Emiliano Salazar, San Diego PK: the 2026 season story
Emiliano Salazar is a junior kicker for San Diego (Pioneer). He ranks 107th of 261 kickers in Division I by the Player Index, which judges every kicker 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 kicker, so a strength here is a strength against the whole position, not just his own team. Emiliano Salazar's strongest measure is made from 40+ at 7, 8th of 143 (the average is 4). His weakest is field goals over expected at -0.03, 108th of 143 (the average is +0.03).
Season production
Why it matters. Volume is the first sign of how much a coaching staff trusts a player. His made from 40+, 7, ranks 8th among 143 ranked kickers.
Against every kicker
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 kickers he sits, on average, in the 90th percentile for volume and 25th for efficiency.
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 10 games, Emiliano Salazar's best came in week 7 against Valparaiso and his quietest in week 5 against Davidson.
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 kicker on one scale, adjusted for the defenses or offenses he faced, so a rank here is comparable across conferences. Emiliano Salazar is 36th of 118 FCS kickers and 2nd of 11 in the Pioneer. Next up nationally is Simon Zeidan of Mercer, 0.02 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. His best season by the Player Index was 2025 at San Diego, 87th of 260 kickers.
Kickers 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 Patrick Fisher-Butler of Delaware State.
