Josh Jasper
Encyclopedia
Joshua Norwood "Josh" Jasper (born November 26, 1987) is an American football
placekicker
.
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 was the most accurate kicker in LSU history as of 2011. In July 2011, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
signed him as a free agent
.
in Memphis. Originally, he was a quarterback and wide receiver, before moving over to kicker for his junior and senior years. He was rated the No. 12 kicker in the U.S. by Scout.com as a senior. His longest field goal as a high schooler was 54 yards and he set the state's record for total career field goals with 44.
history.
In 2009, he tied for the third-longest field goal in school history, at 52 yards. In a spring game, he kicked a 57-yard field goal. 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.
He was a Consensus All-American placekicker in his senior year, after leading the country with 28 field goals. In addition to kicking field goals, he punted as LSU's "pooch punter", kicked kickoff
s, and rushed a handful of times for first downs. He was also 2010 First Team All-America (Football Writers Association of America
, Sporting News), 2010 First Team All-Southeastern Conference (AP
), 2010 Second Team All-Southeastern Conference (Coaches), 2010 SEC Special Teams Player of the Week (vs. Mississippi State; vs. Ole Miss), and 2010 Lou Groza Award Star of the Week (vs. Mississippi State, vs. Alabama, vs. UL-Monroe). He capped his career by playing in the 2011 Senior Bowl
.
, as in the prior five years just nine kickers were drafted. NFL draft analyst Mike Detillier opined that he might be a later-round draftee.
He was not picked in the draft. Because of the NFL lockout, he had to wait until it ended to have an opportunity to sign with a team as a free agent.
On July 26, 2011, Jasper said he had agreed to terms with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
on a rookie free agent deal. He was released on August 5.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
placekicker
Placekicker
Placekicker, or simply kicker , is the title of the player in American and Canadian football who is responsible for the kicking duties of field goals, extra points...
.
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
2010 College Football All-America Team
The College Football All-America Team is an honor given annually to the best American college football players at their respective positions. The original All-America team was the 1889 College Football All-America Team selected by Casper Whitney and Walter Camp...
placekicker for the LSU Tigers
LSU Tigers
The LSU Tigers are the athletic teams of Louisiana State University. They participate in the NCAA's Division I, in the Southeastern Conference. It fields teams in 14 varsity sports . Its official team nickname is the Fighting Tigers and the school mascot is Mike the Tiger...
in his senior year, after leading the nation with 28 field goals. He was the most accurate kicker in LSU history as of 2011. In July 2011, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
signed him as a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
.
High school career
Jasper played football and soccer at Ridgeway High SchoolRidgeway High School (Memphis, Tennessee)
Ridgeway High School is a Lame high school in Memphis, Tennessee and is part of the Memphis City Schools. Ridgeway High School first opened in 1971, hosting students from grades 7-12. The first class of graduates was in 1973 with approximately 175 students. Ridgeway High School now only houses...
in Memphis. Originally, he was a quarterback and wide receiver, before moving over to kicker for his junior and senior years. He was rated the No. 12 kicker in the U.S. by Scout.com as a senior. His longest field goal as a high schooler was 54 yards and he set the state's record for total career field goals with 44.
College career
He is the most accurate kicker in school history as of 2011. He was 47-of-56 in field goal attempts in college (83.9%). That was the best percentage in school history, and the second best in Southeastern ConferenceSoutheastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference is an American college athletic conference that operates in the southeastern part of the United States. It is headquartered in Birmingham, Alabama...
history.
In 2009, he tied for the third-longest field goal in school history, at 52 yards. In a spring game, he kicked a 57-yard field goal. He also set a school record in September 2010 with five field goals in one game, against Mississippi State
Mississippi State University
The Mississippi State University of Agriculture and Applied Science commonly known as Mississippi State University is a land-grant university located in Oktibbeha County, Mississippi, United States, partially in the town of Starkville and partially in an unincorporated area...
, while tying the school record of 17 kicking points in one game.
He was a Consensus All-American placekicker in his senior year, after leading the country with 28 field goals. In addition to kicking field goals, he punted as LSU's "pooch punter", kicked kickoff
Kickoff (American football)
A kickoff is a method of starting a drive in American football and Canadian football. Typically, a kickoff consists of one team – the "kicking team" – kicking the ball to the opposing team – the "receiving team"...
s, and rushed a handful of times for first downs. He was also 2010 First Team All-America (Football Writers Association of America
Football Writers Association of America
The Football Writers Association of America is one of the organizations whose College Football All-America Team is recognized by the NCAA...
, Sporting News), 2010 First Team All-Southeastern Conference (AP
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
), 2010 Second Team All-Southeastern Conference (Coaches), 2010 SEC Special Teams Player of the Week (vs. Mississippi State; vs. Ole Miss), and 2010 Lou Groza Award Star of the Week (vs. Mississippi State, vs. Alabama, vs. UL-Monroe). He capped his career by playing in the 2011 Senior Bowl
2011 Senior Bowl
The 2011 Under Armour Senior Bowl was an all-star college football exhibition game featuring players from the 2010 college football season, and prospects for the 2011 Draft of the professional National Football League . Final score was South Team 24 to North Team 10.The game was played on January...
.
Professional career
Despite his high school and college success, prognosticators were uncertain whether Jasper would be drafted in the April 2011 NFL Draft2011 NFL Draft
The 2011 NFL Draft was the 76th installment of the annual NFL Draft, where the franchises of the National Football League select newly eligible football players...
, as in the prior five years just nine kickers were drafted. NFL draft analyst Mike Detillier opined that he might be a later-round draftee.
He was not picked in the draft. Because of the NFL lockout, he had to wait until it ended to have an opportunity to sign with a team as a free agent.
On July 26, 2011, Jasper said he had agreed to terms with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are a professional American football franchise based in Tampa, Florida, U.S. They are currently members of the Southern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League – they are the only team in the division not to come from the old NFC West...
on a rookie free agent deal. He was released on August 5.