Daniel Carlson

... Teams looking for help at placekicker will certainly be spending plenty of time evaluating Carlson, a record-breaking two-time All-American who not only offers a prototypical leg, size and athleticism for the position but the longevity and consistency to project to the NFL, as well. Carlson was lured out of the west by Auburn, signing with the Tigers over offers from Oregon and California, as well as other nationally prominent programs such as LSU, North Carolina, Virginia and Baylor. He redshirted his first season on campus before winning the team's starting punter and placekicker in 2014, handling kickoff duties, as well. Carlson converted 18 of 24 field goal attempts as a freshman (75%), boosting that number to 85.2% in 2015 (23/27) and a career-high 87.5% as a junior (28/32) before dropping back down to 74.2% in 2017 on 23/31 attempts, with four of his eight misses coming from 50+ yards. He was a perfect 198/198 on point after touchdown attempts over his career and set the SEC record for most points as a senior, leaving Auburn with 480 points scored and a conference record 92 made field goals. "It's a big deal," Carlson said after a 44-23 win over Mississippi in which he set the new SEC record for most points scored. "It's been a long time coming. A lot of kicks. It's something I personally have wanted to do, coming back this senior year. That was one of the things I really wanted to do." BACKGROUND Versatile kicking specialist with tremendous leg strength ... 10 field goals and 54 kickoffs for touchbacks as a senior for Coach David Bervig at The Classical Academy ... top-ranked kicker nationally at Kohl's Kicking Academy Underclassmen Challenge ... ranked No. 4 nationally among kickers by Scout and Rivals ... MaxPreps small school All-America ... No. 8 ranking from 247Sports ... U.S. Army All-American Bowl ... top-ranked kicker nationally by ESPN ... Denver Post No. 6 in-state prospect and all-state Class 3A as a junior and senior ... as a soccer player, helped TCA advance to state finals as a sophomore and junior

in our view

Carlson was named one of three finalists for the Lou Groza Award after each of his final three seasons at Auburn but never won it. Perhaps that slight will fuel him in the NFL, where Carlson projects as a longtime starter worthy of mid round consideration.

strengths

Rare size for the position with a lean, athletic frame and good overall weight distribution. Technically sound kicker with a measured, consistent approach, keeping his head down and showing good follow-through. Good quickness to and through the ball, generating excellent velocity with longs of 58 yards recorded at the Senior Bowl and 56 yards while at Auburn. Finished second in the country in touchback percentage in 2016 at 79.2% (57-72)... Converted 13-21 in 50+ yard field goals for career, the second-best percentage on 50+ yard kicks in NCAA history... Showed resiliency in becoming an All-American after missing the final kick of his redshirt freshman season, a 49-yard attempt in overtime (against Wisconsin in the Outback Bowl) which bounced off the goal post to give the Badgers the win... Good athleticism for the position with a 20-yard fake touchdown run to his credit, as well as two tackles... Experienced kicking in cold weather conditions dating back to his prep days in Colorado... -- Rob Rang 2/8/2018

weaknesses

Simple physics, long legs take more time to carry through the ball... At times is so committed to maximizing the length on his kicks that they have a low trajectory with multiple blocked over his career, including five over his final two seasons and three of his final 12 attempts... Finished 1/2 during the Senior Bowl, itself, with a miss from 33 yards... - Rob Rang 2/8/2018

Versatile kicking specialist with tremendous leg strength

10 field goals and 54 kickoffs for touchbacks as a senior for Coach David Bervig at The Classical Academy

top-ranked kicker nationally at Kohl's Kicking Academy Underclassmen Challenge

ranked No. 4 nationally among kickers by Scout and Rivals

MaxPreps small school All-America

No. 8 ranking from 247Sports

U.S. Army All-American Bowl

top-ranked kicker nationally by ESPN

Denver Post No. 6 in-state prospect and all-state Class 3A as a junior and senior

as a soccer player, helped TCA advance to state finals as a sophomore and junior.

Birthday is January 23

Major at Auburn: Pre-Business

son of Jodie Carlson and Hans Carlson.

2017

defensive
TFL	QB HUR	TOT	TD	PD	SACKS	SOLO
0.0	0.0	1.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.0

kicking
FGM	PTS	LONG	PCT	FGA	XPM	XPA
23.0	126.0	54.0	0.742	31.0	57.0	57.0

2016

rushing
YPC	TD	YDS	CAR	LONG
20.0	1.0	20.0	1.0	20.0

defensive
TFL	QB HUR	TOT	TD	PD	SACKS	SOLO
0.0	0.0	1.0	0.0	0.0	0.0	1.0

kicking
FGM	PTS	LONG	PCT	FGA	XPM	XPA
28.0	128.0	53.0	0.875	32.0	44.0	44.0

2015

kicking
FGM	PTS	LONG	PCT	FGA	XPM	XPA
23.0	109.0	56.0	0.852	27.0	40.0	40.0