Kickers are seldom seen as NFL prospects, but Quinn Nordin of the Michigan Wolverines’ football team is an exception to that rule. This is largely due to the incredibly strong leg he possesses, which allowed him to tie Hayden Epstein for the longest kick in school history, nailing a 57-yarder in U-M’s 2019 Citrus Bowl loss to Alabama.
Nordin also burst onto the scene at U-M by making two 50-plus-yard field goals in his first collegiate game in a 33-17 victory over Florida in the 2017 season opener. He isn’t a surefire bet to be drafted though, largely due to the inconsistency he displayed during his five years in Ann Arbor.
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Nordin endured plenty of ups and downs, making at least 76.9 percent of his kicks in both 2019 and 2017, but going a combined 13-for-21 (61.9 percent) in 2018 and 2020.
“The biggest thing for me is to just enjoy [this NFL Draft process], because I don’t know what to expect,” Nordin told reporters on a Zoom call yesterday afternoon while previewing Friday’s Pro Day at U-M.
“I’m enjoying every day and taking a deep breath and realizing [the magnitude of] some of the [NFL] coaches I’ve talked to. It’s a journey, so I’m taking it one day at a time.”
The next step in Nordin’s (and every other Wolverine player hoping to be drafted in April) pro preparation will be to participate in Michigan’s Pro Day festivities this Friday, hoping to impress NFL scouts and organizations alike.
Forty-yard dash times and bench press reps are two of the main topics discussed at a team’s pro day, but the narrative will be a bit different for a kicker like Nordin.
“It’ll be a series of kicks for me on Friday — 20 to 25 of them,” he revealed. “They’re pre-scripted with 10 to 12 field goals and PATs [point after touchdowns], and then three to five kickoffs.
“I won’t completely tire out my leg. I wanted to do individual drills so bad, but it’s just not smart to risk it. My trainer said I’d run a high 4.6 or low 4.7 [if I were to do the 40-yard dash], but no team needs to see me do that.”
Football kickers are oftentimes referred to as a “different breed” (or something along those lines), and Nordin, well, fits the bill. Michigan head coach Jim Harbaugh slept over at his house in Rockford, Mich., during a recruiting visit while he was still in high school, with the national media of course having a field day with it in the ensuing days.
Nordin was also spotted sporting a Ricky ‘Wild Thing’ Vaughn haircut during his early days in the winged helmet and engaging in shouting matches with Harbaugh on the sidelines during a game in others, while gaining a reputation for being quite the character along the way.
“I came to college at 17 years old,” he laughed this afternoon. “You’re away from home for the first time with all these new things, and football is just another notch on the belt.
“Growing and getting older helps you learn so much, and I’ve been surrounded by some great coaches here. They’ve helped make me the man I am today.”
If Nordin isn’t selected in April’s NFL Draft, he’ll likely land with an NFL organization as an undrafted free agent. Players are often asked this time of year which pro club they’d like to be chosen by, and their responses are usually generic ones that start with “I’ll be happy with wherever I go.”
Nordin was asked that very question today and wasn’t afraid to share his true thoughts.
“The dream — with my whole family being in Detroit — would be them [the Lions],” he gushed. “I’ll be grateful for any opportunity though. I’m going to work hard and get to the top eventually.
“To get to play in front of my family [in Detroit] would be pretty cool though.”
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