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There were about 20 high school football specialists at Arbor View High School Saturday working on their craft during the Champion of Vegas camp. The wind was blowing in different directions — yet, it didn’t seem to bother many of the kickers and punters at former UNLV player Nolan Kohorst’s event.
We’ve repeatedly talked about how Las Vegas has become a hotbed for college recruits, sending players to powerhouse programs such as Ohio State and USC, and welcoming recruiters from conferences in all parts of the nation. It’s no longer news because everyone stops in Las Vegas to beef-up their roster.
But what’s been lost in the evolution of talent is how good the specialists — kickers, punters and long snappers — have become. Remember the days when the kicker wore jersey No. 68 and booted extra points with his toe in between reps at offensive guard?
That’s far the case in 2017.
Gavin Wale, a rising junior punter at Coronado , is rated as the nation’s second-best punter for his graduation class by Chris Sailer (he’s the leader in evaluating specialists). It was easy to see why.
The ball booms off Wale’s foot and cuts through the wind as it was a perfect day. You don’t have to know anything about kicking to realize Wale’s elite in his craft, as he won the competition by averaging 3.74 seconds of hang time and 54.3 yards per punt.
“Punting is a major strength. He has the size, strength and athleticism to dominate this position with continued hard work,” Sailer wrote about Wale. “Already shows he can hit the big ball and punts with solid consistency.”
Wale was a soccer player through middle school before joining the Coronado football program. He’s been on the varsity since his freshman season, and coaches haven’t been afraid to call his number. He’s also ranked No. 19 nationally in place kicking.
“Before the game when we are stretching the coaches will come over and say, ‘I have every bit of confidence in you. We trust you in everything,’” Wale said.
Here’s are some other observations: Carter Andrade from Arbor View probably had the strongest leg; Dillon Feder of Liberty, who is just a rising sophomore, was arguably the most consistent; Eldorado had two kickers at the event. That program continues to improve.
Ray Brewer can be reached at 702-990-2662 or [email protected]. Follow Ray on Twitter at twitter.com/raybrewer21
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