Taylor Mehlhaff

positives

Has a small frame, but shows good muscle tone, firm midsection and good thigh and calf development...Very poised under pressure, showing great confidence in his ability to kick for distance and in poor weather conditions...Has tunnel vision on the field, blocking out all distractions...Durable athlete with no health issues...While not used in this capacity at Wisconsin, he is a former prep quarterback with the arm strength to air the ball out with good accuracy on fakes and trick plays...Shows good speed and urgency getting downfield to help the kickoff coverage unit (nine career tackles)...Has the quickness, balance, agility and leg flexibility to put full force behind his kicks from either hash...Hits the ball with a quick stride, showing steady acceleration and trajectory on his attempts...Has very good mechanics to handle multiple kicking chores, connecting with the ball with very good pop on contact during kickoffs, field goals and extra points...Has shown marked improvement getting his kickoffs to sail through the end zone (123-of-287 attempts resulted in touchbacks, 42.86%)...Not used for punting duties, but shows the ability to field snaps with ease and can adjust to the off-target snap...Drives the ball deep on kickoffs, even when making attempts into the wind...Shows very good strength on contact with the ball, driving it deep and with very good hang time...Consistently gets the ball into the end zone on kickoffs and has the range to make field goals from the 50-yard area...In 2007, he showed quicker steps to the ball, as he starts his motion earlier than he had in the past...Has good snap-to-toe timing (1.29 second on field goals/1.21 on PATs)...The ball can explode off his foot and improved his trajectory over the years (hang time was as low as 3.84 seconds earlier in his career, but his kickoffs averaged 4.28-4.54 seconds in 2007)...The ball jumps off his foot with good rise on field goals/PATs...Generates good lift on contact...Puts some air under his kickoffs and is not prone to kicking line drives...Has generally good accuracy on his field goals (76.92% overall, 56% from 40-yards or longer)...Has the ability to kick off toward the corners or let the ball sail out of the end zone...Can kick from both hashes effectively...Has adapted well to the swirling winds at Wisconsin's Camp Randall stadium and should not have any problems kicking into the wind...Makes proper adjustments in his approach to the ball based on field and weather conditions...Poised and in control in pressure situations, showing confidence and concentration coming through in the clutch...Lacks size, but is a tough open-field tackler who will square up, wrap and secure with good pop on contact...Has the athletic ability to break down and tackle in space (former defensive back in high school)...Has the loose hips to recover when he's juked by a returner and is not afraid to stick his hat into the pile.

compares to

JOHN KASAY-Carolina Panthers...Both left-footed kickers are an automatic three-points inside the 40-yard line. Mehlhaff will need to quicken his approach a bit at the next level, but with the height and trajectory he is able to generate, the opposition will have a hard time trying to block his kicks. He greatly improved his kickoff mechanics as a senior and could make a very nice living just handling those duties. But, he's an outstanding poor-weather kicker in the Ryan Longwell mold. There are few left-footed kickers in the league, making getting into camp early to work with the holder and snapper necessary to establish chemistry. His leg strength makes Mehlhaff worth strong consideration on draft day.

negatives

Did not always get great height on his kickoffs, but as a senior, his hang time greatly improved from the previous season (4.54-second average in 2007, compared to 3.84 in 2005)...Needs to show a bit more quickness on his approach on field goals and conversions (bit deliberate in the past), but is much quicker when he uses a 2 1/2-step approach (note-he has never had a field goal or extra point blocked. The missed PAT in the 2007 UNLV was due to a muffed snap)...Might need some time to work with his holder and snapper at the next level, as he is a left-footed, soccer style kicker and the trio need to get comfortable with the kicker's approach and timing.

No injuries reported.

Campus: 4.72 in the 40-yard dash

335-pound bench press

32-inch vertical jump

29 3/4-inch arm length

8 3/4-inch hands

Ambidextrous

Left-footed, soccer style kicker

27/45 Wonderlic score.

Attended Aberdeen (S.D.) Central High School, playing football for head coach Mike Flakus

Rated the premier place-kicker in the prep ranks by Rivals.com, earning All-American first-team honors from Ridell and second-team accolades from USA Today

Two-time All-State, All-Area and All-Conference choice on special teams and added All-Conference honors as a quarterback

South Dakota's 2003 Gatorade Player of the Year

Helped lead his team to 12-1 record and runner-up finish in 2003 Class 11AA state finals as a quarterback, strong safety, kicker and punter

The national kickoff champion at Chris Sailer's Kicking Camp

Had more than 93 percent of his kickoffs go for touchbacks and he made 6-of-14 field goals, with a long of 52 yards and 35-of-36 PATs as a senior

Also passed for 1,359 yards and 12 touchdowns, while making 55 tackles on defense

Team captain and MVP

Lettered four times each in football, hockey and track

Also earned All-State Academic team recognition.

Agricultural Business Management major

Son of Heidi Preston and Charlie Mehlhaff

Father ran track and played golf at Northern State

Born 8/25/85

Resides in Aberdeen, South Dakota.