Nick Verdugo, Fresno State P: the 2026 season story
Nick Verdugo is a punter for Fresno State (Pac-12). He ranks 52nd of 232 punters in Division I by the Player Index, which judges every punter on the measures that matter at the position, adjusted for the opponents he faced.
Scouting report
Why it matters. Every measure is set against every ranked punter, so a strength here is a strength against the whole position, not just his own team. Nick Verdugo's strongest measure is inside the 20 at 49%, 7th of 134 (the average is 35%). His weakest is gross punt average at 42.1, 101st of 134 (the average is 43.6).
Against every punter
Why it matters. Volume, efficiency and impact plays can tell different stories: a player can be busy without being effective, or rarely used but dangerous every time. Among ranked punters he sits, on average, in the 52nd percentile for efficiency and 95th for impact.
The season, game by game
Why it matters. Consistency matters to a team: one huge game and five quiet ones is a different season from six solid ones. Over 8 games, Nick Verdugo's best came in week 4 against Rice and his quietest in week 2 against Sacramento State.
Where he does his damage
Why it matters. The shape of a player's production, not just its size, is what opponents scout.
National and conference
Why it matters. The Player Index puts every punter on one scale, adjusted for the defenses or offenses he faced, so a rank here is comparable across conferences. Nick Verdugo is 40th of 134 FBS punters and 1st of 8 in the Pac-12. Next up nationally is Tomas O'Halloran of East Carolina, 0.03 ahead on the index.
Career
Why it matters. A player's track record is the best guide to whether a season like this one is likely to last. This is his best season by the Player Index so far, out of 2 we have.
Punters like him
Why it matters. Players with similar profiles tend to be used the same way, which makes them a quick way to picture his game. His closest match this season is Markus Meincke of Toledo.
