February 12, 2007
Nation’s top kicker happy to be a Horn
Jason Suchomel
Orangebloods.com Editor
It doesn't get discussed very often, but the position of place-kicker is still one of the most critical spots on any football roster. When a close game is on the line, it's usually the efforts of the kicker that can single-handedly make or break a team's chances of winning or losing.
Unfortunately for field goal kickers, they're usually the last persons to get scholarship offers, and many are forced to walk on before earning their scholarship after a year or two in a college football program.
And then there are guys like Austin Westlake's Justin Tucker. Considered the best high school kicker in America, Tucker has already landed on the radars of several programs from around the country. On Sunday, he visited Texas for the Longhorns' first junior day of the year, and Tucker immediately committed with Mack Brown offered a scholarship.
"The whole family atmosphere that Texas provides is very attractive to any recruit," Tucker said. "I was very happy to be around the coaches, the other recruits and players. I just feel blessed now to be a part of this enormous family."
Tucker, who also plays wide receiver and safety for the state-finalist Westlake Chaparrals, said he can consistently make 60-yarders in practice and he has hit from as long as 70 with a slight wind behind his back.
"I would say I'm pretty well rounded. If the offense gets within the opponents' 45 yard line, I'd say that's decent field goal range. I'm pretty consistent from 60 yards in," he said.
Now that his commitment is in the books, Tucker said he'll continue to work hard at fine-tuning his game, and he's thankful that the opportunity to become a Longhorn came his way so early.
"I'm one of the more fortunate kickers. Kicker is such a specialized position but often times not recruited as much as quarterbacks or wide receivers," Tucker said. "I feel very blessed to be a part of this beautiful family which is the University of Texas Longhorns. Hook ‘em."