Feb. 24, 2006

Indianapolis, Ind. - Wake Forest punter Ryan Plackemeier participated in the 2006 NFL Scouting Combine at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis on Friday. Plackemeier joined more than 300 prospects from 107 universities to work out, be measured and tested by all 32 NFL teams.

On Friday, Plackemeier punted, placekicked, took leg strength tests and participated in various psychological tests. Plackemeier said he took 14 snaps, but dropped two.

Nonetheless, "I punted as well as I could have," Plackemeier said. "I felt like I was the best punter out there."

Seven other punters were invited to the NFL combine including Danny Baugher of Arizona, who was a Ray Guy Award finalist, David Lonie of Cal, Tom Malone of USC, Thomas Olmsted of Troy, Sam Paulescu of Oregon State, Jonathan Scifres of Missouri State and Joel Stelly of UL-Monroe.

Plackemeier, the 2005 Ray Guy Award winner and consensus first team All-American, led the nation in both net punting and average per punt. As a senior, he punted 67 times with an average of 47.2 yards per punt. Plackemeier also dropped 20 punts inside the 20 yardline and nearly half his kicks were not returned.

Among those with 200 career attempts, Plackemeier is the NCAA's all-time leading punter with a career average of 45.26 yards per punt. He was a three-time first team All-ACC selection. No fewer than 10 organizations and publications named Plackemeier first team All-American, including the American Football Coaches Association, Associated Press and Football Writers Association of America.

A native of Bonsall, Calif., Plackemeier had 13 punts of at least 60 yards this season. Three of those went at least 70 yards, including an 82-yard blast against NC State on October 22. That punt was the fourth-longest punt in ACC history. His punts of 71, 74 and 82 yards were the three longest punts in the ACC this season.

Plackemeier shattered his own Wake Forest single season record for average yards per punt, originally set in 2003 when he averaged 45.6 yards per punt. He eclipsed that mark by nearly a yard and a half in 2005.

At Wake Forest's postseason banquet, Plackemeier was selected the winner of the program's first ever Most Outstanding Special Teams Player Award.

In January, Plackemeier played in the East-West Shrine Game in San Antonio.

Plackemeier's Career Punting Statistics

    G-GS    No    Yds    Avg    Lg    In20    50+    60+    70+    80+
2002    10-8    32    1,383    43.2    62    2    10    1    0    0
2003    12-12    57    2,600    45.6    67    11    20    3    0    0
2004    11-11    64    2,809    43.9    69    17    17    4    0    0
2005    11-11    67    3,165    47.2    82    20    21    13    3    1
    44-42    220    9,957    45.3    82    50    68    21    3    1