Josh Jasper

Josh Jasper
No. 11 Free agent
Position: Placekicker
Personal information
Date of birth: (1987-11-26) November 26, 1987
Place of birth: Memphis, Tennessee
Height: 5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Weight: 171 lb (78 kg)
Career information
High school: Memphis (TN) Ridgeway
College: LSU
Undrafted: 2011
Career history
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Player stats at NFL.com
Career Arena statistics
FG made: 1
FG att: 2
PAT made: 10
PAT att: 16
Tackles: 2
Player stats at ArenaFan.com

Joshua Norwood Jasper (born November 26, 1987) is an American football placekicker who is currently a free agent.

He set the Tennessee state record for career high school field goals, with 44, and his longest field goal was 54 yards. In 2010, he was a Consensus College All-American placekicker for the LSU Tigers in his senior year, after leading the nation with 28 field goals. He had the best placekicking percentage in LSU history as of 2011.[1] In July 2011, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers signed him as a free agent.

Early years

Jasper was born in Memphis, Tennessee. He played football and soccer at Ridgeway High School in Memphis.[2][3] Originally, he was a quarterback and wide receiver, before moving over to kicker for his junior and senior years.[4] He was rated the No. 12 kicker in the U.S. by Scout.com as a senior.[4] His longest field goal as a high schooler was 54 yards[1] and he set the state's record for total career field goals with 44.[2]

College career

Jasper attended Louisiana State University, where he played for coach Les Miles' LSU Tigers football team from 2007 to 2010. He completed 47 of 56 field goal attempts as a Tiger (83.9%)—the best percentage in team history, and the second best in Southeastern Conference (SEC) history.[1]

During his junior season in 2009, he tied for the third-longest field goal in LSU history, at 52 yards.[2][5] In a spring game, he kicked a 57-yard field goal.[2] He also set a school record in September 2010 with five field goals in one game, against Mississippi State, while tying the school record of 17 kicking points in one game.[2][6][7]

During his senior season in 2010, he led the country with twenty-eight field goals. He was recognized as a consensus first-team All-American placekicker, after receiving first-team honors from the Football Writers Association of America and Sporting News.[1][8][9][10] In addition to kicking field goals, he punted as LSU's "pooch punter", kicked kickoffs, and rushed a handful of times for first downs.[11] He was also a first-team All-SEC selection, the SEC Special Teams Player of the Week (vs. Mississippi State; vs. Ole Miss), and the Lou Groza Award Star of the Week (vs. Mississippi State, vs. Alabama, vs. UL-Monroe).[1][8][12] He capped his career by playing in the 2011 Senior Bowl.[13][14]

Professional career

Despite his high school and college success, prognosticators were uncertain whether Jasper would be drafted in the April 2011 NFL Draft, as in the prior five years just nine kickers were drafted.[15] NFL draft analyst Mike Detillier opined that he might be a later-round draftee.[15]

He was not picked in the draft.[16] He had to wait intil the NFL lockout ended before he could sign with a team as a free agent.[17]

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

On July 26, 2011, Jasper said he had agreed to terms with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on a rookie free agent deal.[18] He was released on August 5.

Toronto Argonauts

On October 4, 2012, Jasper was signed by the Toronto Argonauts of the Canadian Football League. He was released by the team on October 17, 2012

New Orleans VooDoo

On November 19, 2013, Jasper was assigned to the New Orleans VooDoo of the Arena Football League.[19]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 Football. "Josh Jasper Bio". LSUsports.net. Retrieved March 3, 2011.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 Ali Manion (October 16, 2010). "Cover Story: Senior Placekicker Josh Jasper". LSUsports.net. Retrieved March 3, 2011.
  3. ↑ Rachel Whittaker. "Football: Josh Jasper takes over as starting kicker in 2009 season". The Daily Reveille. Retrieved March 4, 2011.
  4. 1 2 Rachel Whittaker (October 16, 2009). "Football: Josh Jasper takes over as starting kicker in 2009 season". The Daily Reveille. Retrieved March 4, 2011.
  5. ↑ Glenn Guilbeau (September 20, 2009). "LSU Notes: Jasper kicks 52-yard field goal". The Shreveport Times. Retrieved March 3, 2011.
  6. ↑ "LSU football players Drake Nevis, Josh Jasper win SEC weekly awards". NOLA.com. September 20, 2010. Retrieved March 3, 2011.
  7. ↑ Michael DeMocker. "Josh Jasper sets LSU record with five field goals". The Times-Picayune. Retrieved March 3, 2011.
  8. 1 2 "Josh Jasper | LSU, K : 2011 NFL Draft Scout Player Profile". NFL Draft Scout. September 21, 2006. Retrieved March 3, 2011.
  9. ↑ "LSU assistant Robinson hired as UNC defensive line coach". Neworleans.com. February 17, 2011. Retrieved March 3, 2011.
  10. ↑ "Josh Jasper Statistics | College Football". Sports-reference.com. Retrieved March 3, 2011.
  11. ↑ Ron Higgins (December 2, 2010). "Can't stop an Auburn sweep". Memphis Commercial Appeal. Archived from the original on October 17, 2012. Retrieved March 11, 2016.
  12. ↑ Michael DeMocker (November 15, 2010). "LSU kicker Josh Jasper was named Lou Groza Star of the Week". The Times-Picayune. Retrieved March 3, 2011.
  13. ↑ "Sheppard, Jasper love their Senior Bowl surroundings". Shreveport Times. January 27, 2011. Retrieved March 4, 2011.
  14. ↑ "FSU's Ponder uses Senior Bowl to make statement". Retrieved March 4, 2011.
  15. 1 2 Mark Clements. "Football: Peterson and other Tigers make good impressions in 2011 NFL Combine". The Daily Reveille. Retrieved March 4, 2011.
  16. ↑ "How Did LSU Players Fare In The Draft?". WWL. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  17. ↑ Michael Lambert (May 1, 2011). "Toliver, Jasper left out as six former Tigers taken in draft". The Daily Reveille. Retrieved March 11, 2016.
  18. ↑ Michael DeMocker/The Times-Picayune. "Tampa Bay agrees to terms with LSU PK Josh Jasper". NOLA.com. Retrieved July 27, 2011.
  19. ↑ "New Orleans VooDoo signs former LSU kicker Josh Jasper". www.theadvocate.com. Capital City Press LLC. November 22, 2013. Retrieved November 22, 2013.
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