College Preview: Punt & Kick Returners

It has been 70 games since the Chiefs have had a kickoff return for a touchdown; October 2, 2005, Dante Hall vs. Philadelphia.

It has been 55 games since the Chiefs have had a punt return for a touchdown; October 1, 2006, Hall vs. San Francisco.

Right now, the Chiefs are 22nd in the league on punt return average and 24th in kick return average. They haven’t come close to a scoring return this season. Or last season and the season before that.

If Pioli/Haley hope to turn around the Chiefs on the field and put more victories in the record book, they need more weapons and the biggest addition would be a returner who can break the big one.

There are quite a few top returners who will be available in the 2010 NFL Draft. Some are big names, like Clemson RB C.J. Spiller (above). Others are highly rated players in the pre-draft rankings, like Alabama CB Javier Arenas and CB Perrish Cox of Oklahoma State.

Others are from smaller programs, like LeRoy Vann of Florida A&M, RB Terrence Holt of Austin Peay and CB Scotty McGee of James Madison.

Somewhere in the pool of talent, the Chiefs must find the next Percy Harvin, Lardarius Webb and Johnny Knox – all rookies who have returned kickoffs for touchdowns.

We’ve rounded up the career best kickoff and punt returners who will be available in the spring. They are ranked by their average on those returns.

And here are the six best returners who will be available on the major college and Division 1-AA levels.

Major College (Football Bowl Subdivision)

RB C.J. Spiller/Clemson, 5-11, 195 pounds – If a team wants Spiller, they are going to have to grab him in the top half of round No. 1. He could be for an offense and special teams what Harvin has done this year already for the Vikings. Spiller’s career numbers are mind-numbing, matched in college football only by Reggie Bush when he was at Southern Cal. He has 3,171 rushing yards, 1,299 receiving yards, 1,840 kick return yards and 550 punt return yards. He has a total of 35 touchdowns, including seven on returns. Spiller has six kickoff return TDs, tied for the NCAA record with Southern Cal’s Anthony Davis. He’s got big-time speed, as his personal best in the 100 meters is 10.22 seconds. Spiller faces Virginia on Saturday.

CB Perrish Cox/Oklahoma State, 6-0, 198 pounds – Cox’s 67-yard punt return for a TD was the Cowboys first score on Thursday night in a victory over Colorado. It was his sixth return touchdown of his career. Cox is highly rated in the ‘10 draft class as a defensive back; he has 10 career interceptions and has been credited with over 100 solo tackles. Cox was the Big 12 Conference defensive player of the week for his performance against Texans Tech when he had two interceptions. He’s averaging 24.2 yards on kickoff returns over his career and 11.9 yards on punt returns. He’s got good speed at 4.4 seconds in the 40-yard dash.

CB Javier Arenas/Alabama, 5-9, 198 pounds
(right) – Coming out of high school in Tampa, Arenas had only three scholarship offers: Florida Atlantic, Florida International and Alabama. How everybody else in the SEC missed him they’ve been asking for four years. Arenas has six TD returns and is on the verge of setting a host of return records. He needs 172 yards to break Wes Welker’s NCAA record for career punt return yards. Arenas has 4.5-second speed in the 40-yard dash. He’s rated among the top dozen cornerbacks in the ‘10 draft class and is considered a late second-third round choice. This year, he’s got 52 tackles and four sacks as the Tide play Tennessee-Chattanoga on Saturday.

Division 1-AA (Football Championship Series)

CB LeRoy Vann/Florida A&M, 5-8, 185 pounds – When it comes to putting returns in the end zone, nobody in Division 1 football can match Vann. He’s got 11 return touchdowns, including five punt return scores just this season. He’s tied the NCAA record for punt return TDs in a single season and over his career (8). Because of his size and lack of top end speed (4.5 seconds in the 40-yard dash), Vann doesn’t crack the charts right now when it comes to the top 200 players. He’ll play Bethune-Cookman on Saturday, and the game is on ESPN-Classic.

WR Andre Roberts/Citadel, 5-11, 175 pounds – A touchdown maker on offense with 36 scores on 280 catches, Roberts has three punt return TDs in his 44-game career. Coming into this season, the Columbia, South Carolina native was rated a fifth-round draft prospect at wide receiver. Roberts has 4.4 speed and runs track at the Citadel, where his personal best time in the 200 meters is 23.05 seconds. As a receiver, he’s racked up 3,662 yards, along with 1,150 punt return yards. The Bulldogs play Georgia Southern on Saturday.

RB Terrence Holt/Austin Peay, 5-8, 172 pounds – A junior for the Governors, he had a 71-yard punt return for a TD against Tennessee State last week. Earlier this month, he had a 99-yard kickoff return. Over his 32-game college career he’s scored five return touchdowns. As a running back, he has 749 rushing yards so far this year. Austin Peay finishes up Saturday with Tennessee-Martin. Out of Nashville, Holt may or may not make himself available for the ‘10 NFL Draft.

CAREER KICKOFF RETURNERS

CAREER PUNT RETURNERS