


On Saturday, the Patriots became the first team since 2000 to select a kicker and a punter in the same draft.
In the fourth round, they drafted Maryland kicker Chad Ryland. Hours later, they added Michigan State’s Bryce Baringer.
Baringer became the first punter off the board when the Patriots took him with the 192nd overall pick in the sixth round. He boasts one of the strongest legs across both specialist groups and averaged 49 yards per punt last season. Baringer was named a first-team All-American and the Big Ten Punter of the Year.
He dropped 22 of his 50 punts inside the opponents’ 20-yard line and finished with a career average of 46 yards per boot. Baringer is a right-footed punter who this offseason was invited to the Senior Bowl. There, he connected with Ryland and held for him on field goals.
He is expected to compete with veteran Corliss Watiman, whom the team signed last month after he punted for the Broncos.