a promising start at all making just one field goal in his first four games, but he has shown signs of improvement. He hasn’t missed a field goal since Oct. 23 against the San Francisco 49ers, but again, extra points are still a struggle and there’s just no excuse for that. In Aguayo’s last game, he was a perfect 6-for-6 nailing every field goal and extra point attempt against the Chicago Bears.
Although kickers don’t get as much shine and attention as other positons, the fact of the matter is the Buccaneers need the very best from Aguayo going forward.
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