Duke Blue Devils lead charge for Hoggard punter

Punters and kickers are often the last players on universities’ recruiting boards, afterthoughts who are encouraged to walk on so that the school doesn’t have to spend a precious scholarship, at least immediately.

Don’t expect it to be that way with Wil Baumann, Wilmington Hoggard’s explosive junior punter.

“He can really boom it,” says Hoggard coach Scott Braswell. “He’s going to be big-time, a Division-I punter. Maybe a kicker as well.”

Last year, Baumann concentrated on punting because Hoggard had an excellent kicker in Ian Durham, who will attend the Naval Academy. Baumann should take over kicking duties as well in 2010.

But when you punt like he does, no school will tell you it needs you to walk on. Baumann averaged 43.8 yards a punt as a sophomore, then pushed that figure over 45 in 2009.

“Duke is real high on him,” Braswell said. “But a lot of other schools are starting to show interest as well.”

Baumann, who was named the all-state punter by the Associated Press, is 6-foot-4 and 185 pounds. If he keeps sprouting, some program might make him a tackle as well.

--Stan Olson