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The original was posted on /r/nfl by /u/sexyprimes511172329 on 2025-09-01 01:32:54+00:00.
I have done this thought exercise the past few years on this account and my old one (now deleted), u/puntersarepeopletoo6. You can still find them in the search. If you do, be sure to only mention the things that I got right and ignore everything I got wrong. Lets keep this a safe space from my old negative receipts.
The methodology: I do not use traditional stats. I do not think that these stats are valuable as they lack context outside of extremely low outliers. YPA does not factor in field position, and has a fatal flaw. A higher YPA is seen as positive when on any punt, the longest punt distance is not the optimal result (touchback). For more on this, please read the following piece from u/JPAnalyst here. The most “traditional” stat that I value is average hangtime. Notably, this can skew lower towards punters who operate from shorter distances, on average, versus higher for punters who see more open field scenarios, but the correlation is not nearly as strong. Consider that line drive open field and sky kick drop punts exist. You can get a quick thought on why I value hangtime as I do from r/nfl’s own Chris Kluwe, here.
Instead, my favorite metric is PFF’s punter grading. Their grading process, for punters, was devised largely by NFL punters, such as Chris Kluwe and Thomas Morstead. The three main pillars of PFF punter grading are distance relative to field position, hangtime, and lateral placement. Each of these three pieces of information are vital to accurately analyzing a punt. PFF does not, generally, factor in a bounce when grading as bounces are largely random and, in their view, uncontrollable. Their grading is the gold standard of NFL punting metrics. For each punter, I will include their grades for the past three seasons. A 60.0 game grade is considered a neutral grade. The punter met the expectation for their given situation in that game. Above is better and below is worse, though the gap between a 60 and 70 graded punter is not equivalent to a 70 and 80 graded punter. The change is not linear. If you want to read more, do so here.
Lastly, at the end of the day, this is ultimately subjective. This is based off who I would want for any given punt, anywhere, in the 2025 season. If you disagree (ahem, Washington fans), that’s fine. This list is simply my thoughts that I have formed from years of watching and analyzing my favorite aspect of football, the punt! I do not claim to be an expert or an authority on punting, only an enthusiast.
I utilized six separate tier definitions: elite, franchise punter, mid-tier, stopgap solution, fill-in, and Rookies/Returning from injury (unranked). I provide a brief description of each tier at the top of that tier. Now that you have read all the pretext, lets finally begin!
NOTE: Rookies and second year punters will likely not fit into the above categories. I denote rookies by having no regular season NFL snaps before 2025- and second-year players as having just one previous season with regular season NFL snaps. Please disregard category descriptions for these select players.
Key: Rank, Name, Team (2024 PFF Punting Grade, 2023 Grade, 2022 Grade)
Elite: these are the best in the game. From punt to punt, they exude excellence. If the HOF had any dignity and elected specialists, these men would be the front runners when they retired. They are the crème de la crème of punting.
1. AJ Cole, Raiders (93.5, 83.6, 82.4): If you follow NFL punting at all, you will know AJ Cole’s name. Widely regarded as the NFL’s best punter by his peers, Cole tops my list for the 3rd straight year. It is deserved. AJ is the model of consistency, seldom sending balls between the hashes. His career average hangtime is a league average 4.3 seconds, but his lateral placement from ball-to-ball is better than anyone else. Cole primarily utilizes just the standard punts, a traditional and drop punt, but is highly effective with both. Cole’s power and lateral accuracy is something to behold. AJ is damn good. Seriously, stop reading this and go watch some AJ Cole film. *chefs kiss*
2. Logan Cooke, Jaguars (90.2, 77.8, 73.4): Logan Cooke is an elite punter, and there are some very respected people within the punting world that believe he is the best. There are certainly some intriguing arguments for this, and I cannot blame anyone who watches Cooke and is wowed into wondering how someone could possibly be better. What sets Cooke apart is the size and quality of his punt quiver. Cooke has a lethal banana punt. He regularly confuses punters with his louis and face-left-punt-right balls. He can mash a traditionally dropped ball to a sideline with 4.8 seconds of hangtime. His accuracy on the drop punt is excellent. There is no deficiency to Cooke’s game. Cole’s consistency the past feew years gives him the edge over Cooke, but the gap is not large. His game last year against the Lions was punting poetry. Jags fans, rejoice. Logan can Cooke.
3. Micheal Dickson, Seahawks (93.7, 80.0, 60.1): Seahawks fans are going to see this and be stupefied that Dickson is this low. Let me assure you, Dickson is right there with the above two. Just as with Cooke, there are very good arguments for Dickson being the best in the game. His rough 2022 long in the rearview, Dickson has achieved higher highs of late than I ever thought he would. If you don’t regularly watch Seahawks games, the next time that you do, pay close attention when Seattle has a 4th down at or beyond the 50 and the ball is on the left hash. Michael Dickson has the best louis punt that I have ever seen for these game scenarios. He will hit the ball with his signature short swing, like a bat on a baseball, across his body. The ball will travel with a low trajectory into the sideline chalk. Dickson almost never misses these and there’s nothing you can do to stop it. Your offense is pinned; deal with it. Big Dickson Energy’s short swing should not generate the power that it does, but he can launch a 50 yarder with 5 seconds of hang to a sideline with regularity. His punt against the Cards last year was poetry in motion.
4. JK Scott, Chargers (84.0, 78.6, 71.2): About a month ago, The Athletic Football Show did an episode on ranking QBs by their honorability. Essentially, cohost Derek Klassen defined an honorable QB as one who plays the position as he believes it should be played. If I was to do that same exercise with punters, JK Scott would be #1. Scott’s technique is a straight on 2-step operation. It looks very similar to many punters of the past. His entire game is a spiraling sky ball that generates massive hangtime. He doesn’t try to fool returners, but instead does not provide them an opportunity for a return. Often, the gunners have had time to wait at the returner before he fields it. While it is his only weapon, his sky ball is lethal. Un-rostered for much of 2021, Scott led the NFL in average hangtime in 2020, 2022, and 2023. In 2024, he finished 2nd. One of the main criticisms of Scott before last year was a tendency to miss hit a ball every 5-6 punts. He drastically cut down on these, turning his shank into a solid B-level ball. JK launched himself into the elite tier of this list like it was a punt. Leggy Boi is ELITE.
Franchise punters: very good punters who provide, or have provided, stable punting for their teams. Teams that employ a punter in this tier are set at the position for the foreseeable future.
5. Corey Bojorquez, Browns (83.7, 79.4, 71.9): When Bojorquez name is brought up, often times, so is his holding. A detriment to his game in the past, Bojo has come a long way. Outside of holding, Bojo’s punting has gotten much better. Corey B has one of the strongest legs in the NFL and mitigates winter weather well. There is a reason he has been rostered by strictly cold-weather teams in the regular season. Open field punting is where he made his money. Where he has improved the most is in his punt-to-punt consistency. Largely gone are the miss-hits or outright shanks, replaced instead with highlight level punts to flip fields. Check out this punt against the Broncos last year.
6. Tommy Townsend, Texans (76.5, 65.7, 86.9): If you read the JK Scott blurb, you’ll know that JK was 2nd in average hangtime in 2024. The punter who was ahead of him by 0.02 seconds? Tommy Townsend. TT wanted to get paid and got it last year, then earned his money. He had another good season in Houston, taking advantage of the dome and bouncing back from a lesser 2023. Take a look at [this punt](www.reddit.com/r/nfl/comments/1kofx…
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