MOULTRIE – Former record-setting Colquitt County and Florida State kicker Ryan Fitzgerald performed well last week at the annual NFL Scouting Combine.
The specialist showcase portion of the Combine, which was held at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, Ind., included 10 kickers, 10 punters and five long snappers.
The 5-foot-11, 193-pound Fitzgerald was outstanding on field goals, making 14 of his 15 attempts.
Included were two successful attempts from 50 yards, two from 55 yards and one from 60 yards.
His only miss was from 45 yards.
The Combine also included meetings and physical exams.
Fitzgerald also interviewed with representatives of all 32 National Football League teams and several teams have shown interest in him.
Fitzgerald was the Colquitt County kicker from 2016-2018 and finished with 51 career field goals, a Georgia record.
As a Packer, he has seven field goals of 50 yards or longer, including a 60-yard successful free kick against Archer in 2017.
His career record of 324 points was broken last fall when brother Brett finished with 369 points.
After his outstanding career at Colquitt County, Fitzgerald was red-shirted in 2019, his first season at Florida Sate.
In 2020, he played in five games and was 12-for-13 in extra point attempts and 4-for-7 in field goal attempts with a long 42 yards.
Fitzgerald played in all 12 games for the Seminoles in 2021, converting 37-of-40 extra points and 10-of-13 field goal attempts, with a long of 53 yards.
In 2022, he played in all 13 games, converting 57-of-58 extra point attempts and 12-of-20 field goal attempts, with a long of 47 yards.
He had 50 touchbacks on 76 kickoffs.
In 2023, Fitzgerald was named to the All-ACC third team after making 19-of-21 field goals with a long of 48.
His 90.5 conversion percentage ranked No. 7 among Football Bowl Series kickers.
He played in all 14 games converted all 58 of his extra point attempts and had 56 touchbacks on his 86 kickoffs.
Last season, he was an Associated Press third-team All-American and was one of the three finalists for the Lou Groza Award, which is presented to the nation’s top kicker.
He made all 13 of his field goal attempts, including all five from 50 yards or longer, including one from 59 yards against Georgia Tech.
Playing in all 12 games, he made all 14 of his extra point attempts and had 34 touchbacks on 42 kickoffs.
Florida State punter Alex Mastromanno also participated in the Combine and also served as Fitzgerald’s holder.
It is rare for one school to have both its kicker and punter invited to the Combine.
Both Fitzgerald and Mastromanno were named All-Americans and will be honored by Florida State in a ceremony on March 22 with the unveiling of their All-American bricks.