TRACE RUDD: BUILT, NOT GIVEN 🔥🏈

There are kickers who arrive early.
There are kickers who arrive loud.
And then there are kickers who arrive ready.

Trace Rudd is all three.

A left‑footed weapon from Blue Valley Northwest in Overland Park, Kansas, Trace didn’t sprint through the recruiting process —
he walked through it.
Intentional. Patient. Steady.

He learned who he was in the waiting.
He learned what he wanted in the silence.
And he came out the other side with an Oklahoma offer in hand and purpose in his step. 💥🔥

Trace committed to the University of Oklahoma, choosing the Sooners over other Power Four opportunities — including Texas Tech. But the commitment didn’t begin on a photo shoot with Coach Venables.

It started years earlier, when Trace embraced the training partner no one talks about:
patience.

Patience built his consistency.
Patience built his confidence.
Patience built the kicker Oklahoma will trust on Saturdays. 💣💯

This journey wasn’t about quick fame —
It was about becoming undeniable.

👉 Coaches: This is what development looks like when pressure never rushes the process.
👉 Athletes: Be patient, be consistent, stay ready — your moment is coming.
👉 Parents/Fans: Share Trace’s story. Let the next generation see what “built, not given” really means.

Remember the name: Trace Rudd.
The Sooners are getting a kicker shaped by patience, purpose, and the long game. 🚀

Some long snappers are precise.
Some are fast.
A rare few are flat-out, dangerous after the snap.

Brody Tunison is that problem.

Out of Indian Rocks Christian School (Largo, Florida), Tunison isn’t just snapping footballs he’s hunting space, closing ground, and wrecking comfort zones. A 2027 prospect with dual 4.5-star ratings from Rubio Long Snapping and Kohl’s Kicking, Brody has already carved out his reputation as one of the most athletic long snappers in the country.

And he’s just getting started.

From Western Springs to the Big Ten

Hailing from Western Springs, Illinois, Sur took his first serious steps into specialist training after his freshman season. Not chasing hype, just chasing improvement. It wasn’t until January 2025 at the Chris Sailer Vegas Camp that everything clicked.

That’s when college football stopped feeling distant.

That’s when belief turned into direction.

Ranked as the No. 3 kicker in the 2026 class, Sur brings a 55+ yard field goal range and 4.0+ second hang time on kickoffs, along with the rare ability to also compete as a punter. Northwestern noticed—and didn’t hesitate.

In December 2025, the Wildcats used a scholarship to secure one of the nation’s top young specialists. Sur will arrive in summer 2026, ready to compete immediately in the Big Ten, while majoring in economics or business.

Declan Lowry is the second kind.

A 2027-class kicker and punter from The St. James Performance Academy in Springfield, Virginia, Declan is developing inside one of the most demanding football environments in the country. No traditional mascot. No shortcuts. No guarantees. Just reps, pressure, and standards.

They call their teams the Strivvers and that word defines exactly how Declan approaches the craft.

Hayden Chambers’ Journey to Mississippi State 🐶🏈

Hayden Chambers didn’t chase stars — he built something stronger. Rep by rep, season by season, the Fort Payne standout trusted his process long before the rankings caught up. From charting No. 1 at a national camp to choosing alignment over legacy ties, Hayden’s journey to Mississippi State is proof that purpose, patience, and faith still win in the specialist world.t.

Some athletes are loud about their ambitions.
Others let the work speak for them; snap after snap, rep after rep, until the result becomes undeniable.

Daxon Kiesau is the second type.

A Class of 2027 long snapper from Urbandale High School (IA), Daxon brings high energy, physicality, and an intentional work ethic to a position that demands perfection without recognition.

Travis Wakefield — Auburn | Long Snapper

Some players chase football.
Others are called to it.

Travis Wakefield belongs to the second group.

A highly ranked freshman long snapper for the Auburn Tigers, Travis arrived on campus in January 2026 with the kind of résumé most specialists dream of: elite speed, consistent accuracy, and national recognition. Ranked among the top long snappers in the country, he clocked a 4.67-second 40-yard dash and averaged a 0.68-second snap time at national showcases—numbers that confirmed what coaches already knew.

But numbers were never the point.

In special teams, the difference between winning and watching often comes down to one quiet moment: a single, perfect motion under pressure. That’s where Teddy Tholen lives.

Most programs won’t know his name yet. That’s the mistake.

Teddy Tholen isn’t just another long snapper in the 2028 class. He’s already one of the most complete specialist prospects in the country and the type of athlete coaches wish they had identified early, before everyone else caught on.

Some specialists see distance.
Others see moments.

Colt Abbott sees everything.

A Class of 2027 kicker from Louisville Ballard High School in Kentucky, Colt is the kind of athlete who thinks two and three steps ahead. He doesn’t just ask how far or how strong ; he asks why, when, and what comes next. That mindset has quietly shaped his rise into one of the nation’s top young specialists.

This is a story about planning, patience, and purpose.

Pressure Arrives Early

Ask Noah about the proudest moment of his young career, and he won’t hesitate:

His first two SEC offers — Tennessee and Vanderbilt.

That doesn’t happen by luck.
It happens because when eyes are on him, Noah delivers.

Because he handles pressure with uncommon calm.
Because his work shows up when moments get heavy.

But he’ll tell you himself:

Offers aren’t the goal.
They’re a checkpoint on a much larger path.

For Layton Fryfogle, football isn’t just a sport.
It’s family.
It’s faith.
It’s purpose.

A Class of 2027 kicker from George County High School in Lucedale, Mississippi, Layton comes from generations of football bloodlines: Arkansas Monticello, Ole Miss, Tennessee. Names, paths, and legacies that came before him.

But this story isn’t about living in someone else’s shadow.

It’s about becoming something more.

For Javis Underwood, football began on a living‑room couch in rural Nebraska. A kid sitting next to his dad, learning the game one rule at a time. What started as simple curiosity became something else entirely: a spark, a drive, and eventually a craft that would shape his identity.

A Class of 2027 long snapper from Garden County High School in Oshkosh, Nebraska, Javis embodies everything coaches expect from a Midwest athlete:

Toughness. Humility. Blue‑collar work ethic. Zero shortcuts.