Blake Gillikin Explained

Blake Gillikin
Current Team:Arizona Cardinals
Number:12
Position:Punter
Birth Date:21 January 1998
Birth Place:Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
Height Ft:6
Height In:2
Weight Lb:196
High School:The Westminster Schools (Atlanta, Georgia)
College:Penn State (2016–2019)
Undraftedyear:2020
Pastteams:
Highlights:
Status:Active
Statweek:18
Statseason:2023
Statlabel1:Punts
Statvalue1:211
Statlabel2:Punting yards
Statvalue2:10,107
Statlabel3:Average punt
Statvalue3:47.9
Statlabel4:Longest punt
Statvalue4:77
Statlabel5:Inside 20
Statvalue5:72
Pfr:GillBl00

Blake Thomas Gillikin (born January 21, 1998) is an American football punter for the Arizona Cardinals of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at Penn State.

Early life

A former resident of Smyrna, Georgia, Gillikin helped lead The Westminster Schools to its first GHSA Football Class AAA Georgia State Championship since 1978 in 2015, and was rated as a five-star punter and a five-star kicker by Kohl's Kicking Camp.

College career

A four-year starter at Penn State, Gillikin is ranked No. 2 on Penn State's career punting average charts (43.03 avg.) He landed 53 career punts downed inside the opponent's ten-yard line (seven in 2016, 18 in 2017, 12 in 2018, 15 in 2019) and is the only player in program history with seven punts of 65 or more yards. Gillikin is second all time in net punting yards in school history behind Jeremy Kapinos. In 2019, Gillikin averaged 42.2 yards per punt as was selected All-Big Ten Conference honorable mention by the conference coaches and media. Was also selected for the CoSIDA Academic All-American first-team.[1]

Professional career

New Orleans Saints

Gillikin signed with the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent on April 27, 2020.[2] He was placed on injured reserve on September 9, 2020.[3]

Gillikin was named the Saints starting punter for the 2021 season after the team released longtime starter Thomas Morstead in the offseason.[4]

Gillikin did not receive a qualifying offer following the 2022 season and became a free agent on March 15, 2023.[5] On March 16, Gillikin re-signed with the Saints.[6] He was waived on August 29, 2023, after losing the punting battle to Lou Hedley.[7]

Arizona Cardinals

On October 3, 2023, Gillikin was signed by the Arizona Cardinals.[8]

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Penn State Football . September 15, 2020 . Penn State Nittany Lions Athletics.
  2. Web site: Blake Gillikin . September 15, 2020 . New Orleans Saints.
  3. Web site: Williams . Charean . September 9, 2020 . Saints place backup punter on injured reserve . September 25, 2020 . NBCSports.com.
  4. Web site: Sigler . John . August 24, 2021 . Blake Gillikin, Thomas Morstead's former understudy, wins Saints punter competition . January 3, 2022. USA Today . Saints Wire . en-US.
  5. Web site: Saints make a surprising decision at the beginning of free agency. April 8, 2023. atozsports.com. en.
  6. Web site: Camer . Jonny . March 16, 2023 . Saints re-sign P Blake Gillikin competition . March 17, 2023. SBNation.com . Canal Street Chronicles .
  7. Web site: New Orleans Saints announce roster moves. NewOrleansSaints.com. August 29, 2023.
  8. Web site: Urban . Darren . October 3, 2023 . Cardinals Make Roster Change At Punter . October 4, 2023 . AZCardinals.com . en-US.