Tippecanoe's Ben Sauls chases NFL dreams, awaiting name to be called in Draft
TIPPECANOE, Ohio (WDTN) – From Tipp, to Pitt — the next chapter for Ben Sauls in his football career could be the NFL.
2020 Tippecanoe grad and former Penn Station Athlete of the Month Ben Sauls has a chance to hear his name called during the remaining rounds (4-7) of the NFL Draft this weekend.
Sauls spoke with 2 Sports Director Joey DeBerardino in an exclusive interview ahead of the draft this week in Green Bay, WI.
'I always wanted to be a professional athlete. But, the last thing I thought it was going to be was kicking. I really do just want to make Tipp City proud. That's another drive, another chip on my shoulder. You know, I'm a 937 guy. So, we'll see what happens,' said Sauls.
The former Red Devil has emerged as one of the top kicker prospects in this year's draft after a historic college career at Pitt.
Sauls capped off his five-year stint with one of the best season-performances for a Panthers special teams player.
And now he could land on an NFL roster ahead of the 2025 season. But, nothing is guaranteed.
'It's a process that keeps you focused. It's hard. I think it's going to hit come draft night or post-draft, you know, figuring out where you're going,' added Sauls. 'And I think it'll especially hit the first day you walk into that NFL building.'
Sauls made 6-of-7 field goal attempts from 50-plus yards, with his six field goals of 50-plus yards setting a Pitt single-season record.
The Tipp City native matched the longest field goal in Pitt history with a 58-yarder. He also converted 23 of his last 26 field goal attempts, including a school-record 15 consecutive makes.
He was the lone kicker selected to the Pro Football Focus (PFF) 27-member All-America squad after leading Pitt in scoring with 107 points on 21-of-24 field goals and 44-of-44 extra points.
Sauls is looking to become the first Pitt specialist to be selected in the NFL Draft since punter Andy Lee was taken in the sixth round in 2004 by the San Francisco 49ers.
He could become just the second ever Panthers kicker to be drafted, after Carson Long was the first in 1977.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
27 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Packers to reportedly release 2-time Pro Bowl cornerback Jaire Alexander
The Green Bay Packers are cutting ties with cornerback Jaire Alexander. The two-time Pro Bowler will reportedly be released Tuesday, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. It marks quite the fall for Alexander, a former first-round draft pick who was one of the team's best players as recently as the 2022 season, when he was selected to his second Pro Bowl. But injuries have plagued Alexander over the past two years. Back and shoulder issues limited Alexander to seven games in 2023. A knee issue caused Alexander to play in just seven games in 2024. Advertisement Prior to those injuries, Alexander had emerged as one of the better cornerbacks in the NFL. After a promising rookie season in 2018, Alexander started in all 16 games in his second season. He earned his first Pro Bowl selection in 2020 and was second team All-Pro. He was limited to just four games in 2021 due to a shoulder injury, but bounced back in 2022 to play in all 16 games, once again earning Pro Bowl and second team All-Pro team honors. After signing a four-year, $84 million extension in 2022, Alexander was set to make over $16 million in 2025. The Packers reportedly offered Alexander a restructured deal in May, which would have resulted in Alexander taking a pay cut. It appears Alexander did not want to take that deal, leading to his reported release. The last two seasons in which Alexander played double-digit games, he made the Pro Bowl. That should give the 28-year-old multiple options now that he's reportedly hit the free-agent market. Given his injury struggles, Alexander may need to settle for a short-term deal. If he can stay healthy and return to form, Alexander could fetch a much larger contract on the market next season.
Washington Post
31 minutes ago
- Washington Post
Jim Irsay's three daughters will take over ownership of the Colts, team says
The three daughters of late Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay will take over ownership of the franchise, the team announced Monday. Irsay's eldest daughter, Carlie Irsay-Gordon, will succeed her father as the team's principal owner and will have the title of chief executive officer, the Colts said. The Colts said that 'all three sisters will share leadership duties for the club,' adding that the ownership transition was being done 'pursuant to longstanding plans set forth by Jim Irsay.' The new roles and titles for the three women are 'effective immediately,' according to the team.
USA Today
42 minutes ago
- USA Today
Packers officially release CB Jaire Alexander
Packers officially release CB Jaire Alexander The Green Bay Packers officially announced the release of cornerback Jaire Alexander on Monday. The roster move was initially reported on Monday morning and is now official with the league office as of Monday afternoon. Alexander's release ends a seven-year run for Brian Gutekunst's first draft pick as general manager of the Packers. "In his seven seasons with the Packers, Jaire established himself as one of the premier players in the NFL at one of the game's most challenging positions," Gutekunst wrote in a press release. "His contributions to our organization were felt on the field, in the locker room and in our community, and he will be missed. We appreciate all he gave and we wish him all the best moving forward." Alexander, a first-round pick of the Packers (18th overall) in the 2018 draft, played in 78 games (76 starts) over the last seven seasons in Green Bay. He intercepted 12 passes, returning one for a touchdown, and produced 70 total passes defensed. Alexander was a Pro Bowler and second-team All-Pro in both 2020 and 2022, and he was named to the PFWA's All-Rookie Team in 2018. Alexander also appeared in seven postseason games. He intercepted three passes in the playoffs -- two on Tom Brady in the 2020 NFC Championship Game and one on Dak Prescott in the Packers' upset win over the Dallas Cowboys in the NFC Wild Card Round in 2023. Alexander signed a four-year, $84 million contract with the Packers in 2022. However, he played in only four games in 2021, seven games in 2023 and seven games in 2024 due to injuries or suspension. The Packers now have an open roster spot as mandatory minicamp -- the final event of the offseason workout program -- begins on Tuesday.
