Hello: Will Hagerup

GURU RATINGS

While Hagerup is Rivals's #4 kicker, the top three guys are all expected to kick, not punt, in college. He's their #1 punter. Why does Rivals get so specific as to separate scatbacks from tailbacks in their rankings, but can't differentiate punters from kickers? Beats the hell out of me.

Hagerup was the #2 punter at a regional kicking camp this summer, and came in for a bit of praise:

Looking more like a tight end prospect, Hagerup's continued physical growth could strengthen his already strong leg and delivery. One of the things Hagerup -- who holds offers from programs like Florida, Purdue, Tennessee, Indiana, Ohio State and Michigan -- said college coaches note that they like about him is his size. The sought-after punter did not come into the camp complacent. He finished second in the charting and battled until the end in the punt competition, proving why he is one of the top punting prospects in the 2010 class.

He is Chris Sailer's #3 punter in the class, and Sailer (predictably) only has nice things to say about him:

William is a very solid punter. He is big, tall, strong and athletic.  He has all the tools to be an outsanding college punter. Steadily improving player that is showing that he has what it takes to be one of the very best punters in this class! Also has the ability to kick.

ESPN really likes the kid, and if you know anything about kicking or punting (I don't), their evaluation might have some meaning to you:

He has had multiple great performances at Kohl's kicking camp and he can hit punts that have more than a five second hang time. His drop table is low and his leg swing is consistent and straight. Hagerup gets great toe depression on his punts, has proven himself in pressure situations and may also be able to kick off in college.

Yay for low drop table and great toe depression. Hagerup is a serious prospect, and a consensus top guy in the class, as will be evidenced by the...

OFFERS

Hagerup had as many offers as you can possibly expect a kicking specialist to receive. Among many, many others, his finalists were Michigan, Ohio State, Wisconsin, and Florida. Considering the weight Urban Meyer puts on special teams, that last one is a biggie.

STATS

High school stats probably aren't super-relevant for a high school kicker, but Hagerup attended several camps in the summer before his senior year, during which he averaged 44.5 yards per kick, with a 4.39 second hang time. His size (6-4, 215) is apparently also a big draw for college coaches.

FAKE 40 TIME

Punters don't have 40 times (at least not relevant ones), but Will Hagerup is not your average punter. He's listed at 4.8 on Scout, which doesn't sound too particularly FAKE. However, that is a pretty impressive time for a kicking specialist (and puts him on par with JT Floyd... ZING!), so I will give it one FAKE out of three.

VIDEO

Punters don't have highlight reels, so... wait, what? The Will Hagerup highlight reel:

This is obviously the film that he sent to coaches—note the contact information at the end (I said "note" not "creepily use")—and features him punting, kicking, and playing corner(!). Rodriguez offered a scholarship as soon as he heard the AC/DC kick in.

PREDICTION BASED ON FLIMSY EVIDENCE

Well, this should be easy. Zoltan (praised be His name) is on his way out of town following the 2009 season, and Hagerup will hit campus immediately thereafter. He is the "most college-ready" punter in the class, so he should be able to step right in and become the starter.

There don't appear to be any real options for redshirting him, unless Gibbons or Wright was to be the starting punter next year. Since Gibbons is the kicker, and Rodriguez clearly wants to have separate specialists for each role (see: offering a scholarship to a punter when you have a freshman kicker waiting in the wings), Hagerup is your man.

UPSHOT FOR THE REST OF THE CLASS

Hagerup was the only serious option for a scholarship punter in the class. The staff missed out on in-state Mike Sadler because they were waiting on Hagerup. They got their man. He'll be the only specialist in the class of 2010.

Etc.: His older brother is the punter for Indiana, which you may recall from this weekend.