Tory Taylor, a fourth-round draft pick, was signed by the Chicago Bears, who made an announcement on Saturday. Last season, the former Iowa Hawkeye was the finest punter in college football. He established the NCAA record for most punting yards in a season with 4,479, was selected a first-team All-American, and won the Ray Guy Award.
With 13,657 punting yards, Taylor ranks fifth all-time and owns the NCAA record for the greatest career punting average (46.3). Though he possesses a powerful leg, the 6’4″, 223-pound Melbourne, Australia native excels at precisely pinning opponents deep. He placed 18 punts inside the twenty and won Big Ten Punter of the Year as a freshman. In his following two seasons, he punted 38 times inside the twenty-yard line.
and he had an outstanding 2023, averaging 48.2 yards on 93 punt plays with 32 inside the twenty. It’s “rare” to have both strength and precision, according to Chicago special teams coach Richard Hightower, who rates Taylor as “as good as advertised.”
