We conclude our preview of this year's NFL Scouting Combine with a look at the specialists taking part next week in Indianapolis. Some of the inconsistencies that plagued teams in the kicking game last season shows the value of these sometimes overlooked prospects in the draft process.
Top 2 kickers to watch at Combine:
1. Rodrigo Blankenship, Georgia, 6-1, 187
Won the Lou Groza Award as the nation's best kicker this past season. He made all 46 of his extra points and was 27-for-33 kicking field goals. Blankenship has a big leg and made over 80 percent (82.5) of his career field-goal attempts in college.
2. Tyler Bass, Georgia Southern, 5-10, 183
Bass was really impressive at the Senior Bowl, showing off a big leg with accuracy. He doesn't have a ton of 50-plus-yard field goals under his belt, but he finished with a 93 percent success rate on kicks between 30 and 50 yards in 2019.
Top 2 punters to watch at Combine:
1. Braden Mann, Texas A&M, 5-11, 195
Won the Ray Guy Award as the nation's top punter in 2018, setting the NCAA record with 51.0 yards per punt and placing 19 of 50 punts inside the 20. Averaged 47.1 yards per punt this past season, placed 26 punts inside the 20 and made seven tackles this past season.
2. Michael Turk, Arizona State, 6-1, 228
Led the Pac-12 in punting average (46.0) and was a first-team all-conference performer. Turk forced fair catches on 20 of 59 punts, putting 32 of those kicks inside the 20 with six touchbacks. Turk has a big leg and will get better with his precision once he gets NFL instruction and technique work.
Top 2 long snappers to watch at Combine:
1. Blake Ferguson, LSU, 6-3, 227
Four year starter. Followed in his brother Reid's footsteps as the LSU long snapper. Was a team captain in each of the last two years. Has great speed and accuracy on his snaps, and could be a Day 3 pick.
2. Steven Wirtel, Iowa State, 6-4, 227
Like Ferguson, Wirtel is a legacy long snapper, following in the footsteps of his brothers Steve and John. Snapped all four seasons for the Cyclones and isn't bashful about getting after it as a blocker and tackler.
Combine sleeper to watch:
Joseph Charlton, South Carolina, 6-4, 194 (punter)
Finished top five nationally with a 47.7 average with more than half of his punts being fair caught. At 6-4, Charlton has a long frame to corral wayward snaps, and he was also a holder on field goal attempts.
View photos of Detroit Lions players at the NFL Combine.
Georgia quarterback Matthew Stafford runs a football drill at the NFL scouting combine in Indianapolis, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2009. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Northern Illinois wide receiver Kenny Golladay runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Saturday, March 4, 2017. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Mississippi State defensive back Darius Slay runs a drill during the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2013. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)
University of California Berkeley wide receiver wide receiver Marvin Jones runs up the field during the NFL Scouting Combine on Sunday, Feb. 26, 2012, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Ben Liebenberg)
Arkansas defensive lineman Trey Flowers participates in the broad jump during the 2015 NFL Scouting Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium on Sunday, February 22, 2015 in Indianapolis, IN. (AP Photo/Ben Liebenberg)
Auburn running back Kerryon Johnson runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, March 2, 2018. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Rick Wagner, Wisconsin, 2013
Christian Jones, Florida State, 2014
Taylor Decker, Ohio State, 2016
Tracy Walker, Louisiana-Lafayette, 2018
A'Shawn Robinson, Alabama, 2016
Da'Shawn Hand, Alabama, 2018
Graham Glasgow, Michigan, 2016
Romeo Okwara, Notre Dame, 2016
Miles Killebrew, Southern Utah, 2016
Joe Dahl, Washington State, 2016
Steve Longa, Rutgers, 2016
Jalen Reeves-Maybin, Tennessee, 2017
Frank Ragnow, Arkansas, 2018
Tyrell Crosby, Oregon, 2018
Nick Bawden, San Diego State, 2018
Chris Lacy, Oklahoma State, 2018
USC linebacker Devon Kennard runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Monday, Feb. 24, 2014. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Danny Amendola of Texas Tech runs a drill at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis, Sunday, Feb. 24, 2008. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
John Atkins, Georgia, 2018
Tennessee defensive back Justin Coleman runs the 40-yard dash at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Monday, Feb. 23, 2015. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Penn State defensive back Amani Oruwariye runs the 40-yard dash during the NFL football scouting combine, Monday, March 4, 2019, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
Boston College defensive back Will Harris runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Monday, March 4, 2019. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Miami defensive back Michael Jackson Sr. runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Monday, March 4, 2019. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Clemson defensive lineman Austin Bryant poses for a headshot during the 2019 Scouting Combine,Friday, Mar. 1, 2019 in Indianapolis. (Logan Bowles via AP)
Old Dominion wide receiver Travis Fulgham runs a drill during the NFL football scouting combine, Saturday, March 2, 2019, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/Darron Cummings)
Georgia tight end Isaac Nauta participates in the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Thursday, Feb. 28, 2019. (AP Photo/AJ Mast)
Alabama running back Bo Scarbrough runs during a drill at the NFL football scouting combine on Friday, March 2, 2018 in Indianapolis. (Aaron M. Sprecher via AP)
Wisconsin offensive lineman Beau Benzschawel runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, March 1, 2019. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Georgia defensive lineman John Atkins runs a drill during the 2018 NFL Scouting Combine on Sunday, March 4, 2018 in Indianapolis. (Ben Liebenberg via AP)
UCLA offensive lineman Caleb Benenoch runs a drill at the NFL football scouting combine, Friday, Feb. 26, 2016, in Indianapolis. (AP Photo/L.G. Patterson)
Virginia offensive lineman Oday Aboushi goes through a drill during the NFL Combine in Indianapolis Saturday, Feb. 23, 2013. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)
Penn State tight end Jesse James runs the 40-yard dash at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Friday, Feb. 20, 2015. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Virginia Tech quarterback Logan Thomas throws during a drill at the NFL football scouting combine in Indianapolis, Sunday, Feb. 23, 2014. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
Penn State linebacker Jason Cabinda poses for a headshot during the 2018 NFL Scouting Combine on Friday, March 2, 2018 in Indianapolis. (Ben Liebenberg via AP)
Lions need at the position: Moderate
Long-time Lions punter Sam Martin is an unrestricted free agent. He and the team will have to make their decisions on the future of the position in the coming month. Martin took a pay cut in 2019, and the Lions signed Jack Fox and Matt Wile to futures contracts at the position. The Lions could re-sign Martin, turn to Fox or Wile, or look to get younger with a Day 3 pick. The Lions did coach Mann in the Senior Bowl.
Long snapper Don Muhlbach said after the season he hasn't thought about retirement yet, and would like to return for a 17th season. His play hasn't dropped to where that's no longer an option. A 17th season seems like possibility, but the Lions will eventually have to start thinking about a replacement. Muhlbach can't play forever. James Fisher was signed to a futures deal, and the Lions could always look to someone like Ferguson or Wirtel in the late rounds of the draft.
The Lions are good at kicker for at least another season. Matt Prater is one of the best in the business and is signed through 2020.
Key stats: Prater's 76.8 percent field goal accuracy on attempts of 50-plus yards is the highest in NFL history. His 53 makes from 50-plus yards are second in league history to only Sebastian Janikowski's 58.
