Mitch Wishnowsky - Punter (Utah) is a 49er

Originally posted by OnTheClock:

Natson was placed on IR, Darrell Henderson the rookie is the current return man.

Gotcha. All it takes is one though.

Originally posted by okdkid:

This is my favorite thread to follow. The best comments are the "b...bu...but we should have used that highly valuable 4th on ANYTHING else!"

Oh yeah. Like on who? Who...without the aid of hindsight...would you have spent that super coveted 4th round pick on? 95% of the 4th round is total trash.

No doubt that trash 4th round DB/OL prospect we would have taken would have made all the difference on the practice squad when he was inevitably cut 4 months after being drafted.

Should have taken CGJ in the 4th round when he fell in our lap. You can check your his draft page lots of people were pounding the table for him. And he's been one of the best rookies this year.

Originally posted by Hysterikal:
Should have taken CGJ in the 4th round when he fell in our lap. You can check your his draft page lots of people were pounding the table for him. And he's been one of the best rookies this year.

There were people pounding the table for an endless list of guys who will never sniff 3 years in the NFL too. And we can do this hindsight with any round in any draft. The 4th round is a complete crapshoot. The chances you hit on anything is incredibly small. I don't understand how people are acting like this was some crazy valuable pick. At best, it was a lottery ticket.

Originally posted by okdkid:

Originally posted by Hysterikal:

Should have taken CGJ in the 4th round when he fell in our lap. You can check your his draft page lots of people were pounding the table for him. And he's been one of the best rookies this year.

There were people pounding the table for an endless list of guys who will never sniff 3 years in the NFL too. And we can do this hindsight with any round in any draft. The 4th round is a complete crapshoot. The chances you hit on anything is incredibly small. I don't understand how people are acting like this was some crazy valuable pick. At best, it was a lottery ticket.

Okay but missing in the 4th round on a punter is far worst than missing on a DB or WR in the 4th round. You're taking punter higher than most punters are ever drafted. So when you take one and he's average it's pretty understandable how fans may be a little annoyed. A 4th round punter should be one of the best in the league your expecting to have that guy for his entire career taking him that early. And if this is the kinda performance we're gonna get from an old rookie yeah it's a f**king horrible pick.

There were a bunch of players we could have done better with and we still could have signed Wish as FA:

Justice Hill
Hunter Renfrow
Tony Pollard
Charles Omeniyuwe
Mack Wilson
Matt Gay

Originally posted by Hysterikal:

Originally posted by okdkid:

Originally posted by Hysterikal:

Should have taken CGJ in the 4th round when he fell in our lap. You can check your his draft page lots of people were pounding the table for him. And he's been one of the best rookies this year.

There were people pounding the table for an endless list of guys who will never sniff 3 years in the NFL too. And we can do this hindsight with any round in any draft. The 4th round is a complete crapshoot. The chances you hit on anything is incredibly small. I don't understand how people are acting like this was some crazy valuable pick. At best, it was a lottery ticket.

Okay but missing in the 4th round on a punter is far worst than missing on a DB or WR in the 4th round. You're taking punter higher than most punters are ever drafted. So when you take one and he's average it's pretty understandable how fans may be a little annoyed. A 4th round punter should be one of the best in the league your expecting to have that guy for his entire career taking him that early. And if this is the kinda performance we're gonna get from an old rookie yeah it's a f**king horrible pick.

This! The only thing above average about this guy so far is his age, which isn't a good thing. I'll give him tackling ability but you don't draft Punters in the 4th for that

This guy has been a total disappointment. His statistics are below average, but that's not the worst part. When we are backed upped and really need a good punt (50+ yards), he seems only capable of 40 to 45 yard kicks. Other teams FA punters routinely kick those long punts when needed.

Not gonna lie, it seems like it would've been better to take Jake Bailey instead. He's been better than Wish so far and can boom kickoffs out of the end zone.

Originally posted by OnTheClock:
Not gonna lie, it seems like it would've been better to take Jake Bailey instead. He's been better than Wish so far and can boom kickoffs out of the end zone.

Mitch and Jake were the two I mentioned pre draft but have to wonder about the thinking with Pats and Niners duking it out for this position. You can't blame the pick though based on our perceived need and the hype surrounding these guys.

Perhaps if we hadn't had such a great run out of the box this season then he would be given some slack for his rookie year. The reality is that now we are in the playoffs everything is under a massive microscope and he isn't measuring up like ShanaLynch probably hoped for.

Originally posted by captainhook:
This guy has been a total disappointment. His statistics are below average, but that's not the worst part. When we are backed upped and really need a good punt (50+ yards), he seems only capable of 40 to 45 yard kicks. Other teams FA punters routinely kick those long punts when needed.

Thats a little over the top top IMO. When a team is backed up in the end zone it's a little different. You are on the right track though and something seems a little off with him.

Originally posted by NCommand:
4th rounder who can't kick off a ball out of the EZ. SMH.

Well TBF he actually has done that plenty of times. And the 4th round thing is probably due to the Pats draft competition for the position. It seems like very few can do both punting and kick offs brilliantly. Due to the mechanics of the up and down action of the punt and the swivel action of the place kick. Problem with Mitch is I am not sure he is punting great either.

Originally posted by KeepRabbitsOut:

Originally posted by NCommand:
4th rounder who can't kick off a ball out of the EZ. SMH.

Well TBF he actually has done that plenty of times. And the 4th round thing is probably due to the Pats draft competition for the position. It seems like very few can do both punting and kick offs brilliantly. Due to the mechanics of the up and down action of the punt and the swivel action of the place kick. Problem with Mitch is I am not sure he is punting great either.

His punting can be judged by the return yardage against him which was almost no existent until the last two games. He has been concentrating on his punts to get great hang time. The gunners have had all the time in the world to get on top of the receivers. As for kick offs he has said placed kicks were not the strongest part of his game. For all we know he may be instructed not to kick them out the back door. I wonder what he is being coached because I thought his punt and kick off distances would be greater?

Originally posted by Goatie:

Originally posted by KeepRabbitsOut:

Originally posted by NCommand:
4th rounder who can't kick off a ball out of the EZ. SMH.

Well TBF he actually has done that plenty of times. And the 4th round thing is probably due to the Pats draft competition for the position. It seems like very few can do both punting and kick offs brilliantly. Due to the mechanics of the up and down action of the punt and the swivel action of the place kick. Problem with Mitch is I am not sure he is punting great either.

His punting can be judged by the return yardage against him which was almost no existent until the last two games. He has been concentrating on his punts to get great hang time. The gunners have had all the time in the world to get on top of the receivers. As for kick offs he has said placed kicks were not the strongest part of his game. For all we know he may be instructed not to kick them out the back door. I wonder what he is being coached because I thought his punt and kick off distances would be greater?

Something does not seem right in Denmark!

Bad pick, but it happens. Hopefully this FO learns their lesson when it comes to spending a high pick on a punter.

Give him another year. Though i doubt he will turn into an all pro. Punter isnt a position that needs time. You either can kick a football or u cant.

Originally posted by TheGore49er:
Bad pick, but it happens. Hopefully this FO learns their lesson when it comes to spending a high pick on a punter.

Give him another year. Though i doubt he will turn into an all pro. Punter isnt a position that needs time. You either can kick a football or u cant.

Thats pretty much the opposite thinking of the majority of special teams coaches in the league.

Most evaluate a prospect on a variety of factors from athleticism, pressure, how well they field a snap for both FG's and punts... every special teams coach has their preference on which trait they value most. Then the reason they are called "coaches" is that they can bring the rest of those skills needed from a punter or FG kicker up to par at an NFL level.

Allot just go off leg strength and figure they can teach the rest, similar to a QB coach going after the guys with a big arm thinking they can fill in the rest of the gaps to make a prospect a good NFL QB. Baalke & Pinion come to mind. Or just use the metaphor of a golfing prospect. Even casuals can hit middle irons accurately but guys who can do that and drive the ball 300 yards consistently where they want it and also putt and use the pitching wedge to plant a ball 1 foot from the hole are hard to come by. Most pros start with a couple of those skills and then need an instructor to fine tune the rest.

https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2423020-kickers-are-prospects-too-the-impossible-task-of-scouting-kickers-and-punters