Jeremy Crawshaw is set to join the ranks of Australian punters in the NFL after being drafted by the Denver Broncos.
The 23-year-old from Emu Plains in Sydney’s west was the first punter taken in the draft – going in the sixth round with pick No.216 – after being widely considered the best on offer following his five seasons with the University of Florida.
Jeremy Crawshaw in action for the Florida Gators.Credit: Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
He averaged 45.8 yards for the Gators in 2024, with 25 punts downed inside the 20-yard line. In the 2023 season, he set the single-season Gators record for punt average at 48.9 yards.
Crawshaw is set to compete with veteran punter Matt Haack for the Broncos’ starting job. Haack signed a one-year, $US1.255 million ($1.96 million) contract with the club in March.
He is poised to join fellow Australian punters Tory Taylor (Chicago), Mitch Wishnowsky (San Francisco), Michael Dickson (Seattle) and Cameron Johnston (Pittsburgh) in the NFL.
“Crawshaw will likely move in and become an immediate NFL starter with the potential to become a genuine field-position weapon,” reads Crawshaw’s pre-draft scouting report.
“The ability to execute multiple punt styles – from traditional bombs to rugby-style rollers – gives coordinators a versatile weapon for any situation.
“With his proven track record in high-pressure SEC environments and continued development throughout his college career, Crawshaw has positioned himself as the top punter in this draft class.
“His ceiling suggests a decade-plus career as a reliable NFL punter with Pro Bowl potential.”
Crawshaw was the sixth player drafted by Denver, joining first-round defensive back Jahdae Barron, second-round running back RJ Harvey, third-round wide receiver Pat Bryant and defensive end Sai’Vion Jones, and fourth-round linebacker Que Robinson.
Quarterback Shedeur Sanders, the son of hall of famer Deion Sanders, finally got his NFL Draft moment two days later than he would have hoped, after a surprise freefall into the fifth round.
Once projected to go in the first round, Sanders’ name was not called on the first two days of the draft, confounding television analysts who struggled to make sense of it as team after team snubbed him.
But then the Cleveland Browns selected him with the sixth pick of the fifth round and 144th overall.
“Thank you GOD,” Sanders posted to X, while footage showed him dancing and celebrating after the call came through from the Browns.
Sanders, who was coached by his famous father at Colorado the past two seasons, faced way more buzz than a typical prospect ahead of the NFL Draft and at one point was even considered a potential top pick.
But as teams further assessed Sanders’ ability, his stock started to drop. Ultimately, coverage of the draft began to focus more on Sanders than any of the players who were called earlier in the process.
Jonathan Jones, the lead NFL insider for CBS, reported that Sanders “more or less sandbagged” interviews with teams he was uninterested in at the NFL Combine.
