NEW YORK -- "Punters are people, too!"
Those were the words of humble NFL Network host Rich Eisen after the most stunning choice of the 2012 NFL Draft thus far: the Jacksonville Jaguars' selection of Cal punter Bryan Anger with the 70th overall pick.
The television set exploded in outrage. Twitter exploded in comedy.
"I think when he performs and does what we just drafted him to do, people may have a different opinion," first-year Jaguars coach Mike Mularkey told The Associated Press.
Just two punters are drafted on average every year, and no punter has been taken this high since the Carolina Panthers took Todd Sauerbrun No. 56 in 1995. Anger will have to be a Pro Bowl pick multiple times, like Sauerbrun, to avoid having a target on his back for most of his career.
The Jaguars are sending mixed messages with this pick. They give quarterback Blaine Gabbert help by drafting receiver Justin Blackmon in the first round, then show a lack of confidence by taking a punter in the third round. (We kid.)
The only downside is that Anger might not be properly prepared for the moment. The confident punter had scheduled a draft party, but not until Saturday. Even he didn't believe he'd go this early.
"I was hopeful that I could get the chance to get picked up early, but I really had no clue," Anger told The AP. "I didn't know they liked me that much."
