Through Week 3 of the NFL season, former BYU standout Ryan Rehkow is leading the NFL in punting. Per ESPN's stats database, his 54.0 yards per punt average is tops in the league. Here are the current Top 5 leaders in the punting category.
1. Ryan Rehkow, Cincinnati Bengals - 54.0 yards
2. Braden Mann, Philadelphia Eagles - 53.5 yards
3. Daniel Whelan, Green Bay Packers - 53.5 yards
4. Blake Gillikan, Arizona Cardinals - 51.7 yards
5. Jordan Stout, Baltimore Ravens - 51.6 yards
On the season, Rehkow has punted 15 times with four punts pinned inside the 20-yard line and two touchbacks. His longest punt on the season was a 70-yard missile, which is tied for the second-longest punt in the league this year, just one yard shy of Bryce Baringer's 71-yard punt.
Rehkow's impressive BYU career and start to his NFL career
Rehkow punted for four years at BYU from 2020 through 2023. In his final season with the program, he led the Big 12 in punting average at 48.4 yards per punt. Per BYU's player profile on Rehkow, his 31 punts of 50 yards or more led the conference, with the next highest punter recording just 21. ESPN named him All-America Second Team, CFN rewarded him with an All-America Honorable Mention, and he finished All-Big 12 Second Team.
While he went undrafted in 2024, he quickly signed with the Cincinnati Bengals and won the starting job coming out of camp. As a rookie last year he had 53 punts with a 49.1 yards per punt averaged. In his first NFL season he finished No. 9 in the leage in punting average.
At 27 years old, Ryan Rehkow could still be a top NFL punter a decade from now.
If he keeps on his current trajectory, don't be surprised if Pro Bowl awards soon follow.