From now until the 2025 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, down to Day 3 selections, and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on Pitt kicker Ben Sauls.
No. 90 Ben Sauls/K Pitt – 5097, 182 pounds (Redshirt Senior)
MEASUREMENTS
| Player | Ht/Wt | Hand Size | Arm Length | Wingspan |
| Ben Sauls | 5097/182 | 9 5/8 | 29 | 71 1/2 |
| 40-Yard Dash | 10-Yard Dash | Short Shuttle | 3-Cone | |
| N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | |
| Broad Jump | Vertical | Bench Press | ||
| N/A | N/A | N/A |
THE GOOD
– Big-legged kicker with confident range from deep 50-yard ranges
– Ball gets tremendous arc under each kick, even from distance, with consistent end-over-end rotation
– High accuracy and proficiency under 40 yards (only two career misses) and 100-percent of his extra points last three years
– Many misses came from far-range (four from 50-plus last two seasons)
– Elite 2024 season and one of college football’s best kickers
– Handles clutch situations and meets the moment
– Experience and success kicking in adverse conditions (2022 UCLA game – wind) and at Acrisure Stadium throughout career
– Mentally tough and bounces back from misses; only missed two kicks in one game one time (Tennessee, 2022)
– Handled kickoffs with strong touchback rate following ’21 season
– Willing tackler and can run returners out of bounds
– Successful from any hash without any clear-cut patterns of failure
The Bad
– Smaller than average NFL kicker
– Follow-through appears inconsistent
– Ball can stay left on long kicks from left hash
– Tendency to slice ball more from the right hash
– Only one year of success from 50-plus yards, struggled year before
– Teams could be concerned by rare left-footed status
– Limited number of onside kick attempts (only one known/observed versus Boston College, 2024)
– Didn’t punt in college
– Didn’t appear to kick in many heavy rain games
– Will need to adjust to having new holder
Bio
– Three-year starting field goal kicker for Panthers, served as kickoff specialist in 2021 and continued role throughout career
– Career: 52-of-64 on field goals (81.