Americans can’t stop Aussie kickers on college football fields – so they’re trying in court

The National Rugby League has recently made headlines for trying to crack the American sporting landscape by hosting matches in Las Vegas.

But the NRL’s great rival, the Australian Football League (AFL), has been the Australian export influencing American sport in a much greater fashion in the 21st century.

While casual American football fans might not put much thought into the kicking aspect of the sport, increasingly, Australian rules players have been identified for their unique skills to fulfil the role of punter.

A punter is a specialist kicker, who punts the ball downfield with the aim of limiting the opponent’s field position.

This has led to an influx of Australians in United States college football teams, with some making it to the National Football League (NFL).

Currently, there are five Australian-raised punters in the NFL — Mitch Wishnowsky, Michael Dickson, Tory Taylor, Cameron Johnston and Matt Hayball.

Punting pushback

It has never been more lucrative for athletes to play US college sport after a recent policy change allowing these athletes to be paid for name-image-likeness (NIL) deals.

NIL refers to a person’s legal right to control how their image is used, including commercially. Until recently, college athletes were not allowed to profit from their fame but the rules have been relaxed.

This has increased scrutiny within the US about who should be given those opportunities.

Recent deterrents aimed to solve this dilemma include a class-action lawsuit aiming to limit Australian imports.

The class action is based on six legal claims, including age discrimination, anti-trust and unfair trade practices laws, as well as violation of the US Constitution’s 14th Amendment, which states “no state shall deny any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws”.

One US media investigation allegedly found:

• transcripts that had been submitted to American universities that were doctored to improve athlete grades compared to their actual grades

• Prokick (the main Australian company bringing athletes into the US system) misleading college football coaches by overstating athletes’ remaining years of eligibility, and omitting information about whether prospective punters previously attended university in Australia.

Also, specific US states are considering a maximum number of international athletes on scholarships allowed at each school.

Prokick founder, former AFL player Nathan Chapman, denied the allegations raised in the class action and US media reports.

Why Aussies are so appealing

In the US, punting is a niche skill that gains very little attention. However, many Australians grow up kicking a ball instinctively and learning a variety of techniques.

These skills have translated into punting, where hang time (how long the ball stays in the air), placement and spin are valuable.

Former NFL punter and popular media personality Pat McAfee has often celebrated the AFL and touted the influence of the sport on punting.

What began as just a handful of former AFL players leaving Australia to pursue college football and NFL opportunities has turned into a pipeline where Australians are beginning to dominate the position.

A New York Times article in 2023 stated 61 out of 133 Division 1 (top tier) football programs had an Australian punter on their roster.

In seven of the past 11 seasons, an Australian won the Ray Guy Award as the top punter in Division 1 football.

Of the Australians who have gone on to play in the NFL, the Seattle Seahawks’ Dickson – who recently signed a four-year, $US14.5 million ($A22.9 million) contract – is recognised as one of the best in the league.

Dickson has gone viral multiple times, which is extremely rare for a punter, for plays including a drop-kick and a one-handed scoop and kick.

Punting pathways

To play college football, Australians must deal with National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) eligibility requirements. These include academic standards and amateur status.

Many enter the system as mature-aged athletes, often in their early 20s (compared to 18-19 year old Americans competing for the same scholarships and roster spots), which gives them a physical and mental advantage over younger recruits.

The main contributor to this is Prokick Australia.

Prokick identifies and trains athletes with the potential to transition into American football, coaching them in punting mechanics, the rules of the game and the university recruiting process.

Prokick has created established partnerships with coaching staff across the US, giving their clients an inside track on scholarship opportunities.

Their website touts success stories, which include representing 270 athletes getting full scholarships with an estimated value of more than $A50 million.

This success has led to alternative options, such as Kohl’s and Under Armour offering showcases, where punters can register and perform in front of college coaches.

Beyond being good at kicking a football, a key step in being allowed to play for an US university involves submitting immigration materials to the US State Department. This includes academic documentation.

This has led to several attempts to push back on Prokick’s influence in this space, including the class action.

Where to from here?

With college football and NFL teams placing increasing value on field position, the demand for Aussie punters is unlikely to slow down.

As long as pathways like Prokick remain viable, Australians should continue to dominate one of the most specialist roles in American football, unless sweeping changes and restrictions are put in place.