Three long snappers will conclude their college careers in all-star games next month hoping to impress NFL scouts.
Jeff Overbaugh of San Diego State has been selected to both the Senior Bowl and NFLPA Collegiate Bowl. Jimmy Landes of Baylor is the other snapper in the Senior Bowl and LSU’s Reid Ferguson will be the other snapper for the NFLPA game. All three snappers are considered among the top long snapping prospects for the 2016 NFL Draft.
After a rare start to the NFL season with no snapping changes, the trend is changing. Yesterday, the Giants placed veteran and captain Zak DeOssie on injured reserve due to a wrist injury. DeOssie, who played in 140 consecutive games since being drafted in the Fourth Round in 2007, hurt his wrist a few days prior to Sunday’s game but was able to finish the game and even recorded a tackle.
To replace DeOssie, the Giants added veteran snapper Danny Aiken, who recently spent a few days with the Panthers. The Giants also worked out Andrew East and Tyler Ott.
Patrick Scales replacing Thomas Gafford in Chicago at snapper was not the only change implicating special teams this week. The Chargers made a rare in-season special teams coaching change before this week’s game. Kevin Spencer was let go and replaced by Craig Aukerman.
The new extra point rule continues to create new excitement to a previously automatic aspect of the game. After eight misses all of last season, there were more than that missed this week alone and 57 missed extra points to date.
Five snappers had punt coverage tackles, with Kevin McDermott (Vikings), Zak DeOssie (Giants) and Carson Tinker (Jaguars) recording solo tackles, while John Denney (Dolphins) and Mike Leach (Cardinals) had assisted tackles.
The NFL Long Snappers Chart after Week Thirteen is below.
Week Twelve was the first week that brought a potential change and an actual change at the snapping position. JJ Jansen of the Panthers was in doubt as to whether he could snap in the Thanksgiving game against the Cowboys. Jansen was able to snap but, in a precautionary move, the Panthers signed former Patriot Danny Aiken. Aiken was waived after being inactive for the game.
The Bears signed client Patrick Scales after the game against the Packers. Scales, who was previously featured in this post about his long journey to the NFL, will replace Thomas Gafford starting in Week Thirteen. This will be the first snapping move of the NFL season.
Multiple snappers recorded tackles in punt coverage, led by Joe Cardona of the Patriots, who tallied his first three tackles of his career in one game. Andrew DePaola (Buccaneers), Jonathan Weeks (Texans), Mike Windt (Chargers) and Beau Brinkley (Titans) had solo stops and Jake McQuaide (Rams) and Nick Sundberg (Redskins) chipped in with assisted tackles.
The NFL Long Snappers Chart after Week Twelve is below.
Week Eleven of the NFL is done and, like every week before it this season, the snapping position remains stable and without change. The Eagles worked out Patrick Scales and Tyler Ott last week in case Jon Dorenbos continued to struggle. Dorenbos appeared to have a better day Sunday.
Four snappers had solo tackles in punt coverage this week, recorded by Matt Overton (Colts), Josh Harris (Falcons), Dorenbos (Eagles) and Kyle Nelson (49ers).
The NFL Long Snappers Chart after Week Eleven is below.
Week Ten of the NFL season is now complete and the recent positive press for Garrison Sanborn of the Bills and Jon Dorenbos of the Eagles may have unfortunately jinxed them a bit this week. Each had a rough time snapping on Thursday and Sunday, respectively. However, there are still no changes at the snapping position due to injury or performance.
Five snappers recorded tackles in punt coverage, with John Denney (Dolphins) recording three solo tackles and Zak DeOssie (Giants) adding two. Tanner Purdum (Jets), Beau Brinkley (Titans) and Carson Tinker (Jaguars) each tallied solo tackles.
The NFL Long Snappers Chart after Week Ten is below.
Jon Dorenbos of the Eagles was the subject of an excellent in-depth profile by Richard Rys of Men’s Journal yesterday. Like many snappers, Dorenbos, who is also a professional magician, has a compelling story of how he made it to the upper echelon of NFL long snappers.
Among other obstacles, Dorenbos had to endure his father murdering his mother as a child and used some of his own tricks to get a college scholarship as well. The story is worth your time.
Week Nine of the NFL season is complete. There are still no changes at the snapping position, although the pressure is mounting on Justin Drescher of the Saints who had a few more poor snaps this week, including one on a late field goal attempt.
Two snappers, Andrew East (Chargers/Cardinals) and Brandon Hartson (Cardinals), had tryouts with teams.
Three snappers had tackles in punt coverage with Charley Hughlett (Browns), Carson Tinker (Jaguars) and Kyle Nelson (49ers) compiling solo tackles.
The NFL Long Snappers Chart for Week Nine is below.
Long snappers generally do not want much, if any, media attention. Usually, press is not a good thing for a snapper unless it is a story about their lack of notoriety. Client Brett Goode of the Packers and Garrison Sanborn of the Bills were each the subject of positive profiles the last few days in the local newspapers that cover their clubs.
Bob McGinn of the Milwaukee Journal filed this story about Goode and Sal Maiorana of the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle wrote this look at Sanborn’s career.
Of particular interest to the Goode story is a side item McGinn compiled that shows how each NFL snapper is paid, along with their age, years of service and current games played.
Week Eight of the NFL season is complete. It was another uneventful week at the snapping position, with the biggest story coming from the Steelers game. Greg Warren of the Steelers was inexplicably punched by Adam “Pacman” Jones of the Bengals. The play resulting in a 15 yard penalty against Jones.
After no workouts for a number of weeks, action picked up a bit this week. The Saints evaluated Patrick Scales and Christian Yount on Tuesday and Yount and Tyler Ott worked out for the Patriots yesterday.
Three snappers recorded tackles in punt coverage with Don Muhlbach (Lions) and Mike Windt (Chargers) tallying solo tackles and Beau Brinkley (Titans) adding an assisted tackle.
The NFL Long Snappers Chart after Week Eight is below.
