PATH TO THE DRAFT: JAKE CAMARDA

UGA star Punter/Kicker and 2021 National Champion Jake Camarda shares his story and best advice as he prepares for the 2022 NFL Draft.

Jake Camarda isn't your typical football star. His team-first mentality seems to be at the core of his being, which means that despite having won multiple awards and honors throughout his career so far, Camarda is as humble as the day is long. His charisma combined with his undeniable talent on the field makes him a captivating 2022 NFL Draft prospect to watch. In this interview, Wilson.com Managing Editor Liz Ziner sits down with Jake via zoom to learn about his journey up to the NFL Draft.

Liz: So, Jake. Tell me a little bit about your background. Where are you from? Where did you start playing?

Jake: I'm from Norcross, Georgia. I started playing football when I was in 8th grade. I've been [in Georgia] all my life. And I got into it a little bit later than a lot of people did. I played flag football for a while; played baseball really growing up my whole life. But yes, I got into football in 8th grade.

Liz: Nice. When did you realize that you were really good? Like good enough to go pro.

Jake: I probably realized that my sophomore or junior year in high school that I was good enough to play in college. Probably a little bit earlier on I felt like a stacked up pretty good against a lot of the people out there and then the older I got towards my senior year of high school I started [thinking], you know, I might be able to have a real future with this. So, try and lock it in and see how far we can take it.

Liz: Nice. Talk me through your career at UGA.

Jake: [During] my career at UGA I was fortunate enough and blessed enough to be able to be a four-year starter. Came in and competed, my freshman year ended up getting the job there, went out, and played. Got to play four great years there. Played in, I mean, every big game that you could possibly imagine. So yeah, it was cool to be a part of that and to be able to come in and play all four years.

Liz: Awesome. Of those huge games, what was your most memorable win?

Jake: I mean. I would say my most memorable win would be the national championship this past year. That's kinda like a no-brainer to me, but that's definitely my most memorable win.

Liz: So, your position more so than others requires a ton of focus and there's a lot of pressure right there all in one moment. How do you stay calm and focused and ready to perform in those moments right before you take the field?

Jake: I think the way that I am able to stay focused and calm and ready to perform in big moments and all these moments that I get to play in, it comes first and foremost from the preparation. Preparing throughout the week and practices—being in Georgia we've had some really tough practices and you know that practices are always harder than the game. So, when you get to a game situation, it's like you kinda been there before. It's kinda easy for you. So I definitely think that through practice and just making sure that your mind is in the right spot and knowing that you can go out there with confidence and be able to perform, that [gets you through] those little tough situations and high-pressure spots.

Liz: Thanks for sharing. UGA has a notoriously grueling training program. So, what have you been doing since the championship to prepare for the Combine and the draft?

Jake: Yes, So since leaving Georgia, you know, obviously I take everything that I have learned over the past four years from what we have done in the waiting room, running and I'm able to kinda dissect the things that I really like doing and some of the things I didn't like doing as much, and I can create my own little plan towards what I want to do and what I feel like is really going to help my body to be in the best shape possible. So I left Georgia and put that plan into action and just roll with it and, you know, here we are and it’s working.

Liz: Yeah, I'd say it's working pretty well. I heard you did great at the Combine.

Jake: Yeah. I appreciate it.

Liz: You had a better 40 score than nine running backs and nine receivers? Is that correct?

Jake: I think that's what the report said.

Liz: That's unreal. Congratulations!

Jake: Thank you! Thank you!

Liz: Was the 40 something you were specifically focused on improving in your training program? Or was it just a part of the whole overall training program and you just happened to be that good?

Jake: Yeah. So, the 40 as a kicker or punter is not necessary the number one most important thing because you kick and punt the ball. So, that was obviously the number one focus. I wasn't really even thinking about the 40 until probably the week before the Combine. I really didn't put a lot of time and effort into that necessarily because I was more focused on, you know, perfecting my craft where I could be in the best position I could to perform there, and then maybe we hop on the 40 as kind of bonus. So, I ran a little bit probably a day or two in the week before the combine to just try and get the wheels rolling and grease it up a little bit and maybe we go out and put up a really good number.

Liz: That's awesome. That's definitely a testament then to how hard you're used to training...

Jake: Absolutely! It all stems from Georgia and the routine that we had there. We trained for that during the off-season in Georgia.

Liz: What were your feelings and emotions going into the Combine?

Jake: Going into the Combine, feelings and emotions... There was a lot of excitement. You know it's obviously a dream come true to be able to participate in the NFL Combine and go be with that group of people. It was a really good experience with lots of fun. But definitely, the emotions were just full of excitement and just anticipation of what was to come and how much of a good time it's gonna be, being up there.

Liz: That's great. It seems like just from how you talk about it you've always had fun out on the field.

Jake: Yeah. A little bit.

Liz: What do scouts see when they look at you? What do you think their notes are on you?

Jake: I think when scouts look at me they see, first and foremost, a guy who isn't just a punter or kicker but an athlete who happens to kick and punt at the same time. They see a guy that has come in and played four years at the top university in the country, that's played in every situation you could possibly think of. I mean, if there's one thing you can’t say about me it’s that I haven't played in big games. I mean, that's just the fact. I have played in all the biggest games and have been able to put up some really good stuff over the last four years and I feel like looking at the past that's a testament to myself and what my team is doing. Having really good players around me. I think that's something they can certainly write down: I've done some really big things in some big situations.

Liz: Awesome. What about off-the-field. What is it about you as a teammate that would make you a great addition to an NFL roster?

Jake: I like to say that I'm the kind of guy that will fit in a lot of places. That's something that's so important to a lot of teams and coaches because if you don't get the locker room right, the team is not really going to function at its best. That’s something that we really had in Georgia –everybody was really close in the locker room. I feel like I just can fit in and vibe with guys on the team whether they are going to hang out after practice or even before practice or want to go play golf on the weekend or just.. just doing something outside of football you know. Football is a lot of fun, but having those relationships with the guys on the team, it turns into a family and that's definitely something that I look forward to having again.

Liz: Great. So, you've also won a bunch of awards throughout your career so far. Is there one that was the most meaningful to you?

Jake: When I look at awards and stuff that I won, I don't even... I honestly don't even think about them like that. Like, the biggest award that I can say that I won was when I was part of the national championship. Because I'm not going to sit over here and [talk about] a lot of solo awards that I might have gotten. Because I really do believe that it's not just me that is doing that. It takes more than one person. I'm not going to be able to kick if I don't get a good snap. I'm not going to be able to hold the football If I don't have a snap or a kicker. It’s not just me; it takes a lot of people out there. So, I don't even look at the awards like it's just a solo shot for me. I just see it as more of a team kinda deal.

Liz: That's great. That's so cool. Did you have any conversations with particular NFL teams?

Jake: Yeah. I feel like I have talked to a good bit of teams. Going to senior games, going to the Combine. You pretty much talk to every single team. But yeah, I have definitely talked to a few teams and feel like I have gotten some good feedback and some good interest back. So, I think it's... I think it's looking pretty good.

Liz: Awesome. What is the number one thing that you want NFL scouts to know about you? Like when they say your name, you want them to think what?

Jake: I want them to think that they are going to get a guy that they can trust and that's not only just a good football player, but a good human being, a good partner to be around. I want that to be something that they can say because, you know, no one wants to coach a guy that you can't handle and you can't deal with. [You want] someone that you can certainly be able to mess with and be around for a while. So, knowing that they’re going to get—not just a good football player—but a good person as well.

Liz: That's super important, too. Aside from football and you mentioned golf. What else do you like to do in your free time?

Jake: Yes. In my free time, I definitely enjoy playing golf. Every now and then I like to go out and maybe fish a little bit. I do love to just go out and shoot basketball or even... You said outside of football, but I love to go out to the field and go catch passes from quarterbacks. Or go throw baseballs or hit baseballs. If it has to do with sports, you just sign me up. I love doing anything that has to do with sports outside.

Liz: Nice. What do you think is the number one quality that you need to be an elite kicker punter?

Jake: I think a quality that you need to be an elite kicker punter is having a strong mindset. Being really strong in the mental game. You know you’re never going to be perfect in a game, but it's how you bounce back from mistakes. What separates people is the people that can bounce back after [they] mess up once or twice. Having a strong a mindset and being able to maintain confidence in game situations. Being able to go back out there and have the confidence to say that, " I'm going to go out here I'm going to do my job, I'm going to do really, really well." I think having a strong mental game and mindset is definitely an elite quality you need to have.

Liz: Awesome. That kinda ties into my next question, which is, how do you bounce back after a tough loss?

Jake: Yeah, I mean, nobody likes to lose. There's no doubt about that. I think you dissect a loss. You kinda look at it and you see the areas that you struggled in and the areas where you had mistakes. You don't worry necessarily, but you kinda sit back and say, "Look we gotta lot of really good things that we could do right here. Let's take the good things and built on them. Let's take the bad things and kinda wash them away." Just be ready to move forward and go into the next game with a lot of confidence that you’re going to go out there and perform and get it done.

Liz: What's the best piece of advice you’ve ever gotten, either from a coach or parents, or someone important in your life?

Jake: I think the best piece of advice I've gotten is at the end of the day, trust God. Just go out and trust God that he's got a plan for you and that everything is going to end up working out the way it’s supposed to. And that's something that can take away a lot of your worries and cause you to be able to relax and just feel good about things. That piece of advice definitely was big for me. I was able to slow down and say, "You know what, I know that God got me. I know that my life is in his hands and that moving forward things are going to be good."*

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* This interview has been lightly edited for clarity and concision.

To keep up with Jake's journey to and through the NFL Draft, follow him on Instagram @jake_camarda.