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dcb11 · 04-29-07, 05:46 PM

Copyright NFLDraftScout.com, distributed by The Sports Xchange

OVERVIEW
Sepulveda has been one of the most consistent punters in college football history, so it was only fitting that he became the first two-time winner of the Ray Guy Award, given to the top punter in the nation. He earned the award as a sophomore in 2004 and was selected again after the 2006 season.

Sepulveda joins Mike Singletary (Davey O'Brien Award; 1979, 1980) as the only Baylor players to win a national award twice. Thomas Everett (Jim Thorpe Award; 1986) was Baylor's only other national award recipient.

Sepulveda is one of only 13 players in NCAA Division I history to earn a major national award twice. He is the first to do so in non-consecutive seasons. His career punting average (45.24 yards per punt) is the best in the history of Division I football for players with at least 250 punts. He also established an NCAA record with 94 career punts of 50-plus yards.

At Highland Park High School, Sepulveda battled through injuries while earning second-team academic all-state honors as a senior linebacker. The team posted a 22-3 record in his final two seasons, as he helped the Scots advance to the quarterfinals of the playoffs and capture a district title his final year. He was a National Honor Society member and competed on the school's track team.

After he was not recruited out of high school, Sepulveda enrolled at Baylor and joined the team as a walk-on outside linebacker. He competed on the scout team at that position in 2002, but despite not handling any punting duties since his junior high school days, he took over those duties for Baylor in 2003. He earned first-team All-Big 12 Conference honors from College Football News and second-team recognition from league coaches, in addition to being selected first-team Academic All-Big 12.

That year, he set a school single-season record with 26 punts of 50 yards or longer. He ranked 23rd in the nation with 87 punts for 3,750 yards (43.1 avg.), including 23 kicks that were downed inside the 20-yard line. However, he did have four of his attempts blocked and teams averaged 11.0 yards per return against the Bears.

In 2004, Sepulveda earned Ray Guy Award honors as he ranked third in the nation with a 45.97-yard average on 62 punts totaling 2,850 yards. He had 26 of his attempts downed inside the 20-yard line and opponents managed just 217 yards on 23 returns as the Bears finished fifth nationally with a 40.56-yard net average.

Sepulveda became only the sixth two-time All-American in school history and first since free safety Thomas Everett in 1985 and 1986 after ranking second in the Big 12 and third in the nation with a 46.18-yard punting average, kicking 62 times for 2,863 yards in 2005. That figure also ranked as the second-best single-season average in Baylor history. Nineteen of his punts were for 50 yards or longer, as he had 13 attempts downed inside the 20-yard line. The Bears finished 16th nationally with a 36.78-net yard average.

As a senior, Sepulveda became a consensus All-American and two-time Ray Guy Award recipient. He led the nation in punting with an average of 46.48 yards, the highest single-season average in school history. Baylor ranked third nationally in net punting at 39.01 yards per punt. Baylor opponents started no better than their own 20-yard line on 52 percent of Sepulveda's punts (34 of 66), including 26 punts inside the 20 (39 percent) and eight inside the 10 (12 percent). He also had 25 of his attempts gain 50 yards or longer.

In 45 games as the team's punter, Sepulveda had 277 attempts for 12,531 yards (45.24 avg.), with four blocked. Thirty-nine of his punts were touchbacks and 82 were downed inside the 20-yard line. He had 94 gain at least 50 yards, including 21 from 60 yards out, with a career-long of 78 yards.
ANALYSIS

Positives: Former linebacker, and looks the part with good chest thickness, muscular arms, tight waist, tapered thighs and calves … Has excellent leg strength to kick the ball for good distance … Good coverage support specialist who has excellent quickness to get down field ands prevent the long return … Shows very good leg extension and overall body flexibility … Has large, soft and natural hands, making proper adjustments to the off-target snap … Holds for placements and field goals … Adjusts to pressure well and can improvise when his protection breaks down … Three-step kicker with an average of 1.21 in his touch-to-toe mechanics … Gets very good rise and turnover behind his kicks … Strikes the ball with power, but needs to improve the height on his kicks (prone to long drives) … Has solid control with good hang time (4.2 second average) and is efficient at getting the ball to bounce right in order for the coverage team to get down field and keep the ball inside the 20-yard line … Shows accuracy placing his attempts near the sticks and is a mentally tough sort who is not afraid to run with the ball … Shows functional aggression getting downfield to lend support for the coverage unit … Has good lower body flexibility and hip rotation with flexibility in his ball release … Well-coordinated and shows solid control and mechanics in attempts to angle his kicks … Shows good hand mechanics fielding the ball and getting it ready for the place-kicker while serving as a holder.

Negatives: Has all the intangibles, but will on occasion kick across his body, causing his ball position to be off a little bit … Tends to rush his kicks at times when pressured, losing his adequate height and causing the coverage unit to not be in position to prevent the return … Relies too much on his leg strength and will punish the ball, causing him to out-kick his coverage unit … Needs to show better leg extension and toe direction in his kicks (sometimes goes off the side of the foot) … Hang times are just adequate, as he has the leg strength, but fails to generate consistent trajectory.

Compares To: DAVE ZASTUDIL-Cleveland … Sepulveda is a fine athlete who just happens to have a strong kicking leg. He is a former linebacker who should do well on the coverage unit at the next level. He has the leg strength to launch rockets off his leg, but needs to improve the trajectory on some of his kicks, as he will hit line drives on more than a few occasions, resulting in the coverage team not being set up to prevent the long return. You can teach a player how to angle his punts, and with a little technique refinement he should replace a veteran punter in the NFL next year.

INJURY REPORT
2006: Tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right (non-kicking) knee during a pick-up basketball game over the Easter holiday weekend, and underwent successful surgery April 27 to repair the damage.

AGILITY TESTS
Campus: 4.41 in the 40-yard dash (wind-aided) … 4.57 40-yard dash (against the wind) … 335-pound bench press … 331-pound power clean … 31-inch vertical jump … 31¾-inch arm length … 9 7/8-inch hands … Left-footed conventional style kicker … Right-handed … Wears contacts.

HIGH SCHOOL
Attended Highland Park (Dallas, Tex.) High School, playing football for head coach Randy Allen … Battled through injuries while earning second-team academic All-State honors as a senior linebacker … The team posted a 22-3 in his last two seasons, as he helped the Scots advance to the quarterfinals of the playoffs and capture a district title his final year … National Honor Society member and competed on the school's track team.

PERSONAL
Accounting major, earning Academic All-Big 12 Conference honors four times and Academic All-American recognition three times … Brother of former Baylor linebacker Stephen Sepulveda (2000-03) … Son of Susan and Carlos Sepulveda … Born Daniel Wade Sepulveda on Jan. 12, 1984 in Austin, Texas … Resides in Dallas, Texas.

04-29-07, 05:46 PM	#5 (permalink)
dcb11 SCI Member Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Happy Valley,Pa Posts: 952	Daniel Sepulveda Copyright NFLDraftScout.com, distributed by The Sports Xchange OVERVIEW Sepulveda has been one of the most consistent punters in college football history, so it was only fitting that he became the first two-time winner of the Ray Guy Award, given to the top punter in the nation. He earned the award as a sophomore in 2004 and was selected again after the 2006 season. Sepulveda joins Mike Singletary (Davey O'Brien Award; 1979, 1980) as the only Baylor players to win a national award twice. Thomas Everett (Jim Thorpe Award; 1986) was Baylor's only other national award recipient. Sepulveda is one of only 13 players in NCAA Division I history to earn a major national award twice. He is the first to do so in non-consecutive seasons. His career punting average (45.24 yards per punt) is the best in the history of Division I football for players with at least 250 punts. He also established an NCAA record with 94 career punts of 50-plus yards. At Highland Park High School, Sepulveda battled through injuries while earning second-team academic all-state honors as a senior linebacker. The team posted a 22-3 record in his final two seasons, as he helped the Scots advance to the quarterfinals of the playoffs and capture a district title his final year. He was a National Honor Society member and competed on the school's track team. After he was not recruited out of high school, Sepulveda enrolled at Baylor and joined the team as a walk-on outside linebacker. He competed on the scout team at that position in 2002, but despite not handling any punting duties since his junior high school days, he took over those duties for Baylor in 2003. He earned first-team All-Big 12 Conference honors from College Football News and second-team recognition from league coaches, in addition to being selected first-team Academic All-Big 12. That year, he set a school single-season record with 26 punts of 50 yards or longer. He ranked 23rd in the nation with 87 punts for 3,750 yards (43.1 avg.), including 23 kicks that were downed inside the 20-yard line. However, he did have four of his attempts blocked and teams averaged 11.0 yards per return against the Bears. In 2004, Sepulveda earned Ray Guy Award honors as he ranked third in the nation with a 45.97-yard average on 62 punts totaling 2,850 yards. He had 26 of his attempts downed inside the 20-yard line and opponents managed just 217 yards on 23 returns as the Bears finished fifth nationally with a 40.56-yard net average. Sepulveda became only the sixth two-time All-American in school history and first since free safety Thomas Everett in 1985 and 1986 after ranking second in the Big 12 and third in the nation with a 46.18-yard punting average, kicking 62 times for 2,863 yards in 2005. That figure also ranked as the second-best single-season average in Baylor history. Nineteen of his punts were for 50 yards or longer, as he had 13 attempts downed inside the 20-yard line. The Bears finished 16th nationally with a 36.78-net yard average. As a senior, Sepulveda became a consensus All-American and two-time Ray Guy Award recipient. He led the nation in punting with an average of 46.48 yards, the highest single-season average in school history. Baylor ranked third nationally in net punting at 39.01 yards per punt. Baylor opponents started no better than their own 20-yard line on 52 percent of Sepulveda's punts (34 of 66), including 26 punts inside the 20 (39 percent) and eight inside the 10 (12 percent). He also had 25 of his attempts gain 50 yards or longer. In 45 games as the team's punter, Sepulveda had 277 attempts for 12,531 yards (45.24 avg.), with four blocked. Thirty-nine of his punts were touchbacks and 82 were downed inside the 20-yard line. He had 94 gain at least 50 yards, including 21 from 60 yards out, with a career-long of 78 yards. ANALYSIS Positives: Former linebacker, and looks the part with good chest thickness, muscular arms, tight waist, tapered thighs and calves … Has excellent leg strength to kick the ball for good distance … Good coverage support specialist who has excellent quickness to get down field ands prevent the long return … Shows very good leg extension and overall body flexibility … Has large, soft and natural hands, making proper adjustments to the off-target snap … Holds for placements and field goals … Adjusts to pressure well and can improvise when his protection breaks down … Three-step kicker with an average of 1.21 in his touch-to-toe mechanics … Gets very good rise and turnover behind his kicks … Strikes the ball with power, but needs to improve the height on his kicks (prone to long drives) … Has solid control with good hang time (4.2 second average) and is efficient at getting the ball to bounce right in order for the coverage team to get down field and keep the ball inside the 20-yard line … Shows accuracy placing his attempts near the sticks and is a mentally tough sort who is not afraid to run with the ball … Shows functional aggression getting downfield to lend support for the coverage unit … Has good lower body flexibility and hip rotation with flexibility in his ball release … Well-coordinated and shows solid control and mechanics in attempts to angle his kicks … Shows good hand mechanics fielding the ball and getting it ready for the place-kicker while serving as a holder. Negatives: Has all the intangibles, but will on occasion kick across his body, causing his ball position to be off a little bit … Tends to rush his kicks at times when pressured, losing his adequate height and causing the coverage unit to not be in position to prevent the return … Relies too much on his leg strength and will punish the ball, causing him to out-kick his coverage unit … Needs to show better leg extension and toe direction in his kicks (sometimes goes off the side of the foot) … Hang times are just adequate, as he has the leg strength, but fails to generate consistent trajectory. Compares To: DAVE ZASTUDIL-Cleveland … Sepulveda is a fine athlete who just happens to have a strong kicking leg. He is a former linebacker who should do well on the coverage unit at the next level. He has the leg strength to launch rockets off his leg, but needs to improve the trajectory on some of his kicks, as he will hit line drives on more than a few occasions, resulting in the coverage team not being set up to prevent the long return. You can teach a player how to angle his punts, and with a little technique refinement he should replace a veteran punter in the NFL next year. INJURY REPORT 2006: Tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right (non-kicking) knee during a pick-up basketball game over the Easter holiday weekend, and underwent successful surgery April 27 to repair the damage. AGILITY TESTS Campus: 4.41 in the 40-yard dash (wind-aided) … 4.57 40-yard dash (against the wind) … 335-pound bench press … 331-pound power clean … 31-inch vertical jump … 31¾-inch arm length … 9 7/8-inch hands … Left-footed conventional style kicker … Right-handed … Wears contacts. HIGH SCHOOL Attended Highland Park (Dallas, Tex.) High School, playing football for head coach Randy Allen … Battled through injuries while earning second-team academic All-State honors as a senior linebacker … The team posted a 22-3 in his last two seasons, as he helped the Scots advance to the quarterfinals of the playoffs and capture a district title his final year … National Honor Society member and competed on the school's track team. PERSONAL Accounting major, earning Academic All-Big 12 Conference honors four times and Academic All-American recognition three times … Brother of former Baylor linebacker Stephen Sepulveda (2000-03) … Son of Susan and Carlos Sepulveda … Born Daniel Wade Sepulveda on Jan. 12, 1984 in Austin, Texas … Resides in Dallas, Texas.
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