In the late stages of the NFL Draft, teams are just searching for depth and players with high ceilings. It’s also a spot where special teamers start coming off the board. That’s exactly what the Baltimore Ravens did with their sixth-round pick at No. 211, drafting punter Ryan Eckley from Michigan State.
Punter was among Baltimore’s top needs. In the eyes of the fanbase, center was undoubtedly the top hole to fill on Day 3, but it seems the front office has neglected to address that area in the draft. They had to address punter after losing Jordan Stout in free agency, though, and get the 2025 Big Ten Punter of the Year in Eckley.
Fans know how this could go down in his rookie campaign, assuming he wins the job ahead of the regular season. It took Stout until his fourth year to truly break out. They’re right back to square one with Eckley, and he comes in with a clear concern: hang time.
Baltimore Ravens draft punter prospect with one clear and obvious flaw
Hopefully, Eckley can come somewhere close to Stout’s production last year. The newly signed New York Giant was a Pro Bowler and earned First-Team All-Pro honors, and was really an underrated piece who helped keep Baltimore’s season alive until Week 18. He did everything he could to give an abysmal defense a chance by pinning opposing offenses deep time and time again. Clearly, Eckley has some big shoes to fill.
Eckley is a very good punter. He has the power needed to bring booming punts to the NFL, as he posted an impressive 48.5 yards per punt last season. He also brings some nice touch from short fields. However, he falls behind in the touch department. He kicks more of a line drive at times, rather than a lofty punt.
If Eckley wants to be that guy who can be called upon to flip the field with a statement-making punt, then he must must must improve his hang time. According to NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein, his two biggest flaws are consistently posting bad hang time numbers throughout his collegiate career and also outkicking his own coverage unit. Those go hand in hand, and it’s crucial for him to figure that out before going up against pro-level competition.
In the NFL, it’s a game of inches. While punting usually takes the backseat behind nearly every other position, it plays a huge role in how the opposing offense operates. A good punt that drops inside the 20 can make an offense feel uncomfortable, backed up against their own goal line. On the other hand, a bad punt, specifically one that doesn’t hang in there and give gunners the time to get downfield, can be detrimental.
Returners can, and will, do damage. If Eckley continues to fall behind with bad hang time numbers, opponents are going to take advantage of that. They could set up shop for the offense in tremendous territory, or even worse, take the ball back the other way for six. His development will be more important than some may realize.
At the end of the day, it's a good pick, getting one of the best punters in the nation, but Eckley will have some work to do.
Add us as a preferred source on Google