2013 College Football Preseason Rankings: Top 5 Punters – Richie Leone the Best

2013 College Football Preseason Rankings: Top 5 Punters – Richie Leone the Best: If you make a hierarchy of positions in college football based on importance, it is safe to say that punter would be on the bottom. After all, the place kicker at least puts points on the board. While punter may not be high on the priority list of any team, the position can certainly contribute to the success of a team. A strong punter can bail out the offense after it fails to move the ball by swinging field position. They can also set up the defense to make a bug play by forcing an opponent to start deep in their own territory. Not to mention the fact that in close games, a good punt late in the game can be crucial to deciding the outcome. While punters are forever going to be underappreciated, they can be a vital part of a football team. With that in mind, here is a closer look at the top punters in college football heading into the 2013 season.

1.      Richie Leone, Houston Cougars

In terms of pure power, few punters can rival the leg of Houston’s Leone. He averaged 45.5 yards per punt last year over 60 punts, and the lofty average doesn’t even do justice to his cannon of a leg. Leone had 20 punts travel more than 50 yards, and he had at least one punt of more than 60 yards in five separate games. Although the Cougars’ offense has been able to put up plenty of points in recent years, it is still nice to know that Leone is waiting to completely swing field position of the offense does stall.

2.      Kyle Christy, Florida Gators

While Florida’s special teams is regarded as one of the best in the country in large part because of its ability to put points on the board, Christy is the unsung hero of the unit. The Gators have been winning with defense since Will Muschamp has become coach, and Christy’s ability to pin opponents deep and swing field position after one of the offense’s frequent three-and-outs. His 45.8 average last season was also a school record, and given Florida’s current recipe for winning, there couldn’t have been a better time to land a punter of Christy’s caliber.

3.      Will Monday, Duke Blue Devils

Considering Monday was the First-Team All-ACC punter as a freshman last year, it is safe to say that he has a bright future ahead of him. His 44.6 average last season was solid by any punter’s standards, and he is likely only going to get stronger as he hits the weight room and gets some more collegiate experience under his belt. Even if he just repeats his freshman campaign in each of the next three years, the Blue Devils certainly won’t complain.

4.      Mike Sadler, Michigan State Spartans

For a team like Michigan State that seems to play nothing but close games, Sadler is a legitimate weapon. While his 43.3 average is solid but not spectacular, he is one of the best in the business when it comes to placing punts inside opponent’s 20-yard line. For a team like Michigan State that relies heavily on its defense to win games, controlling field position is crucial. Sadler allows the Spartans to do just that whether he is pinning an opponent deep or bailing out the offense after a stagnant possession.

5.      Darragh O’Neill, Colorado Buffaloes

The Buffaloes are one of the worst teams in the country, but give O’Neill credit for doing his job. After punting 74 times in 2012, he actually had to punt even more last year. Still, he managed a respectable 43.5 average over 76 punts and topped 50 yards on a punt in nine of Colorado’s 12 games. Not to mention the fact that he was forced to punt at least eight times in one game on five separate occasions. If the Buffaloes’ defense could actually stop someone, O’Neill’s consistency would be even more valuable. As it stands, he will have to settle for being one of the few bright spots on an awful team.

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