Luke Elzinga P Oklahoma | NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
Luke Elzinga P Oklahoma
NFL Draft Profile & Scouting Report
| Last Updated: 01/29/2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Draft Year: 2025 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 40 time: 4.90 seconds (32%*) | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| Last Updated: 01/29/2025 | |
| Draft Year: 2025 | |
| 40 time: 4.90 seconds (32%*) | |
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| Overall Rating: | 82.3 / 100 | |
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| Focus: |
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77% |
| Placement: |
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73% |
| Leg Strength: |
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83% |
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DRAFT PROJECTION:
6th
Overall Rank:
#182
Position rank:
#5
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| College Games: 54 | ||
247 RATING: 75/100
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RIVALS RATING: 5.2 (85%)
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Draft Profile: Bio
A towering presence at 6'4" and 229 pounds, Luke Elzinga has steadily climbed the ranks from a two-star recruit at Grand Rapids Christian to becoming one of the nation's premier punters. After establishing himself as a three-time All-MAC performer at Central Michigan, Elzinga made the bold move to Oklahoma, where he showcased his talents on a bigger stage against elite competition.His journey through the collegiate ranks has been marked by consistent improvement and clutch performances. At Central Michigan, he rewrote the record books, becoming the program's first All-MAC first-team punter since they joined the conference in 1975. The transfer to Oklahoma proved to be a masterstroke, where he elevated his game even further, averaging an impressive 45.2 yards per punt in 2024 while consistently pinning opponents deep.
What stands out about Elzinga's career is his remarkable consistency and ability to perform in high-pressure situations. His performance against LSU in 2021, where he averaged 49.0 yards on six punts with four inside the 20, demonstrated his capacity to excel against SEC competition – a preview of his successful transition to Oklahoma.
Scouting Report: Strengths
- Exceptional leg power enables him to flip field position with booming punts, consistently hitting the sweet spot between distance and hangtime to limit returns.
- Shows advanced touch on directional punts, using the sideline as an extra defender and demonstrating precise ball placement when working inside opponents' territory.
- Built like a linebacker at 229 pounds with a sturdy frame that suggests durability and potential tackling ability on returns gone wrong.
- Displays remarkable consistency in his operation time and technique, maintaining smooth mechanics even under heavy rush pressure situations.
- Versatile skill set includes experience as a holder and the ability to execute fake punts, showing legitimate athleticism with a 4.90 forty time.
- Performs exceptionally well in adverse conditions, showing no drop-off in ball striking when weather becomes a factor.
- Demonstrates excellent ball placement on coffin corner attempts, routinely pinning returners against the sideline with precise spiral punts.
- Mental toughness stands out in critical situations – averaged over 47 yards per punt in multiple high-stakes conference matchups.
Scouting Report: Weaknesses
- Occasionally sacrifices hangtime for distance, leading to more returnable punts than ideal when trying to showcase leg strength.
- Still developing consistency on rugby-style punts, showing some hesitation when asked to execute this increasingly popular technique.
- Can get too aggressive trying to pin opponents deep, resulting in a few unnecessary touchbacks that could have been avoided.
- Operation time, while adequate, could be quickened slightly to better handle aggressive punt rush schemes at the next level.
- Sometimes relies too heavily on power over placement when working in the open field, missing opportunities for better net yardage.
Scouting Report: Summary
After breaking down the film, Elzinga profiles as a day-three selection who could immediately compete for a starting role. His combination of size, leg strength, and proven performance in big games makes him an intriguing prospect for teams looking to upgrade their punt game.He's particularly well-suited for outdoor stadiums in challenging weather conditions, where his powerful leg and sturdy build will serve him well. The ability to maintain consistent ball-striking in adverse conditions while showing enough athleticism to be a threat on fakes adds significant value to his draft stock.
Teams like Buffalo, Green Bay, or Cleveland – where weather often becomes a factor – should have particular interest in Elzinga's services. His experience punting in varied conditions throughout the MAC and Big 12 conferences has prepared him well for the challenges of NFL competition.
How other scouting services rate Luke Elzinga (Overall Rank)
*Percentile Ranking in Player's Position Group (NFL Combine Historical Data): This percentile reflects how a player's specific statistics rank
in comparison to historical performances at the NFL Combine, specifically within their position group. A higher percentile indicates a better performance.
For instance, being in the 90th percentile for a particular stat means the player outperformed 90% of their peers in that category.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.
*Similarity Percentage: This percentage is calculated based on a comprehensive analysis of various factors, including height, weight, 40-yard dash times, on-field performance statistics, and overall player rating. The analysis is conducted against our database of draft prospects from 2021 to 2023. This similarity score helps in evaluating how closely a current prospect aligns with past prospects. It is important to note, however, that this score reflects similarities based on college production and attributes, and does not account for eventual success or performance in the NFL.