Josh Jasper

Josh Jasper
No. --     Free Agent
Kicker
Personal information
Date of birth: November 26, 1987
Place of birth: Memphis, Tennessee
Height: 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m) Weight: 171 lb (78 kg)
Career information
College: Louisiana State
Undrafted in 2011
No regular season or postseason appearances
Career history
*Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Career highlights and awards

Joshua Norwood "Josh" Jasper (born November 26, 1987) is an American football placekicker.[1]

He set the Tennessee state record for career high school field goals, with 44, and his longest field goal was 54 yards. In 2010, he was a Consensus College All-American placekicker for the LSU Tigers in his senior year, after leading the nation with 28 field goals. He was the most accurate kicker in LSU history as of 2011.[1] In July 2011, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed him as a free agent.

Contents

High school career

Jasper played football and soccer at Ridgeway High School in Memphis.[2][3] Originally, he was a quarterback and wide receiver, before moving over to kicker for his junior and senior years.[4] He was rated the No. 12 kicker in the U.S. by Scout.com as a senior.[4] His longest field goal as a high schooler was 54 yards[1] and he set the state's record for total career field goals with 44.[2]

College career

He is the most accurate kicker in school history as of 2011.[1] He was 47-of-56 in field goal attempts in college (83.9%).[1] That was the best percentage in school history, and the second best in Southeastern Conference history.[1]

In 2009, he tied for the third-longest field goal in school history, at 52 yards.[2][5] In a spring game, he kicked a 57-yard field goal.[2] He also set a school record in September 2010 with five field goals in one game, against Mississippi State, while tying the school record of 17 kicking points in one game.[2][6][7]

He was a Consensus All-American placekicker in his senior year, after leading the country with 28 field goals.[1][8][9][10] In addition to kicking field goals, he punted as LSU's "pooch punter", kicked kickoffs, and rushed a handful of times for first downs.[11] He was also 2010 First Team All-America (Football Writers Association of America, Sporting News), 2010 First Team All-Southeastern Conference (AP), 2010 Second Team All-Southeastern Conference (Coaches), 2010 SEC Special Teams Player of the Week (vs. Mississippi State; vs. Ole Miss), and 2010 Lou Groza Award Star of the Week (vs. Mississippi State, vs. Alabama, vs. UL-Monroe).[1][8][12] He capped his career by playing in the 2011 Senior Bowl.[13][14]

Professional career

Despite his high school and college success, prognosticators were uncertain whether Jasper would be drafted in the April 2011 NFL Draft, as in the prior five years just nine kickers were drafted.[15] NFL draft analyst Mike Detillier opined that he might be a later-round draftee.[15]

He was not picked in the draft.[16] Because of the NFL lockout, he had to wait until it ended to have an opportunity to sign with a team as a free agent.[17]

On July 26, 2011, Jasper said he had agreed to terms with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on a rookie free agent deal.[18] He was released on August 5.

External links

References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h Football. "Josh Jasper Bio". LSUsports.net. http://www.lsusports.net/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=5200&ATCLID=785340. Retrieved March 3, 2011. 
  2. ^ a b c d e Ali Manion (October 16, 2010). "Cover Story: Senior Placekicker Josh Jasper". LSUsports.net. http://www.lsusports.net/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=5200&ATCLID=205011672. Retrieved March 3, 2011. 
  3. ^ Rachel Whittaker. "Football: Josh Jasper takes over as starting kicker in 2009 season". The Daily Reveille. http://www.lsureveille.com/sports/football-john-jasper-takes-over-as-starting-kicker-in-2009-season-1.2001215. Retrieved March 4, 2011. 
  4. ^ a b Rachel Whittaker (October 16, 2009). "Football: Josh Jasper takes over as starting kicker in 2009 season". The Daily Reveille. http://www.lsureveille.com/sports/football-josh-jasper-takes-over-as-starting-kicker-in-2009-season-1.2001215. Retrieved March 4, 2011. 
  5. ^ Glenn Guilbeau (September 20, 2009). "LSU Notes: Jasper kicks 52-yard field goal". The Shreveport Times. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/shreveporttimes/access/1862564911.html?FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&type=current&date=Sep+20%2C+2009&author=Glenn+Guilbeau&pub=The+Times&desc=LSU+Notes%3A+Jasper+kicks+52-yard+field+goal&pqatl=google. Retrieved March 3, 2011. 
  6. ^ "LSU football players Drake Nevis, Josh Jasper win SEC weekly awards". NOLA.com. September 20, 2010. http://www.nola.com/lsu/index.ssf/2010/09/nevis_jasper_named_players_of.html. Retrieved March 3, 2011. 
  7. ^ Michael DeMocker. "Josh Jasper sets LSU record with five field goals". The Times-Picayune. http://www.nola.com/lsu/index.ssf/2010/09/josh_jasper_sets_lsu_record_wi.html. Retrieved March 3, 2011. 
  8. ^ a b "Josh Jasper | LSU, K : 2011 NFL Draft Scout Player Profile". NFL Draft Scout. September 21, 2006. http://www.nfldraftscout.com/ratings/dsprofile.php?pyid=69192&draftyear=2011&genpos=K. Retrieved March 3, 2011. 
  9. ^ "LSU assistant Robinson hired as UNC defensive line coach". Neworleans.com. February 17, 2011. http://www.neworleans.com/sports/lsu/561043-lsu-assistant-robinson-hired-as-unc-defensive-line-coach.html. Retrieved March 3, 2011. 
  10. ^ "Josh Jasper Statistics | College Football". Sports-reference.com. http://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/josh-jasper-1.html. Retrieved March 3, 2011. 
  11. ^ Ron Higgins (December 2, 2010). "Can't stop an Auburn sweep". Memphis Commercial Appeal. http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2010/dec/02/cant-stop-an-auburn-sweep/?print=1. Retrieved March 4, 2011. 
  12. ^ Michael DeMocker (November 15, 2010). "LSU kicker Josh Jasper was named Lou Groza Star of the Week". The Times-Picayune. http://www.nola.com/lsu/index.ssf/2010/11/lsu_kicker_josh_jasper_was_nam.html. Retrieved March 3, 2011. 
  13. ^ "Sheppard, Jasper love their Senior Bowl surroundings". Shreveport Times. January 27, 2011. http://www.shreveporttimes.com/article/20110127/SPORTS0202/101270341/Sheppard-Jasper-love-their-Senior-Bowl-surroundings. Retrieved March 4, 2011. 
  14. ^ "FSU's Ponder uses Senior Bowl to make statement". http://www.tallahassee.com/article/20110130/FSU03/101300339/FSU-s-Ponder-uses-Senior-Bowl-to-make-statement. Retrieved March 4, 2011. 
  15. ^ a b Mark Clements. "Football: Peterson and other Tigers make good impressions in 2011 NFL Combine". The Daily Reveille. http://www.lsureveille.com/mobile/sports/football-peterson-and-other-tigers-make-good-impressions-in-2011-nfl-combine-1.2501785. Retrieved March 4, 2011. 
  16. ^ "How Did LSU Players Fare In The Draft?". WWL. http://www.wwl.com/How-did-LSU-players-fare-in-the-Draft-/9738559. Retrieved May 14, 2011. 
  17. ^ ".". The Daily Reveille. May 1, 2011. http://www.lsureveille.com/mobile/sports/toliver-jasper-left-out-as-six-former-tigers-taken-in-draft-1.2556798. Retrieved May 14, 2011. 
  18. ^ "Tampa Bay agrees to terms with LSU PK Josh Jasper". NOLA.com. http://www.nola.com/lsu/index.ssf/2011/07/tampa_bay_agrees_to_terms_with.html. Retrieved July 27, 2011. 
Offense
Defense
Special teams
P Chas Henry | PK Josh Jasper | KR/ST Cliff Harris | KR/ST Eric Page