Top 7 college football kickers for 2024 ft. Grant Nicholson, Bert Auburn and more
Most of the time, college football kickers have an easy job. Make a few extra points, boom, some kickoffs for touchbacks, take things easy. But then, with the game on the line, the gap between "Who's he?" to "Here he comes to save the day!" becomes clear. The best kickers toil under the radar, but deliver in the clutch. Here are seven of the best in 2024.
Top 7 college football kickers for 2024
#7. Peyton Woodring, Georgia
Just a sophomore, Woodring connected on 21 of 25 field goal attempts in 2023 while making all 71 extra point attempts. His long field goal make was just 48 yards, so he's not quite proven on long distance kicks. Outside of that, though, he's been fantastic.
#6. Alex McPherson, Auburn
How good was this sophomore kicker in 2023? He didn't miss a kick. McPherson was 13-for-13 on field goals, including a 53-yard blast. He made all 40 extra point tries as well. McPherson was decent on kickoffs, with 33 touchbacks in 67 kickoffs. But it's his accuracy which has been phenomenal.
#5. Jonah Dalmas, Boise State
A three year standout, Dalmas has missed just nine kicks over three seasons. Last year, he made 24 of 27 field goal tries, including a 56 yard connection. He made 48 of 49 extra points. The junior kicker is both consistent and powerful with his kicks, making him one of the nation's best college football kickers.
#4. Dragan Kesich, Minnesota
A kickoff specialist until 2023, Kesich went 23-for-27 last year, including connecting on a 54-yard field goal. He also made all 27 extra point attempts he tried and brought about touchbacks on 53 of his 62 kickoffs. Kesich was a top kickoff specialist, but he has blossomed into a great all-around college football kicker.
#3. Trey Smack, Florida
Aside from being a given on college football's all-name team, Smack is an elite kicker. The junior connected on 17 of 21 field goal tries last year, including a 54 yard bomb. He made all 29 extra points he attempted, and also is a kickoff weapon. Smack delivered 56 touchbacks of his 70 kickoffs in 2024. He's a massive weapon.
#2. Bert Auburn, Texas
The only way Auburn could be better is if he had gone to Alabama and changed his name to Beat Auburn. The junior kicker has been elite, hitting 50 of 61 field goal tries over the past two seasons, including a 54-yarder. He hasn't missed an extra point in that span. Auburn is one of the nation's best college football kickers.
#1.Grant Nicholson, Alabama
If you can't develop them, take them from somewhere else. That was Alabama's theory with Nicholson, an All-American at Miami of Ohio. Last season, he connected on 27 of 28 field goal tries, including a 52 yard make. Nicholson is also a kickoff weapon, with 52 touchbacks in 73 kickoffs. Unless he left his skills is Ohio, he's an SEC star from Day 1.