Hayden Futch, Illinois State P: the 2026 season story
Hayden Futch is a senior punter for Illinois State (MVFC). He ranks 70th 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. Hayden Futch's strongest measure is gross punt average at 44.2, 48th of 134 (the average is 43.6). His weakest is touchbacks at 6%, 79th of 134 (the average is 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 53rd percentile for efficiency and 44th 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 9 games, Hayden Futch's best came in week 1 against a non-Division I team and his quietest in week 10 at North Dakota.
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. Hayden Futch is 16th of 98 FCS punters and 5th of 7 in the MVFC. Next up nationally is Anthony Pecorella of Maine, 0.01 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 3 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 Gabe Russo of Pittsburgh.
