Throughout his career, Ratke has an accuracy rate of nearly 85% on field goals and his head coach recently praised the veteran kicker for his performance in JMUs intrasquad scrimmage last Friday night. 3. JMU defeated App State 32-28 after overcoming an 18-point first-half deficit in its first Sun Belt Conference game in program history. Hes kicked in big games, and hasnt shown any issues with pressure scenarios. Ratke getting drafted would be a shock, but his accuracy makes him a prime candidate to earn a tryout with a team. Holding over 150 Data Rows Per Prospect, Over 3,000 Players per Draft Year, 12K Per Draft Cycle. It was relatively smooth sailing for Ratke at first. In his time with the Dukes, Ratke put up historic numbers and created an impressive legacy in college football. He was a very nervous, shy guy at first, OKelly said. JMU won. He began the year as the fourth-string kicker, to be fair. Ratke is the Colonia Athletic Association career leader in field goals and scoring. Ethan Ratke, James Madison - Round Grade: PFA, 8. He finished the year 20-for-23, one of the best marks in the nation, while being named a 3rd Team All-American and Lou Groza award semifinalist. There was an error processing your request. By the end of Week 3, the 33 kickers whove attempted a field goal are 79.7% on 174 attempts. Having graduated from JMU in December 2020, Ratke is pursuing a masters in public administration. For more football coverage, follow the sports desk on Twitter @TheBreezeSports. Jack and Bennett discuss the insanity that is SBC Basketball and look at how the Spring sports are faring a few weeks into the season. It was the NFL's longest field goal in history. Its Dec. 8, 2017. Now, Ratke, nine months removed from his JMU playing days, 542 points and 101 made field goals later, is looking for more. With sponsorship from Northwestern Mutual, the game was officially known as the NCAA FCS Football Championship Presented by Northwestern Mutual . JMUs pro day on March 23 allowed Ratke to show off his leg in front of 20-plus NFL scouts. Additionally, Ratke has a whopping total of 540 points, most all-time among college kickers and second among scorers from all positions. A retractable side opening let Ratke move back to maximum distance. Ratke needs to deliver on kickoffs and long field goals if he wants to make an NFL roster. James Madison kicker Ethan Ratke added a 21-yard field goal as time wound down before halftime to extend the Dukes lead to double digits going into the locker rooms. Ratke's kick was true, sparing the Dukes overtime, extending their winning streak to 25 games and propelling them to a 4:30 p.m. Saturday semifinal against visiting South Dakota State. JMU sixth-year, graduate long snapper Kyle Davis is wrapping up his last year as a Duke after starting in purple and gold for four years and serving as "the glue," as former JMU punter Harry O'Kelly (2017-21) called it, of the Dukes' special teams unit for multiple seasons. You have permission to edit this article. Success! Andrew Mevis, Iowa State - Round Grade: PFA, 7. If were in that situation, Id want to go out and kick that., Ratke added: Ive definitely been trying to add distance and I have worked with some kicking coaches and things like that to try and improve and just more accurate.. Ratke has made all nine of his field attempts during the 2021 spring season and has been a perfect 20-for-20 on extra points. As the clock wound down at Kidd Brewer Stadium on Saturday during the Dukes' come-from-behind 32-28 victory over App State, one chant crystalized: "J-M-U!" There was a problem saving your notification. ADVERTISEMENT After the fumble recovery, Johnson threw a 21-yard scoring pass to Antwane Wells in the end zone. I don't want this to be the peak of my career, Ratke recalled telling himself. Id still expect a team to sign him as an undrafted free agent, though, given the potential. WILLIAMSBURG, Va. (AP) Ethan Ratke kicked a school-record six field goals and set two NCAA records in James Madison's 32-22 victory over William & Mary. 2022: |QB|WR|RB|FB|TE|OT|G|C|DT|EDGE| LB|S|CB|K|P|LS|OVERALL|. Even more impressively, Ratke is the all-time college career leader in field goals made with 101. The hope with a late-round pick is that they can either eventually push for playing time or provide consistent services as a backup. Gabe Brkic is a big (63" 200) kicker who burst onto the scene as a redshirt freshman in 2019 with a 17-for-17 season. Since the rule change, kickers have become less automatic with their point after touchdowns (PATs). (AP) Ethan Ratke kicked a school record five field goals to back a sturdy defense and James Madison smothered Delaware 22-10 on Saturday. Luis Aguilar, Northern Arizona - Round Grade: FA, 13. Low 39F. If you want a guy whos going to kick a field goal and not miss inside 50 yards, its Ethan Ratke, OKelly said. Ratke has made just under 84% of his field goal attempts at JMU. The Draft Scout Database provides Many different Functions, Sorts, Exports & More for more than 25 Major Clients the past 15 Years. Your email address will not be published. Teams [ edit] 8-for-11 from 40-49 yards, 2-for-2 from 50+, long of 54. Nov 17, 2021 by Kyle Kensing Prior to Elon's 37-14 defeat of Towson, Skyler Davis gave a bold proclamation to Phoenix coach Tony Trisciani. His longest made field goal at JMU was the 46-yarder versus Weber State in the FCS quarterfinals. I think they got overlooked purely because we're in a conference where there was no really other good teams. Opinion | Ethan Ratke deserves a shot in the NFL, Kicking woes are seemingly at an all-time high this year. 2-for-3 from 40-49 yards, 1-for-2 from 50+, long of 50. The Basketball Postseason Is Here | JMU Sports News Podcast, The Spring has Sprung | JMU Sports News Podcast, Men's Basketball is Back! OKelly said he wouldnt be surprised if Ratkes shot comes. Opinion | Who should win the 2022 NFL Awards? For the duration of Ratkes career, JMU was an FCS program. Ratke had kicks of 30, 37 and 47 yards but. Since NFL games average more spectators than FCS games, scouts may have concerns about Ratkes lack of experience in high-pressure environments. Ethan Ratke made 86.3% of his field-goal attempts while at JMU, thats why. Andrew Mevis is a transfer from FCS school Fordham, where he rarely had the opportunity to kick field goals other than in 2019. I always relate the field goal operation to shooting a free throw, said Davis, the long snapper. Ratke attributed the missed kicks to his cleats, one being the only missed extra point of his career that wasnt blocked. Now, Ratke is training to play in the NFL 3-4 days a week. Its easy to be confident when I have a great holder and a great snapper and everybody is supporting me all the time. William and Mary 25, Albany 22: Shon Mitchell ran for a late go-ahead touchdown that gave the Tribe a win over the Great Danes at Zable Stadium in. Ive seen some JMU fans float the idea that an NFL team could use him as a short field-goal kicker, while also rostering someone who handles kickoffs and long field goals. #NFLDraft. Nick Sciba, Wake Forest - Round Grade: PFA, 6. The sixth-largest crowd in Kidd Brewer Stadium history quieted Saturday at the end of JMUs first drive versus Appalachian State. Ratke had kicks of 30, 37 and 47 yards but the Dukes trailed 10-9 at the half. Winds light and variable. Find who might be worthy of a draft pick, and who is nothing more than a training camp body. Contact Grant Johnson at breezesports@gmail.com. In a Saturday filled with upsets across the Sun Belt Conference, there was an overall sense . But the cleats accumulated holes. After the kick, Ratke said, classmates and friends told him no college moment would be better. They have all been there enough, they have all done it enough, to the point that each made kick just furthers football history. His mechanics are quick and consistent, with a confident and clean kick. Hes a short stepper with a quick kick and decent elevation, while maintaining above average accuracy. Cameron Dicker, Texas - Round Grade: PFA, 4. Ratke has 13 games with three or more FGs. Confirmed with a source that the #Colts & #Chargers both "love" @JMUFootball QB Cole Johnson, with Colts going as far as to compare him to Matt Ryan. Ratkes experience on kickoffs was limited over his career, but he was successful as JMUs kickoff specialist. Prior to enrolling at LSU, York attended the high . HARRISONBURG, Va. (WHSV) - Ethan Ratke has been a reliable kicker for the James Madison football team. You can cancel at any time. While Ratke has been a reliable kicker for the Dukes, he hasnt a made a lot of long field goals. Email notifications are only sent once a day, and only if there are new matching items. JMU led 23-0 with 7 minutes left in the third quarter. Late in his career, injuries often sidelined Fornadel and likely crushed his chances of being drafted. Why Movieland says you have to be 17 to attend a movie after 7:30 p.m. Farmville native caught with 42 lbs of cocaine, $862K in drug money gets 17 years, Ashland dairy farm announces Farmview Creamery to help modernize business, Fired RPS employee sues school district, alleges misuse of federal funds, Norment, long among the most powerful in the Capitol, is retiring, Bezos 'ban' may speed up Commanders sale as league meeting looms. Stories that explain the news through charts, maps, photography and videos. Hes in the mix to be a late-round pick, but seeing Johnsons name flash across the screen during the draft would be a pleasant surprise for fans rather than an expected outcome. Ratke knows his other knock: He hasnt attempted many long in-game field goals, and he wasnt the primary kickoff specialist at JMU except for in 2017, when Gray went down. Now that his collegiate career has ended, hes proven that hes ready to take the next step. 24-for-28 FG, 36-for-36 XP. I wouldnt be in this position without either of them.. His strength numbers at JMUs Pro Day were impressive, as he recorded 24 reps on the bench press. To view other positions, follow the links below. He would freak out throughout the game and stuff, so I just tried to play that calming role., With time, Ratke stopped worrying so much before every kick. JMU stabilized and won 32-22, probably knocking the Tribe (6-4, 4-3 CAA) out of the FCS playoff picture. Season wrap-up: College football cant ruin the magic of college football, no matter how hard it tries. He was an absolutely insane 15-of-19 from 50+ in his time there, and gets excellent height on his kicks to avoid the getting blocked. That was the moment Ratke solidified his place in JMU football history. NEWARK, Del. Ratke felt he had to keep his pair. The risk of damage from hurricane winds will shift in coming decades. 53 (yards) maybe, said Ratke. 69-year-old suffers stroke in his N.C. home; Realtor showing house leaves him there. Feeling is he will wind up a 6th-7th rd pick. Sign up for our newsletter to keep reading. Dallas Cowboys kicker Greg Zuerlein played for two different Division II programs University of Nebraska-Omaha and Missouri Western before he was drafted in the sixth round of the 2012 NFL draft by the St. Louis Rams. In 2019 and 2020, the Dukes had players (Jimmy Moreland and Ben DiNucci) taken in the seventh round of their respective draft years. After the first 30 minutes of JMU vs. Texas State, Sports Editor Grant Johnson shares the good, bad and the ugly of Family Weekend's first half as the Dukes lead, 19-0. JMU, which has not faced another program more often than W&M, is headed to the FBS and the Sun Belt Conference and begins its football transition next season with a non-CAA schedule. Contact BNB Football with any questions, comments, suggestions, or business inquiries. With all these accolades to his name, Ratke has proven that he should get a chance at the NFL level. John Marshall boys basketball reclaims No. Bennett and Jack break down what to expect out of MBB & WBB as they head down the stretch. Johnson seems like JMUs best bet to have a player picked in the 2022 NFL Draft, thanks in part to a solid showing at JMUs Pro Day. But theres another, more subtle reason for the Dukes success this year: When they line up for a field goal or an extra point, they make it. Contributing writer Kaiden Bridges dives into what's at the forefront of the back line's success and the buy-in to JMU's philosophy that's aided its 6-2-3 start. After: James Madison went into halftime ahead 38-13 after three turnovers a Cole Kelley fumble and two interceptions led to two one-play touchdown drives and an Ethan Ratke 25-yard field goal. Then came the first test in his new cleats: A 46-yard game-winning field goal attempt, with JMUs 24-game win streak and the FCS semifinals on the line. The Dukes failed to follow through on some drives, but that gave sixth-year senior Ethan Ratke (Atlee High) the opportunity to kick a JMU-record six field goals each from 23 to 30 yards and established two NCAA records. Darts and Pats is the place to do it. Zuerlein has made 82% of his field-goal attempts and ranks 13th in scoring by a kicker this season. There was a problem saving your notification. Liam Fornadel wouldve tied for 4th most bench press reps of offensive lineman that participated in that drill at the NFL Combine. If he was thrown off a little bit, you could tell it threw him off, Davis said. Ratke also earned the 2021 Fred Mitchell Award, which is given to the best kicker at the FCS, Division II and Division III levels. His holder, Miller, described Ratkes on-the-field demeanor as level-headed.. Either of them. Davis guessed they amassed 5,000-6,000 snap-hold-kick reps together. Image courtesy of JMU Athletics Communications. The Tribe elected to play junior Mathis at QB rather than freshman Darius Wilson, who had been the starter for all but one game this season. Here are our draft kicker rankings which will give you a look at how we view the prospects that will be entering the 2022 NFL Draft. Head coach Curt Cignetti never told him to change them, Ratke said. The jump between the FCS and the NFL is massive, but the expectation isnt really that Johnson become a starter. Chandler Staton, Appalachian State - Round Grade: PFA, 9. And yet heres Ratke, a fifth-year senior, on his status. ESPN reported that the Los Angeles Chargers had the lowest attendance of all NFL teams in 2019 with an average of 31,750 fans over 11,000 more than JMU. His longest made field goal at JMU was the 46-yarder versus Weber State in the FCS quarterfinals. Parker White, South Carolina - Round. JMUs Kris Thornton slipped behind William & Marys Ryan Poole for a long completion Saturday at Zable Stadium. James Madison is preparing to host VMI in the first round of the FCS Playoffs. During fall practice in 2020, Ratke said he will use his extra year of eligibility and return to JMU for the 2021 fall season. Error! JMU swim and dive head coach Dane Pedersen revealed the Dukes 2022-23 schedule Thursday afternoon. The Tribe host Richmond in their usual season-ending rivalry game. He may have a future in it afterward. We are powered by Three Notch'd and BetOnline. More than that: Ratke is just five points behind the FBS scoring leader for any position, former Navy quarterback Keenan Reynolds, and just 19 points behind the FCS scoring leader for any position, former Villanova running back Brian Westbrook. At least five kickers will have a legitimate chance at grabbing an NFL roster spot, with the ideal mix of leg strength and accuracy. Former JMU kicker Ethan Ratke (2016-21) potentiates his right foot on an extra point against Montana in the FCS quarterfinals Dec. 5, 2021. Error! The final record that is on the line entering November may not be decided until the FCS Playoffs. We are powered by Three Notch'd! When youre playing a good team like that, you have to minimize all the things that can cause you to lose or be detrimental to your opportunities to be successful, Tribe coach Mike London said. Ratke, not on an NFL roster, is readying for an opportunity. You have permission to edit this article. Only 10 of this years 49 NFL kickers have made all of their extra points this season, five of whom have attempted at least 15 extra points. There was an error processing your request. Ratke went a combined 4-for-6 on field goals and extra points. Kickoff is set for 2 p.m. Saturday (April 24) at Bridgeforth Stadium. He passed the first test: 2-for-2 on field goals, 3-for-3 on extra points. The seventh-ranked Dukes improved to 6-1 on the year and 4-1 in CAA play, while the Blue Hens fell for the . Ive missed big kicks, and Ive made big kicks. I thought special teams overall was good and Ratke made some long field goals tonight, said Cignetti, following Fridays practice. , 49 different kickers have played for NFL teams this season. We want to be perfect. The NCAA has issued guidelines for schools, but boosters like Miamis John Ruiz arent worried. He said Wise, Ratkes replacement, is the polar opposite of Ratke. You are currently viewing the best kickers in the 2022 NFL Draft. JMU led 13-0 at halftime behind the passing of sixth-year senior quarterback Cole Johnson (334 yards, along with 46 rushing yards) and Ratkes first two FGs. 20-for-26 FG, 57-for-58XP. Ratke kicked. 1 ranking in country. Obviously, when you walk off the field frustrated after a road win against a top 25 team, youve got a pretty good program, said JMU coach Curt Cignetti. The Dukes and Monarchs mens soccer tied 0-0 despite each team accumulating over 12 shots. USCs fever dream: At the Trojans spring game, minds long addled with college football might struggle to remember where all of the players and coaches used to be. Chance of a morning shower. 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Log In. An FCS scout tweeted after JMUs Pro Day that the Colts and Chargers could be interested in his services. Wheres Ratke now? Even though his longest field goal was only 51, he showed at the Kohls Pro Combine an ability to hit from beyond 60, and kick out of the back of the end zone with ease. The list of kickers Ratke blew by this year includes Daniel Carlson of Auburn, who now kicks for the Las Vegas Raiders. Vinatieri had a fruitful career with the New England Patriots and Indianapolis Colts, winning four Super Bowls and kicking the game-winning field goal in the 2004 Super Bowl. The lineup includes three home dual meets,. 13-for-15 FG, 49-for-50 XP. The previous record was 61 yards, set by Adam Vinatieri of . With the win, the Dukes move to 3-0 and host Texas State for Family Weekend next Saturday. Copyright: ESPN Enterprises, Inc. All rights reserved. Check out the massive spreadsheet now, 10 Players Who Will Dominate the 2023 NFL Combine. Caleb Shudak, Iowa St - Round Grade: PFA 10.