P, Oregon State
Rankings: 9th-ranked punter by Pro Football Weekly. Graded as a player with a chance to be in an NFL training camp. Free-agent grade.
NFLDraftScout: 9th-ranked punter, #598 player overall, free-agent grade.
Biography/honors:
2011: Four-year starter. Finished 15th in the nation in punting yards and Oregon State was 16th in net yards. 50 punts for a 44.0-yard average with a long of 65. 17 kicks over 50 yards. Had at least one 60-yard punt in six different games. 20 kicks downed inside the 20 vs. 6 touchbacks. None blocked. Outkicked third-round pick Bryan Anger in November OSU-Cal game.
2010: 61 punts for a 41.7-yard average with a long of 74. 14 kicks over 50 yards. 25 kicks downed inside the 20 vs. 5 touchbacks. One kick blocked.
2009: Ray Guy Award semifinalist. Second team all-Pac-10. 51 punts for a 40.1-yard average with a long of 64. 12 kicks over 50 yards. 19 kicks downed inside the 20 vs. 7 touchbacks. None blocked.
2008: 59 punts for a 39.7-yard average with a long of 59. 9 kicks over 50 yards. 23 kicks downed inside the 20 vs. 7 touchbacks. One kick blocked.
Major: general science. Two-time Pac-10 all-academic team member.
Injuries: none reported.
Workout results: There is little-to-no reporting on Hekker's pro day results or his performance at the NFL Super Regional Combine in New York. He reportedly only punted a few times at pro day and hit the ceiling of OSU's indoor training facility once. At a specialists combine in Arizona in February, his non-situational punts ranged from 46 to 61 yards and averaged 4.5 seconds of hang time. He only downed one of three pooch punts inside the 10.
Positives: Four-year starter. Excellent all-around athlete who improved in every area every year. Kicks nice, deep spirals. Gets great hang time and doesn't often outkick his coverage. Can kick on the run rugby-style and has an Australian-style flip kick that dies when it hits the ground. Shows ability to get off a big punt quickly and to make big kicks with his back to the end zone. Has three years experience holding on placekicks. Was a high school quarterback, making him a legitimate threat on fakes. Has worked on kickoffs and could take over there in an emergency. His special teams coach at OSU, Bruce Read, coached special teams for three different NFL teams.
Negatives: Mishits some of his kicks because he gets too amped up trying to crush one. Had several nasty shanks in his college career and has had punts of 13, 10, and minus-4 yards. Needs improvement at pooch punting. Getoff time is a little slower than pro special teams coaches appear to prefer (1.35 vs. 1.3 seconds). His height may not help him there - if he officially measures over 6'5", he'll be the tallest punter in NFL history. Does not have the consistency needed of an NFL punter.
Compares to: Chas Henry.
Fun Facts: Johnny lost a full yard off his 2011 average thanks to this punt against Wisconsin, which traveled minus-4 yards. He lost 1.3 yards off his 2009 average thanks to two 6-yard punts attempted into 50-mph winds at the Las Vegas Bowl. He's a two-time Pac-10 All-Academic team member, is active in community service with Boys and Girls Club and Read Across America, and has helped build homes in Guatemala.
RamView: Good find by the Rams - Hekker improved every year in college, has a bigger leg than his statistics show, and they didn't need to use a draft pick to get him. He was reportedly new special teams coach John Fassel's choice all along, so it's time now for Fassel to prove his coaching chops. Hekker has potential to be a top 10 punter in the league if he develops consistency and avoids the shanks, which have the power to drive him out of the league quickly. Maybe Fassel, too. But the Rams have a promising starter here if everything goes well.
Chance of making roster: 90%.
Sources: Pro Football Weekly 2012 Draft Guide, CBS Sports, Oregon State athletics website, The Oregonian, Wikipedia, Corvallis (Ore.) Gazette-Times
Photo: Corvallis Gazette-Times
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