Five 2023 Specialists to Watch

<span style="font-size: 10pt;">Over the past month or so, I have been diving into the upcoming senior class in the state of Kentucky. So far, the focus has been on the top players on the offensive and defensive sides of the ball. However, as we all know, there are three phases to the game of football. The third phase, special teams, may not get the same amount of love as the other two but can win or lose games. With that in mind, here are five specialists that give their teams a better chance of winning on Friday nights and can continue to do the same on Saturdays.</span> <strong>Jacob Baker</strong>| 6’3", 200 lbs.| Corbin High School|<a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/9576661/61de533090f9730f78eaeef6"> Junior Year Film</a> <span style="font-size: 10pt;">Jacob Baker has had an outstanding career as a kicker so far at Corbin. He has received All-State and All-Region recognition as a kicker in each of his three high school seasons. Baker is also currently listed as a 5-Star kicker and received a Ray Guy All-American selection. The biggest thing that sticks out in his game is the insane amount of power that he kicks with. Baker is a touchback machine on kickoffs and also shows off his leg strength on field goals. Last season, he set a new school record hitting a 51-yard field goal. He also shows great composure with pressure coming at him as he is able to knock down field goals with defenders diving at him with ease. Baker also gets the job done in the classroom as he holds a 4.0 GPA. Just this week, Baker received his first offer from Eastern Kentucky and I expect more to follow as he is a Division I caliber kicker that should even receive attention from some Power Five schools.</span> <strong>Sawyer Ford</strong>| 5’9", 160 lbs.| Woodford County High School| <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/9762997/61a2896dda518c0518129059">Junior Year Film</a> <span style="font-size: 10pt;">Ford is a very under the radar kicker that should receive a lot more attention than he gets. He is coming off a strong junior season in which he helped take the Yellow Jackets to the state semifinals, finishing with 54 total points scored, a 40-yard punt average, and 23 kickoffs for touchbacks. Ford also provides value in the classroom as he has a 4.0 GPA and scored a 28 on the ACT. He has one of the stronger legs I’ve watched in this class, connecting on longer field goals with ease and showing the ability to get solid hang time on kickoffs and punts. Ford also does a great job of using control on his punts to pin his opponents inside the ten on many occasions. When the game is on the line, Ford has shown that he can handle the pressure and make game-winning field goals. Off the field, he also runs track. While he doesn’t have any current offers, college coaches should be put on notice as Ford has the ability to be a very reliable kicker at the next level.</span> <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="331704" first="Will" last="Boehm"]</strong>| 6’2", 165 lbs.| Ballard High School| <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/14429150/619463ee02b31b09d425b83a">Junior Year Film</a> <span style="font-size: 10pt;">Sticking to the trend of under the radar kickers, Boehm is a player that stood out to me. He gets the job done both on and off the field as he is rated as a 3.5-Star Kohl’s Kicker and holds a 4.1 GPA. Last season, he showed his reliability, hitting 7/8 field goals and 38/40 PATs. He is also a very good kickoff specialist, showing the ability to kick the ball out of the back of the end zone. Boehm finished his junior year with eight touchbacks on kickoffs. He currently holds an NAIA offer from Thomas More University and I believe more of those offers will come as Boehm has the ability to go to a smaller college/university and thrive as their starting kicker.</span> <strong>Max DeGraff</strong>| 5’11", 155 lbs.| Lexington Catholic High School| <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/11269512/621180d790f9dd09bcbcd048">Junior Year Film</a> <span style="font-size: 10pt;">DeGraff is a specialist that is very reliable in all three aspects, which include placekicking, punting, and kickoffs. He is currently listed as a 4.5-Star Kicker and a 4-Star Punter by Kohl’s Kicking. DeGraff has a very strong leg combined with impressive accuracy as he hits field goals from 40+ yards very frequently. He also thrives under pressure with the ability to hit game-winning field goals and also make kicks with defenders in his face. When there is a bad snap on punts, DeGraff does an outstanding job of adjusting and getting away from the defense to kick the ball away. He also shows great control of the ball with the ability to pin his opponent inside the ten on his punts. DeGraff also thrives in onside kick situations, putting great bounce on the ball and perfect placement for his teammates to go get it. While he is at his best kicking the ball, DeGraff is a true athlete as he also gets some reps at wide receiver and is a key piece of the Knights’ baseball team. While he doesn’t hold any official offers yet, DeGraff has received a ton of college interest and I expect offers to come as he is a true Division I talent at kicker.</span> <strong>Lance Gossett|</strong> 6’1", 205 lbs.| Louisville Male High School| <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/12829155/614968bc0428dc1534d291a0">Junior Year Film</a> <span style="font-size: 10pt;">Gossett is yet another Male Bulldog that has stood out to me this summer as a college prospect. The 4.5-Star Kohl’s Kicker/Punter had a strong junior campaign finishing the season 5/5 on field goals and 64/71 on PATS. On field goals, he does a great job of following through with power on his kicks while maintaining his accuracy. He also shows off a strong leg on kickoffs with 14 touchbacks last season and has the power to pin his opponents as a punter as well. Gossett also has great placement on onside kicks, giving his teammates a chance to get to the ball. He has yet to receive his first official offer but Gossett has already received some college interest and will have plenty of eyes on him this season as Male is always a contender to be in the 6A State Championship Game. </span> &nbsp;