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The Rams have had 2 long snapper’s since 2002. Kind of hard to believe, but we have been automatic at long snaps for a very long time:
Right now we have a competition between Steve Wirtel and Colin Holba.
What do we know about these guys? Sort of a subtle part of the game we haven’t had to put effort toward in a while.
———
Why Iowa State's long snapper could be the only Cyclones player drafted this spring
Steve Wirtel hasn’t needed a football field to get ready for the NFL Draft. Which is good, because Iowa State's facilities are shut down during the coronavirus pandemic.
All the former Iowa State long snapper has needed is 15 yards of grass. So, most days, that's meant going out to a random spot about 20 yards away from a row of corn in an area across the street from Jack Trice Stadium with current Cyclones long snapper Connor Guess.
“For me to complain that I don’t have any space would be totally wrong and really dumb for me, because I can go snap on the concrete if I want to outside,” Wirtel said. “I just love any way to get better and really just kind of going out there and doing my thing.”
Nobody in college may be better at long snapping than Wirtel. He has such a strong and widely respected skillset that he could be one of the only long snappers to be selected during this week's NFL Draft, which takes place Thursday through Saturday.
“He’s my No. 1 (long snapper) guy,” said ESPN NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr.
Wirtel has been an Iowa State mainstay the past four seasons, appearing in all 51 games. He handled all deep snaps, including punts, field goals and extra points. And he did it better than anyone else, earning first-team All-Big 12 Conference honors from Phil Steele in 2018 and 2019.
Wirtel was also named a finalist for the Mannelly Award, given to the nation’s top long snapper, last season. Iowa State coach Matt Campbell said NFL teams were showing interest in him two years ago.
“Obviously his athleticism and his ability to make some tackles on punts really showed up early," Campbell said.
Wirtel's athleticism showed up again at the most recent Senior Bowl and especially at the NFL Scouting Combine where he put up impressive numbers. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.76 seconds, setting an event record for a long snapper. Wirtel also bench-pressed 225 pounds 19 times, the fifth-best mark by a long-snapper since 2000.
NFL.com senior analyst and Pro Football Hall of Famer Gil Brandt said its those type of numbers and that type of athleticism that make Wirtel stand out at such a unique position.
"The long snapper is two things," Brandt said. "Not only is he getting the ball back correctly to the punter and to the placekicker, but he also has to be a coverage guy, and that's why I say this guy is an athlete. A lot of teams, we've got guys are self-made, deep snappers. This guy is an athlete and a true football player. And he gets the ball back real quick."
Kiper said he has Wirtel as the top long snapper available in the draft, followed closely behind by LSU's Drew Ferguson. That small gap could be the difference in getting drafted. One long snapper has been selected in the draft in each of the past five years.
If the streak continues with Wirtel, it marks an achievement for a player who first started thinking about a career as a long snapper midway through high school.
Wirtel, who honed his skills in the basement of his parents' house back in Illinois, was so good in high school that he got a scholarship to Iowa State. He took advantage of the opportunity, becoming a special teams starter for the Cyclones. Wirtel said he's heard from all 32 NFL teams and has been told he could go as early as the fifth round.
While he's waited for the draft to arrive, Wirtel has been lifting with former Iowa State teammates Bryce Meeker, Julian Good-Jones and Matt Leo at a makeshift gym about 40 minute from Ames. Wirtel has stayed sharp with his long snapping skills by working out with Guess. Wirtel told Campbell he'd prepare Guess to be his replacement.
"Kind of fulfill his dreams as well," Wirtel said.
Wirtel's dream of playing in the NFL is close. Even if he doesn't get drafted, Brandt said he expects Wirtel to become a mainstay.
"Eight or nine years from now, he'll still be in this league," Brandt said.
———
www.pennlive.com
Steelers GM explains drafting long snapper Colin Holba
PITTSBURGH -- The "S" on the screen was not a "B." The Pittsburgh Steelers' sixth-round pick was not providing inside linebacker depth or adding edge-rushing ability.
But he had the same physical dimensions of a player who would, so Louisville long snapper Colin Holba becomes a Pittsburgh Steeler and the only long snapper selected in the 2017 NFL draft.
"Again, not many come along that are that size who are competent snappers," general manager Kevin Colbert said. "It's really a supply-and-demand issue."
Here's how else Colbert explained the most puzzling decision of the team's draft days and how that logic stacks up with reality.
The size issue
"In college football, most long snappers are walk-ons. And because of their rules – there are different rules as to how you can defend them or block them after the snap – they have a lot more liberties than we do in the NFL," Colbert said. "So a lot of the college snappers are these 6-1, 215-220-pound guys, which really would have a hard time snapping and blocking in our league."
Holba is 6-4 and weighs 248 pounds. He is the biggest and tallest of the top long snappers in this year's class. All six of the others in the top 7 in CBS Sports' draft prospect ranking are at least 6-1 and weigh no less than 230 pounds.
Wanting depth, competition
This was a theme that Colbert, Mike Tomlin and the other Steelers coaches touched on in explaining most of their selections. Holba was no exception as Colbert said he would compete with 12-year veteran Greg Warren.
"It's no secret, Greg is moving into what I believe will be Year 13," Colbert said. "You have to be able to back that up."
Warren did re-sign on another one-year contract this offseason. Colbert, when asked, said that Warren is healthy and reiterated that Holba is competition for him.
The general manager also noted that plenty of sixth- and seventh-round players don't make the final 53-man roster and in some cases get added to the practice squad. He said he didn't know if the Steelers would keep a long snapper on the practice squad, but that the same logic in getting a late-round pick who might not make the team applies.
Also, there's precedent for this working
For the Patriots, no less.
"Not many long snappers come along that we believe are draftable," Colbert said. "New England took a kid a few years back who is their starting long snapper. And when we see one, we want to add him in the mix, just like we would any other position."
It's true. The Patriots picked Navy long snapper Joe Cardona in the fifth round of the 2015 draft, 166th overall. Like Holba, he was the only long snapper selected that year. Holba was the 213th pick in this year's draft.
———
www.sbnation.com
- Chris Massey 2002-2010 (702 of 703 clean snaps)
- Jake McQuaide 2011-2020
Right now we have a competition between Steve Wirtel and Colin Holba.
What do we know about these guys? Sort of a subtle part of the game we haven’t had to put effort toward in a while.
———
Why Iowa State's long snapper could be the only Cyclones player drafted this spring
Former Iowa State long snapper Steve Wirtel is considered among the best in the NFL Draft class at his position.
www.desmoinesregister.com
Steve Wirtel hasn’t needed a football field to get ready for the NFL Draft. Which is good, because Iowa State's facilities are shut down during the coronavirus pandemic.
All the former Iowa State long snapper has needed is 15 yards of grass. So, most days, that's meant going out to a random spot about 20 yards away from a row of corn in an area across the street from Jack Trice Stadium with current Cyclones long snapper Connor Guess.
“For me to complain that I don’t have any space would be totally wrong and really dumb for me, because I can go snap on the concrete if I want to outside,” Wirtel said. “I just love any way to get better and really just kind of going out there and doing my thing.”
Nobody in college may be better at long snapping than Wirtel. He has such a strong and widely respected skillset that he could be one of the only long snappers to be selected during this week's NFL Draft, which takes place Thursday through Saturday.
“He’s my No. 1 (long snapper) guy,” said ESPN NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr.
Wirtel has been an Iowa State mainstay the past four seasons, appearing in all 51 games. He handled all deep snaps, including punts, field goals and extra points. And he did it better than anyone else, earning first-team All-Big 12 Conference honors from Phil Steele in 2018 and 2019.
Wirtel was also named a finalist for the Mannelly Award, given to the nation’s top long snapper, last season. Iowa State coach Matt Campbell said NFL teams were showing interest in him two years ago.
“Obviously his athleticism and his ability to make some tackles on punts really showed up early," Campbell said.
Wirtel's athleticism showed up again at the most recent Senior Bowl and especially at the NFL Scouting Combine where he put up impressive numbers. He ran the 40-yard dash in 4.76 seconds, setting an event record for a long snapper. Wirtel also bench-pressed 225 pounds 19 times, the fifth-best mark by a long-snapper since 2000.
NFL.com senior analyst and Pro Football Hall of Famer Gil Brandt said its those type of numbers and that type of athleticism that make Wirtel stand out at such a unique position.
"The long snapper is two things," Brandt said. "Not only is he getting the ball back correctly to the punter and to the placekicker, but he also has to be a coverage guy, and that's why I say this guy is an athlete. A lot of teams, we've got guys are self-made, deep snappers. This guy is an athlete and a true football player. And he gets the ball back real quick."
Kiper said he has Wirtel as the top long snapper available in the draft, followed closely behind by LSU's Drew Ferguson. That small gap could be the difference in getting drafted. One long snapper has been selected in the draft in each of the past five years.
If the streak continues with Wirtel, it marks an achievement for a player who first started thinking about a career as a long snapper midway through high school.
Wirtel, who honed his skills in the basement of his parents' house back in Illinois, was so good in high school that he got a scholarship to Iowa State. He took advantage of the opportunity, becoming a special teams starter for the Cyclones. Wirtel said he's heard from all 32 NFL teams and has been told he could go as early as the fifth round.
While he's waited for the draft to arrive, Wirtel has been lifting with former Iowa State teammates Bryce Meeker, Julian Good-Jones and Matt Leo at a makeshift gym about 40 minute from Ames. Wirtel has stayed sharp with his long snapping skills by working out with Guess. Wirtel told Campbell he'd prepare Guess to be his replacement.
"Kind of fulfill his dreams as well," Wirtel said.
Wirtel's dream of playing in the NFL is close. Even if he doesn't get drafted, Brandt said he expects Wirtel to become a mainstay.
"Eight or nine years from now, he'll still be in this league," Brandt said.
———
Steelers GM explains drafting long snapper Colin Holba
Pittsburgh Steelers general manager Kevin Colbert had a series of reasons why the Steelers picked a long snapper, Colin Holba, in the sixth round of the 2017 NFL draft. Most of them check out.
www.pennlive.com
PITTSBURGH -- The "S" on the screen was not a "B." The Pittsburgh Steelers' sixth-round pick was not providing inside linebacker depth or adding edge-rushing ability.
But he had the same physical dimensions of a player who would, so Louisville long snapper Colin Holba becomes a Pittsburgh Steeler and the only long snapper selected in the 2017 NFL draft.
"Again, not many come along that are that size who are competent snappers," general manager Kevin Colbert said. "It's really a supply-and-demand issue."
Here's how else Colbert explained the most puzzling decision of the team's draft days and how that logic stacks up with reality.
The size issue
"In college football, most long snappers are walk-ons. And because of their rules – there are different rules as to how you can defend them or block them after the snap – they have a lot more liberties than we do in the NFL," Colbert said. "So a lot of the college snappers are these 6-1, 215-220-pound guys, which really would have a hard time snapping and blocking in our league."
Holba is 6-4 and weighs 248 pounds. He is the biggest and tallest of the top long snappers in this year's class. All six of the others in the top 7 in CBS Sports' draft prospect ranking are at least 6-1 and weigh no less than 230 pounds.
Wanting depth, competition
This was a theme that Colbert, Mike Tomlin and the other Steelers coaches touched on in explaining most of their selections. Holba was no exception as Colbert said he would compete with 12-year veteran Greg Warren.
"It's no secret, Greg is moving into what I believe will be Year 13," Colbert said. "You have to be able to back that up."
Warren did re-sign on another one-year contract this offseason. Colbert, when asked, said that Warren is healthy and reiterated that Holba is competition for him.
The general manager also noted that plenty of sixth- and seventh-round players don't make the final 53-man roster and in some cases get added to the practice squad. He said he didn't know if the Steelers would keep a long snapper on the practice squad, but that the same logic in getting a late-round pick who might not make the team applies.
Also, there's precedent for this working
For the Patriots, no less.
"Not many long snappers come along that we believe are draftable," Colbert said. "New England took a kid a few years back who is their starting long snapper. And when we see one, we want to add him in the mix, just like we would any other position."
It's true. The Patriots picked Navy long snapper Joe Cardona in the fifth round of the 2015 draft, 166th overall. Like Holba, he was the only long snapper selected that year. Holba was the 213th pick in this year's draft.
———
Why NFL teams still can’t live without a long snapper
How football’s ultimate one-trick ponies have kept a foothold in a league that demands versatility now more than ever.
www.sbnation.com
