NFL Network host Rich Eisen reminds us all season long that punters are people too.
Punters are also apparently prospects, as well.
Clemson junior Bradley Pinion surprised the entire college football and NFL community by announcing on the school's website on Tuesday that he intends to forgo his senior season with the Tigers and apply for early entry into the 2015 NFL Draft.
"I had a great experience the last three years and I will always be a Clemson Tiger," said Pinion. "I want to thank all the fans, my teammates, the football staff and especially Coach (Dabo) Swinney for giving me the opportunity. It has always been my dream to play in the NFL and I just feel the timing is right for me to turn professional."
Early entries by kickers and punters are extremely rare, although Pinion is not the first underclassman punter to leave Clemson early for the NFL. Chris Gardocki left after his junior season to enter the 1991 NFL Draft. He was selected by the Chicago Bears in the third round. In 2000, Florida State kicker Sebastian Janikowski left school early and wound up a first-round pick of the Oakland Raiders. In 2013, LSU punter Brad Wing declared early, but went undrafted. Wing is currently with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
The 6-foot-6, 240-pound junior averaged 42.6 yards per punt, which was just the fifth-best in the ACC. Pinion also handled kickoffs and had 102 touchbacks in 178 career kickoffs according to the sports information staff at Clemson.
"I appreciate what Bradley did for the program the last three years," said Swinney. "He was a big reason for our success on special teams. We wish him the best as he enters his professional career."
There are typically a handful of placekickers and punters drafted every year, but most are selected in the later rounds after four or five years in school. Only two punters in the last 20 drafts have gone in the third round or higher, but Pinion is not expected to go that high and there are even some questions as to whether or not he will be drafted at all in the spring.
You can follow Bryan Fischer on Twitter at @BryanDFischer.
