Recruiting guide
Punter recruiting benchmarks, by division
Benchmarks verified September 16, 2026. Every number names its source. Free, no account, nothing gated.
Punting is judged on two numbers — average and hang time — and both are published by the same sources that publish the kicker numbers. Here are all three.
NCSA's punter guidelines
| Tier | Average | Hang time | Honors |
|---|---|---|---|
| D1 FBS | 45–48 yds | 4.6 sec | All-State, multiple years |
| D1 FCS | 42–45 yds | 4.5 sec | All-State |
| D2 | 38–40 yds | 4.3–4.5 sec | All-Conference, multiple years |
| D3/NAIA | 35+ yds | 4.0 sec | All-Conference, multiple years |
Source: ncsasports.org football recruiting guidelines (punter).
The Kicking Coach's board
D1: 50+ yard punts from the line of scrimmage with 4.7+ second hang; the top high-school punters reach 5.0. D2: 45+ yards with 4.4+ second hang on at least 5 of 10 punts. D3: 40+ yards with 4.0+ hang on 5 of 10. They also publish operation time — snap to foot — at 1.15 to 1.3 seconds, about 2.1 seconds total.
Source: thekickingcoach.com benchmarks page.
Where the boards disagree
National Kicking Service sits between them: FBS average 48 (longest 60), FCS average 45, D2 average 43. Lance O's Recruiting Network puts D1 FBS at 43–47 yards with 4.5+ hang and D1 FCS at 40–44 with 4.3+.
Read together: 40 yards and 4.0 seconds is the published floor for college anywhere; 45 and 4.5 puts a punter on a D1 board at three of the four sources. A specialist without a camp-verified number is relying on game film averages, which coaches discount — one verified session beats a season of estimated ones.
Sources: kickpunt.com college recruiting process page; lanceosrecruitingnetwork.com team benchmarks.