Kicker U

The Florida State University starting placekicker trots out onto the field for one of his six field goal attempts (and makes) against Ole Miss last Monday.

The name on the back of his jersey is easily recognizable, especially to the Seminole faithful: Aguayo.

The name brings back a myriad of joyful memories for Florida State’s fan base: the pinpoint accuracy and powerful leg of former FSU kicker Roberto Aguayo, who was drafted in the second round of the 2016 NFL Draft by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. THE SECOND ROUND.

But this is a different Aguayo, though they are very, very much alike: his brother, Ricky.

Ricky, recruited heavily out of high school by college scouts across the country, is a freshman at Florida State this year, and was named the starting placekicker before the season started. If there was any worry that he wouldn’t match up to the extremely high expectations left by his brother, it quickly evaporated as Aguayo nailed six field goals on six attempts to score eighteen points and tie the FSU field goal record for a single game. In his first game.

Though Roberto was arguably the greatest (definitely the most accurate) collegiate placekicker of all time, and Ricky has a chance to be even greater, the two are just the latest in a long line of excellent Seminole kickers. The team has a rich history in developing outstanding college kickers and sending them to the professional level.

Of course, everyone knows about Famous Jameis Winston. Devonta Freeman is sure to be drafted within the first five picks of almost every fantasy football draft that’s conducted this year. And Deion Sanders’s end zone struts are still engrained into the long history of the National Football League, despite so much talent having come after him.

Who cares.

Florida State is Kicker U.

Sebastian Janakowski, now of Oakland Raider fame, started out as Seminole. He filled the placekicker role all three seasons he was with the team, connecting on 43–of-53 field goals and 79–of-82 extra points for a total of 208 points scored. His longest make was from 56 yards out, a very tough kick even by NFL standards. Janakowski was given the Lou Groza award, which is awarded to the nation’s top kicker, and named All-American by the Associated Press. Not to mention he was taken with the 17th overall pick in the FIRST ROUND of the 2000 NFL Draft. Once again. THE FIRST ROUND.

Graham Gano was also awarded the Groza award during his time at Florida State. After serving as the kickoff specialist his freshman year, he added the starting punting job to his resume during his sophomore and junior seasons. But it was his senior year that had NFL scouts salivating to get him. Gano finished first in the FBS for field goals made, converting on 24-of-26 attempts, an absolutely unbelievable feat. He was only one of two kickers in the FBS that made over 90 percent of field goals attempted that year.

Dustin Hopkins didn’t win the Groza, but he was a finalist for the award. All he really did was set new a NCAA career scoring record for kickers, set new FSU, ACC, and NCAA records for career field goals made with 88, and establish a new ACC single-season scoring record with 140 points. So, yeah, we can’t forget about him.

Each of these three players are currently starting for teams in the NFL and have been a part of the professional game for a while. Janakowksi has been a mainstay for the Raiders for years. Gano started for the Carolina Panthers against the Denver Broncos in last year’s Super Bowl. And Hopkins, who has skipped around several teams as of late, seems to have found a home with the Washington Redskins.

Kicker U’s most recent NFL addition, Roberto Aguayo, has yet to fulfill the hevy expectations placed upon a kicker drafted in the second round. Roberto’s struggles in the preseason have been well documented as of late, but time will tell if he has a place in an NFL locker room. My money is on him.

So here we are.

Ricky Aguayo lines up with his holder and long snapper against Ole Miss on Saturday.

He gets into his long-perfected stance, eyes the uprights and feels the confidence in himself that obviously only Florida State can give to a placekicker.

The ball is snapped.

The hold is down.

The kick is up.

And it’s good.