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The University of Utah Athletics
Matt Gay Drafted In Fifth Round To Tampa Bay
4/27/2019 12:04 PM | Football
NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Utah All-America kicker Matt Gay was selected by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the fifth round with the 145th overall pick of the 2019 NFL Draft today.Â
Gay is the first Utah kicker taken in the draft in program history and the first Pac-12 kicker drafted since 2009 when USC's David Buehler went in the fifth round to Dallas. Gay is the third Ute drafted by Tampa Bay in school history.
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With both Gay and Mitch Wishnowsky getting drafted, it is the first time since 1985 that a punter and a kicker from the same school were drafted in the same year. Clemson's punter Dale Hatcher was drafted in the third round to the Rams with Clemson's kicker, Donald Igwebuike, getting drafted in the 10th round to Tampa in 1985. It is also the first time since 2005 that a punter and a kicker were drafted in the first 150 picks.Â
In two seasons at Utah, Gay was the 2017 Lou Groza Award winner, a two-time All-American (consensus in 2017) and two-time first-team All-Pac-12 pick. He ranks third all-time at Utah with 56 career field goals, is fourth in attempts (65), third in career kick scoring points (253), set the school record for 50-yard field goals made (8), ranks second in career field goal percentage (86.15) and is seventh in career PATs made (85).Â
After starting his collegiate career as a soccer player at Utah Valley, Gay transferred to Utah and got his first swing at football in 2017. In his first season, he won the Lou Groza Award as the nation's top kicker and was a consensus All-American.Â
That season, he led the country in almost every major kicking category: field goals made (30), field goals made per game (2.31), 50-plus yard field goals, (5, tie) and field goals attempted (34). He led the Pac-12 and ranked fifth in the nation in field goal percentage (.882).Â
His 130 points, 30 field goals and 34 attempts all set Utah single-season records while his .882 field goal percentage ranks fourth all-time at Utah. Out of his five 50-plus yard field goals, his 56-yarders against San Jose State and Washington State rank second all-time in Utah history.Â
As a senior in 2018, he was a second-team All-American by the FWAA, The Athletic and Phill Steele, and was an AP third-team All-American. The Lou Groza Award semifinalist led the Pac-12 and ranked third nationally in field goals made (26) and field goals per game (1.86).Â
He set a school record by making 21 straight field goals and won four Pac-12 Special Teams Player of The Week nods. He led the league in scoring (8.8 ppg) and total points (123) in 2018, also setting a Utah single-game record for field goals made in a game (6) and points in a game (20) against Oregon.
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Gay is the first Utah kicker taken in the draft in program history and the first Pac-12 kicker drafted since 2009 when USC's David Buehler went in the fifth round to Dallas. Gay is the third Ute drafted by Tampa Bay in school history.
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Â.@MGtweetymonster to the @Buccaneers!#UtesInTheNFL pic.twitter.com/qfUICyh6qw
— Utah Football (@Utah_Football) April 27, 2019
With both Gay and Mitch Wishnowsky getting drafted, it is the first time since 1985 that a punter and a kicker from the same school were drafted in the same year. Clemson's punter Dale Hatcher was drafted in the third round to the Rams with Clemson's kicker, Donald Igwebuike, getting drafted in the 10th round to Tampa in 1985. It is also the first time since 2005 that a punter and a kicker were drafted in the first 150 picks.Â
In two seasons at Utah, Gay was the 2017 Lou Groza Award winner, a two-time All-American (consensus in 2017) and two-time first-team All-Pac-12 pick. He ranks third all-time at Utah with 56 career field goals, is fourth in attempts (65), third in career kick scoring points (253), set the school record for 50-yard field goals made (8), ranks second in career field goal percentage (86.15) and is seventh in career PATs made (85).Â
ÂWelcome to the Krewe, @MGtweetymonster!#NFLDraft pic.twitter.com/1NFVZxsgPh
— Tampa Bay Buccaneers (@Buccaneers) April 27, 2019
After starting his collegiate career as a soccer player at Utah Valley, Gay transferred to Utah and got his first swing at football in 2017. In his first season, he won the Lou Groza Award as the nation's top kicker and was a consensus All-American.Â
That season, he led the country in almost every major kicking category: field goals made (30), field goals made per game (2.31), 50-plus yard field goals, (5, tie) and field goals attempted (34). He led the Pac-12 and ranked fifth in the nation in field goal percentage (.882).Â
His 130 points, 30 field goals and 34 attempts all set Utah single-season records while his .882 field goal percentage ranks fourth all-time at Utah. Out of his five 50-plus yard field goals, his 56-yarders against San Jose State and Washington State rank second all-time in Utah history.Â
As a senior in 2018, he was a second-team All-American by the FWAA, The Athletic and Phill Steele, and was an AP third-team All-American. The Lou Groza Award semifinalist led the Pac-12 and ranked third nationally in field goals made (26) and field goals per game (1.86).Â
He set a school record by making 21 straight field goals and won four Pac-12 Special Teams Player of The Week nods. He led the league in scoring (8.8 ppg) and total points (123) in 2018, also setting a Utah single-game record for field goals made in a game (6) and points in a game (20) against Oregon.
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