99
ESU HORNETS · PUNTER · #99
Strength now. Growth next.
Jordan Cartwright · Emporia State · 2026 · 8–0 team record so far
He doesn't just kick it. He places it.
He doesn't just kick it. He places it.
18 punts downed inside the 20. Only 2 touchbacks. That's 36% of his 50 punts pinned deep, with the ball almost never sailing into the end zone.Why it matters: a punt downed inside the 20 forces the other offense to drive the whole field. A touchback gives them the ball at the 20 for free.
Jordan's 2026 season ranked against the first college season (first year with 20+ punts) of today's top 20 punters. Not against their NFL numbers.
Inside-the-20 rate, 36% vs a group median of 33.3%. Better than more than half.Placement means how often a punt pins the other team deep.
50 punts · 8 games · D-IIGross average 37.0 vs a group median of 44.1. Net 19 of 19.Gross is how far the ball travels. The gap to the group median is about 7 yards. His longest high school punt was 61 yards per MaxPreps (64 in one news article), so the leg is there.
50 punts · 8 games · D-IIGross 37.0 vs a median of 44.1. Net 18 of 19.Net is gross minus the return, so it shows where the other team actually starts.
50 punts · 8 games · D-IIThe honest read: his placement already beats the group's typical first year, and distance is the gap to close.
50 punts, 1,852 yards, long of 55, 3 of 50+ yards, 21 fair catches, 0 blocked. Also handles kickoffs: 51 kicks, 61.6 average, 21 touchbacks.
Gross: the average distance of a punt, from the line of scrimmage to where it's caught, lands or goes out of bounds.
Net: gross minus the other team's return yards, and minus 20 yards for each touchback. It's the field position the team actually gains, and it's the number coaches care about most.
Big numbers in each row are 2026 stats. Tap anywhere to close.
*Net worked out from ESU's totals; ESU doesn't publish a net average. 8 games, D-II.
SourceEarliest punts: 2017, 10 punts, 44.0 gross.
Earliest punts: 2020, 2 punts, 49.0 gross.
Earliest punts: 2015, 4 punts, 40.0 gross.
First college season not found in our sources.
Earliest punts: 2022, 1 punts, 41.0 gross.
Earliest punts: 2014, 10 punts, 41.4 gross.
Earliest punts: 2016, 2 punts, 47.0 gross.
No college season with 20+ punts on ESPN.
Earliest punts: 2025, 1 punts, 34.0 gross.
Earliest punts: 2025, 9 punts, 36.2 gross.
Rows show 2026 stats; ranks follow each league's 2026 net-average order.