Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Grades and reactions for day-three picks
By Cory Kinnan
Fifth Round: Matt Gay, K, Utah
The data and analytics show special teamers are not worth using draft assets on as they can be found in the pool of undrafted free agents. Not to mention, the way kickers are tossed aside in the NFL, Matt Gay could be gone by the second week of the season if he misses a few kicks. Yet the Buccaneers continue to use assets to draft kickers, and decently valuable ones at that.
While Gay was an All-American in 2017 and a finalist for the Lou Groza award (the same reward former Buccaneers kicker Roberto Aguayo won), a fifth round pick cannot be justified before the seventh round. Gay never missed an extra point throughout his two year career at Utah, going 85 for 85. Outside of extra points, Gay is a career 86 percent kicker, but converted just 84 percent in 2018.
Last season, Gay missed five kicks, going 26 for 31. This season was coming off of an All-American year where he converted 88 percent of his kicks, going 30 of 34. Even after being selected early on day-three, Gay will have to compete with Cairo Santos, who was just given an extension by the Buccaneers this offseason as well.