With the portal, internationalization of kicking, roster limits coming, and kickoff on the way out (at least as we know it), a few predictions:
> Anything not Power 4 football is now minor league Power 4 football. Kickers who used to be slam dunk PWOs for FBS programs will now be lucky to get FCS chances to prove themselves. It’s a farm system for QB’s and kickers aka single-starter positions. “We’d love to take you, but we can’t right now. Let’s stay in touch you never know what will happen with the portal” isn’t an uncommon thing to hear in 2024.
> As the NFL and college football internationalize, there will naturally be more kicking talent entering the pool. It’s not right or wrong, it’s just reality. Competition is increasing, and there are some truly great kicking athletes from overseas at the pro and college levels.
> As the portal becomes the preferred way to build experience in win-now FBS specialist rooms, competition for high school kids will continue to increase. The PWO spot for the high school developmental kid may now go to the battle-hardened grad-transfer vet with three years of game experience from an FCS or another FBS program.
> As roster limits become a thing, and kickoff is potentially on the way out (at least as we know it now), more high school kids will probably (and should) become combo punter/kickers. The big nuclear KO leg of the past two decades may not be enough to get you on a team anymore.
> As the odds of nailing a Power 4 offer as a high school specialist right out of the gate become harder, you may see more parents and families looking at higher academic programs to set up their kids for the next four decades instead of this FBS craze.
> Or, absolutely nothing at all will change. Kids with big legs will still be coveted. You might not need to specialize in just kicking or punting. It might be hard for some staffs to internationalize the kicking rooms. Some coaches may not like getting portal kickers and prefer to develop guys in-house, and roster limits may not become a thing at all.
I am probably 98.99% wrong with these predictions, but times are changing no matter how one looks at kicking in college.