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Michigan kicker Quinn Nordin had an up an down collegiate career. A career that set Michigan records, but also one that was inconsistent. The fifth-year senior’s time in Ann Arbor is up, as he announced on Tuesday he’s declaring for the 2021 NFL Draft.
Time to go to work. https://t.co/g8N8HiMsFH
— Quinn Nordin (@QuinnNordin) December 29, 2020
Nordin displayed as strong a leg as anyone in college football, and after a stellar 2017 in which he made 19-of-24 field goals, it looked like Michigan had themselves a rock-solid kicker. However, the next two seasons Nordin split time kicking with Jake Moody and never found the consistency he had in ‘17 again. And this past season, Nordin was just 2-of-5.
.@QuinnNordin can’t wait for this upcoming season. His highlights from 2019 — including that 57-yard bomb vs. Alabama! #GoBlue pic.twitter.com/4YjYhk7mf4
— Michigan Football (@UMichFootball) May 26, 2020
Nordin will likely be ranked as one of the top kickers in the upcoming draft due to his long-range potential, but if he’s to stick around in the NFL he’s going to have to become more accurate. Nordin also happens to be one of the more vocal and aggressive kickers in college football. You don’t often see a kicker that has a demeanor that seems like he wants to fight, you don’t often see a kicker talking trash to opposing teams, and that’s who Nordin is. Some teams will like that about him, others may shy away from that kind of prospect.
Michigan kicker Quinn Nordin with the Mayfield crotch-grab after a made field goal pic.twitter.com/dw41DKOma5
— CFB Gif'er (@CFBgifer) January 1, 2018
The upside is evident, but there’s risk involved with Nordin. Nordin could wind up sticking around in the NFL for a long time, or he may not last long at all. He’ll latch onto an NFL team, may be a starter during his first season or stashed on a practice squad. He’ll find an NFL home, the question is how long will he stay a pro?