By Dane Miller, SuperWest Sports
July 20, 2024
Special Teams require uniquely talented players able to execute in the moment. From Kickers to Punters and Returners, the composure of each can be the difference between winning and losing.
This list ranks the Top 6 Returners in the SuperWest Region (All former Pac-12 schools, Mountain West, and BYU), the Top 3 Kickers, and the Top 3 Punters. Two Kickers worthy of Honorable Mention appear at the end.
Long snappers and holders were not considered in these rankings.
Returners
1. Zachariah Branch, USC
With unmatched speed, Zachariah Branch is arguably the best special teams player in the country.He led the nation in average yards per punt return with 20.8, was No. 2 overall in punt return yards, and scored both a kick-return touchdown and punt-return touchdown.
Dynamic and able to evade tackles, Branch is a game-changer.
2. Jacob de Jesus, UNLV
Finishing last season No. 1 nationally in combined kickoff and punt return yards, Jacob de Jesus does it all.He was No. 20 overall in All Purpose yards, too, and is capable of playing receiver, running back, punt returner, and kick returner.
3. LaJohntay Wester, Colorado
Transferring to Colorado from Florida Atlantic after being named the American Athletic Conference Special Teams Player of the Year, LaJohntay Wester should thrive in Boulder.Primarily a Punt Returner, he had one punt return touchdown last season and finished the year No. 6 nationally in punt return yards with 278.
4. Micah Davis, Utah State
Utah State’s Micah Davis puts in work.He was No. 3 nationally in total punt returns and was eighth overall in punt return yards.
Davis’s average of 9.3 yards per punt return was No. 24 in the country. The senior was an Honorable Mention on the All-Mountain West team in 2023.
5. Tez Johnson, Oregon
Tez Johnson was No. 20 nationally in average yards per punt return last season.His 9.5 yards per return was second in the Pac-12 behind only Zachariah Branch.
A true workhorse, Johnson’s 20 punt returns were the 14th-most in the country.
6. Keelan Marion, BYU
Consistent as they come, BYU’s Keelan Marion averaged 20.7 yards per kickoff return on 19 attempts.His 393 kickoff return yards ranked 38th nationally and sixth in the Big 12.
In addition to returning, he scored three touchdowns on the ground with only nine attempts.
Kickers
1. Grady Gross, Washington
Big plays in big moments. There’s a reason why Grady Gross is the first Kicker on this list.From kicking the game-winners against Arizona State and Washington State to going 5-for-5 in the Playoff games, Gross has the juice.
He finished the year 18-for-22 on field goals and connected on all 63 extra-point attempts.
2. Jonah Dalmas, Boise State
Connecting on 24 of his 27 field goal attempts last season, Jonah Dalmas is elite.His field goal percentage was 10th nationally and his 24 makes were tied for sixth nationally.
Dalmas made four field goals of 50+ yards in 2023 and his 80 career field goals is a Boise State program record.
3. Tyler Loop, Arizona
With an 86.0 career-field goal percentage, Tyler Loop is a seasoned veteran.He is 103-for-103 on his career extra point attempts and finished last year third in the Pac-12 in made field goals, after going 19-for-24 in 2023 and 18-for-21 the year before.
Loop knocked through the game-winner against Colorado in Boulder last year.
Punters
1. James Ferguson-Reynolds, Boise State
Boise State’s James Ferguson Reynolds is arguably the top Punter in the country.He led the nation in average yards per punt and was an AP Third Team All-American last season.
Coming into his junior year with Preseason All-Mountain West honors, Ferguson-Reynolds is as good as they come.
2. Marshall Nichols, UNLV
Marshall Nichols is a game-changer for UNLV.He was sixth nationally in average yards per punt with an elite 47.06 ypp.
Able to flip the field every time he punts the ball, Nichols is an impactful special teams player.
3. Jack Bouwmeester, Utah
Utah’s Jack Bouwmeester is one of the top punters in the nation.He was 16th nationally in average yards per punt with 45.51, which was No. 1 in the Pac-12.
Bouwmeester also had 19 punts for 50-plus yards and 20 punts inside the 20-yard line.
Honorable Mention
Dylan Lynch, Fresno State
Dylan Lynch was tied for sixth nationally in made field goals.
He went 24-for-30 on the season and was 40-for-40 on extra point attempts. Lynch’s 24 makes were second-most in Fresno State history.
Lynch hit five field goals to beat Arizona State in Tempe after hitting a career-long 52-yard field goal in the win against Purdue.
Atticus Sappington, Oregon
Transferring to Oregon from Oregon State, Atticus Sappington has stepped up to the big leagues. Oregon’s fanbase is a mind trap for Kickers needing a clutch moment.
There’s a reason why a spot opened up on the roster for him. He went 13-for-14 last season for the Beavers.
But this isn’t Corvallis. How he performs with the game on the line will define his season.
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