Top 5 NFL kickers going into the 2021 season
When thinking about NFL kickers, the first instinct is simply to look at who has the best percentages and move on. However, there are other factors.
Who's clutch late in games? Who can execute a good onside kick? Once these factors come into play, rankings for kickers become as subjective as for any other position in the NFL.
Best NFL kickers
Here are the top five kickers in the NFL.
#1 - Younghoe Koo (Atlanta Falcons)
Younghoe Koo had a rough start to his NFL career with the Los Angeles Chargers but landed on his feet with the Atlanta Falcons. He made 37 of his 39 attempts in 2020. In other words, he made 94.9 percent of his kicks.
In addition, Koo is the best onside kicker in the NFL. His onside kicks roll end-over-end and pop up just a few yards from the first line of players on the receiving team, causing them to muff the ball which allows the Falcons to recover.
Before Younghoe Koo, fans around the league were starting to question whether rules for onside kicks needed to change.
#2 - Justin Tucker (Baltimore Ravens)
When talking about kickers, one cannot skip over Justin Tucker. He made 26 of his 29 field goals in 2020, an 89.7 percent accuracy rating. While those aren't eye-popping numbers, what makes Justin Tucker one of the best is his ability to convert late in games. He is the clutchest kicker in the NFL.
The most recent example of his clutch ability was last season's Week 14 game against the Cleveland Browns. Tucker hit a kick from 55 yards with just seven seconds left in the game to it for the Ravens.
#3 - Harrison Butker (Kansas City Chiefs)
Harrison Butker is one of the most consistent kickers in the NFL. Every week, after Patrick Mahomes scores a touchdown, the demoralized team hopes for a miss from Harrison Butker, but it rarely happens. In close games, Harrison Butker will almost always make game-changing kicks. Even in the Super Bowl, Butker converted all three field goal attempts when the offense did not show up.
#4 - Daniel Carlson (Las Vegas Raiders)
Daniel Carlson simply makes kicks. Last season, he scored 33 of his 35 field goal attempts, a 94.3 percent conversion rate. When it comes to extra points, he made 45 of 47 attempts. In other words, he made 95.7 percent of his extra-point attempts.
#5 - Jason Sanders (Miami Dolphins)
While the offense struggled at times with Tua Tagovailoa under center last season, Jason Sanders was able to capitalize on stalled drives. He was 36 for 39 on field goals, a 92.3 percent conversion rate. He also did not miss a single PAT attempt during the entire season. He made 36 of his 36 attempts.
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