Blake Grupe

Blake Grupe
No. 19 – New Orleans Saints
Position:Placekicker
Personal information
Born: (1998-11-05) November 5, 1998 (age 26)
Sedalia, Missouri, U.S.
Height:5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)
Weight:156 lb (71 kg)
Career information
High school:Smith-Cotton
(Sedalia, Missouri)
College:Arkansas State (2017–2021)
Notre Dame (2022)
Undrafted:2023
Career history
Roster status:Active
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics as of Week 8, 2024
Field goals attempted:51
Field goals made:43
Longest field goal:57
Extra points attempted:60
Extra points made:58
Points scored:187
Stats at Pro Football Reference

Blake Grupe GROOP-ee;[1] (born November 5, 1998) is an American professional football placekicker for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Arkansas State Red Wolves and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and was signed by the Saints as an undrafted free agent after the 2023 NFL draft.

Early life

Blake Grupe was born on November 5, 1998.[2] He attended Smith-Cotton High School in Sedalia, Missouri, and was a three-sport athlete, playing soccer, baseball and football, although he did not begin playing football until his sophomore year.[3] As a senior, he was named all-state in both football and soccer, setting the school's records for single-season and career field goals made.[3] He committed to play college football for the Arkansas State Red Wolves.[4]

College career

As a true freshman at Arkansas State in 2017, Grupe redshirted.[3] The following year, he earned the starting placekicking job in week three and finished the season having converted 14-of-21 attempts, placing seventh in the Sun Belt Conference.[3] In 2019, Grupe made 19-of-22 field goal attempts and was named first-team all-conference as well as a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award as best placekicker nationally; his 110 total points scored set a school record for kickers and was second-best in the conference, additionally being the 13th-best total in the United States.[5][6]

In 2020, Grupe went 11-of-18 on field goals and made 43 extra points.[6][7] In his final year at Arkansas State, 2021, he made 20-of-25 field goals and all but one of his 32 extra point attempts.[8] He holds several school records, including career extra points made (162), career field goals made (64) and career points scored (354).[9] Grupe transferred to Notre Dame for his final season of eligibility in 2022.[10] He went 14-of-19 on field goals and made all 49 of his extra point attempts in his lone year with the team.[11]

College statistics

Year Team GP Overall FGs PATs Total points
Lng FGA FGM Pct XPA XPM Pct
2017 Arkansas State 0 DNP
2018 Arkansas State 11 47 21 14 66.7 38 35 92.1 77
2019 Arkansas State 13 46 22 19 86.4 54 53 98.1 110
2020 Arkansas State 11 42 18 11 61.1 45 43 95.6 76
2021 Arkansas State 12 50 25 20 80.0 32 31 96.9 91
2022 Notre Dame 13 47 19 14 73.7 49 49 100.0 91
Career 60 50 105 78 74.3 218 211 96.8 445

Professional career

Pre-draft measurables
Height Weight Arm length Hand span
5 ft 6+7⁄8 in
(1.70 m) 		152 lb
(69 kg) 		27+3⁄4 in
(0.70 m) 		8+5⁄8 in
(0.22 m)
All values from Pro Day[12]

After going unselected in the 2023 NFL draft, Grupe was signed by the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent.[13] In the first preseason game, he made the game-winning field goal against the Kansas City Chiefs.[14] He competed with veteran Wil Lutz for a spot on the team and won the position battle.[15][16][17]

In Week 3 of the 2023 season, Grupe missed a 46-yard go-ahead field goal against the Green Bay Packers, resulting in a Saints loss.[18] In Week 5, Grupe was named National Football Conference Special Teams Player of the Week after completing four extra points, two 50+ yard field goals, and recording five touchbacks on seven kickoffs in a 34–0 win over the New England Patriots.[19] As a rookie, he converted all 40 extra point attempts and 30 of 37 field goal attempts.[20]

NFL career statistics

Year Team GP Overall FGs PATs Kickoffs Total points
FGA FGM Pct Lng XPA XPM Pct KO Avg TB
2023 NO 17 37 30 81.1 55 40 40 100.0 91 64.0 76 130
2024 NO 2 5 5 100.0 57 11 10 90.9 18 63.8 4 25
Career 19 42 35 83.3 57 51 50 98.0 109 64.0 80 155

References

  1. ^ "Blake Grupe Stats, Height, Weight, Position, Draft, College". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved February 9, 2024.
  2. ^ "Blake Grupe". ESPN.com. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  3. ^ a b c d Daeschner, Trenton (October 4, 2019). "Grupe thriving after challenge". Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  4. ^ Kirby, Randy (February 1, 2017). "Two Smith-Cotton Seniors Sign to Play College Football". KSIS. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  5. ^ "Arkansas State kicker Blake Grupe on Groza Award watch list". KAIT. July 22, 2020. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  6. ^ a b "Blake Grupe". Arkansas State Red Wolves. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  7. ^ Loy, Tom (January 13, 2022). "Graduate Transfer Kicker Commits to Notre Dame". 247Sports. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  8. ^ Farmer, Douglas (May 11, 2022). "Notre Dame 99-to-0: No. 99 Blake Grupe, kicker, Arkansas State transfer". NBC Sports. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  9. ^ "Blake Grupe". New Orleans Saints. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  10. ^ Nole, Tom (February 1, 2022). "K Grupe will fill big shoes for Notre Dame". The Indianapolis Star. p. B5 – via Newspapers.com. Open access icon
  11. ^ Sigler, John (June 6, 2023). "Saints believe a legitimate kicker competition is brewing ahead of training camp". Saints Wire. USA Today. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  12. ^ "2023 NFL Draft Scout Blake Grupe College Football Profile". DraftScout.com. Retrieved January 6, 2024.
  13. ^ Sanders, Dylan (April 29, 2023). "New Orleans Saints sign undrafted Notre Dame kicker Blake Grupe". Saints Wire. USA Today. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  14. ^ "Former Arkansas State kicker Blake Grupe boots game-winner for Saints in Week 1 of NFL Preseason". KAIT. Associated Press. August 13, 2023. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  15. ^ DeShazier, John (August 29, 2023). "Rookie kicker Blake Grupe remains poised, makes New Orleans Saints' 53-man roster". NewOrleansSaints.com. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  16. ^ "Wil Lutz or Blake Grupe? Here's Jeff Duncan's verdict on Saints kicker battle". NOLA.com. August 28, 2023. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  17. ^ Mackel, Fletcher (August 29, 2023). "Report: Broncos trade for Saints kicker Wil Lutz, rookie Blake Grupe wins job for Black & Gold". WDSU. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  18. ^ Johnson, Luke (September 24, 2023). "Saints Blake Grupe on his 4th quarter miss: 'Guys did their job. I've got to be better'". NOLA.com. Retrieved September 29, 2023.
  19. ^ Gordon, Grant (October 11, 2023). "Bears WR D.J. Moore, Bengals WR Ja'Marr Chase highlight Players of the Week". NFL.com. Archived from the original on October 11, 2023. Retrieved October 11, 2023.
  20. ^ "Blake Grupe 2023 Game Log". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved July 8, 2024.