From now until the 2023 NFL Draft, we will scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top-10 picks, all the way down to Day 3 selections and priority undrafted free agents. Today, I’ll be profiling Georgia K Jack Podlesny.
#96 Jack Podlesny/K Georgia – 6003, 194 lbs. (Senior)
Senior Bowl/NFL Combine
MEASUREMENTS
| Player | Ht/Wt | Hand Size | Arm Length | Wingspan |
| Jack Podlesny | 6003, 194 | 9 1/8 | 29 5/8 | N/A |
| 40-Yard Dash | 10-Yard Dash | Short Shuttle | 3-Cone | |
| DNP | DNP | DNP | DNP | |
| Broad Jump | Vertical | Bench Press | ||
| DNP | DNP | DNP |
THE GOOD
— Good frame and overall size
— Kicks ball with power and good, consistent spin
— Good leg speed
— Gets proper arc on kicks
— Capable of making kicks in the clutch
— Experience handling kickoffs
— Willing tackler on kicks
— Production was extremely consistent throughout career
— Didn’t stack bad kicks, only had one game with more than one miss in his career
— Regarded as hard worker and smart player
The Bad
— Accuracy and placement are inconsistent, kicks too often veer left
— Has awkward hop follow-through that may push the ball
— Average leg strength and looks maxed out around 52-53 yards
— Only an adequate touchback percentage
— Had worse numbers in bowl/playoff games
— Has minimal to no experience kicking in the cold
Bio
— Three-year starter for the Bulldogs
— Career: 61/74 (82.4%) on FGs, 182/184 (98.9%) on XPs, three career tackles
— 2022: 26/31 (83.9%) on FGs, 73/74 on XPs
— Right-footed kicker
— Had 81.3%, 81.5,% and 83.9% FG percentage throughout his three seasons
— Averaged 68.9% touchback rate in 2022, 66% for his career
— Named 2022 SEC Special Teams Player of the Year
— Career-long is 53 yards, made in final seconds of 2020 Peach Bowl to beat Cincinnati, named Offensive MVP
— Zero-star recruit from Brunswick, Georgia, preferred walk on to Georgia, earned scholarship in October of 2020 after team beat #7 Auburn
— Late-bloomer recruit who earned interest from P5 schools, like Michigan, late in football career, didn’t plan to play football until senior year of HS (on team freshman season, left sophomore year, backup kicker junior season before becoming starter senior season), and had already accepted Bulldogs’ walk-on invite before other teams became interested
— Went 9/10 on field goals senior year of HS, 90.2% touchback rate on kickoffs
— Met with sports psychologist bi-weekly in school, has “RHRN” written on hands to remind himself “Right Here, Right Now” to focus on moment before kicks
— Nickname is “Hot Pod”
— Successful center back soccer player in high school, named to All-Region team, team won regional championship before being eliminated in Elite Eight
— Dad played soccer at Old Dominion, mother played hockey and lacrosse at Catholic University
— Excelled academically, had 4.26 GPA in high school
Tape Breakdown
Podlesny is the second kicker we’ve profiled, and Pittsburgh Steelers special teams coach Danny Smith attended the Bulldogs’ Pro Day. After essentially kicking just one year in high school, he walked onto Georgia and after redshirting, waited a year before replacing Rodriguo Blankenship as the team’s kicker. The stats are strong and consistent and he never really struggled throughout his career. Not in a game, not in a season. His worst performance was arguably against Ohio State in 2022, missing a pair of long kicks, but statistically, it rarely looked like he had a bad game.
His biggest moment came in 2020, hitting a career-long 53-yard field goal to beat Cincinnati in the Peach Bowl. Clutch kick he nailed.
He shows lots of leg speed and the ball comes off his leg with good pop and spin, even if he doesn’t have a huge leg by NFL standards.
While he didn’t miss many, his kicks had a tendency to hook left and he has a hop and awkward follow-through that may be pushing the ball. When he missed, he missed pretty ugly.
And his leg isn’t amazing. He attempted a 54-yarder against Samford and his kick fell about a yard short. His max seems to be 52-53 yards.
Conclusion
Podlesny kicks a solid ball and made some big kicks for the Bulldogs. He also hasn’t been kicking as long as some others. Still, the NFL isn’t a patient world when it comes to specialists and a lack of a big leg with that left hook on his kicks has me worried. I’ll take the other kicker I profiled, B.T. Potter, over Podlesny. Potter doesn’t kick as pretty a ball but he’s more mechanically sound. My NFL comparison to Podlesny is Sam Ficken.
Projection: Undrafted Free Agent
Depot Draft Grade: 5.6 – Undrafted Free Agent
Games Watched: Variety Of Kicks, Makes & Misses
