Bryce Baringer
{{Short description|American football player (born 1999)}}
{{Use American English|date=September 2024}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=June 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Bryce Baringer
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| current_team = New England Patriots
| number = 17
| position = Punter
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1999|4|26}}
| birth_place = Waterford, Michigan, U.S.
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 2
| weight_lbs = 215
| high_school = Notre Dame Preparatory
(Pontiac, Michigan)
| college = Illinois (2017)
Michigan State (2018–2022)
| draftyear = 2023
| draftround = 6
| draftpick = 192
| pastteams =
- New England Patriots ({{NFL Year|2023}}–present)
| status = Active
| highlights =
- PFWA All-Rookie Team (2023)
- Consensus All-American (2022)
- Big Ten Punter of the Year (2022)
- First-team All-Big Ten (2022)
- Second-team All-Big Ten (2021)
| statweek = 16
| statseason = 2024
| statlabel1 = Punts
| statvalue1 = 161
| statlabel2 = Punting yards
| statvalue2 = 7,753
| statlabel3 = Average Punt
| statvalue3 = 48.2
| statlabel4 = Net punting average
| statvalue4 = 41.0
| statlabel5 = Inside 20
| statvalue5 = 65
| statlabel6 = Longest punt
| statvalue6 = 79
| pfr = BariBr00
}}
Bryce Baringer (born April 26, 1999) is an American professional football punter for the New England Patriots of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Illinois Fighting Illini and Michigan State.
Early life
Baringer was born and grew up in Waterford, Michigan and attended Notre Dame Preparatory School and Marist Academy.{{Cite web |last=Charboneau |first=Matt |date=September 26, 2018 |title=Baringer gets chance to get leg up in crowded MSU punting mix |url=https://www.detroitnews.com/story/sports/college/michigan-state-university/2018/09/26/bryce-baringer-gets-leg-up-crowded-michigan-state-punting-mix/1430874002/ |access-date=October 10, 2022 |website=Detroit News}} He initially signed a National Letter of Intent to play college football at Southern Illinois, but was granted a release and committed to play at Illinois as a preferred walk-on.{{cite web|url=https://247sports.com/college/illinois/Article/Former-SIU-signee-Bryce-Baringer-joining-Illini-as-preferred-walk-on-punter-74923152/|title=Illini add preferred walk-on punter|first=Jeremy|last=Werner|website=247Sports.com|date=February 25, 2017|access-date=October 10, 2022}}
College career
Baringer began his college career at Illinois, where he redshirted his true freshman season.{{cite web|url=https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/2858948/2021/09/30/the-prize-is-in-the-journey-how-bryce-baringer-worked-his-way-into-a-key-role-for-michigan-state/|title='The prize is in the journey': How Bryce Baringer worked his way into a key role for Michigan State|first=Colton|last=Pouncy|website=The Athletic|date=September 30, 2021|access-date=October 10, 2022}} After the season, he transferred to Michigan State University.{{Cite web |last=Solari |first=Chris |date=September 27, 2018 |title=Michigan State punter Bryce Baringer explains unique journey to college football |url=https://www.freep.com/story/sports/college/michigan-state/spartans/2018/09/27/michigan-state-football-punter-bryce-baringer/1449178002/ |access-date=October 10, 2022 |website=Detroit Free Press}}
Baringer enrolled at Michigan State and originally did not plan on continuing his football career until he was contacted by the Spartans coaching staff. He took part in two tryouts, but was not offered a spot on the roster after either one. Baringer eventually joined the team after punters Jake Hartbarger and Tyler Hunt both suffered injuries during the 2018 season. He played in four games and punted 15 times for an average of 32.4 yards.{{cite web|url=https://www.mlive.com/sports/2020/03/australian-punter-jack-bouwmeester-no-longer-on-michigan-state-roster-julian-barnett-listed-at-cb.html|title=Australian punter Jack Bouwmeester no longer on Michigan State roster, Julian Barnett listed at CB|first=Matt|last=Wenzel|website=MLive.com|date=March 31, 2020|access-date=October 10, 2022}} Baringer was cut by the Spartans entering the 2019 season after the team added Australian punter Jack Bouwmeester to their recruiting class.{{cite web|url=https://www.mlive.com/spartans/2022/09/three-years-after-being-cut-michigan-states-bryce-baringer-could-be-best-punter-in-nation.html|title=Three years after being cut, Michigan State's Bryce Baringer could be best punter in nation|first=Matt|last=Wenzel|website=MLive.com|date=September 30, 2022|access-date=October 10, 2022}}
Baringer continued to practice punting independently and was offered to rejoin the team after Bouwmeester left the team at the conclusion of the season. He entered his redshirt junior season competing with Mitchell Crawford, a graduate transfer from UTEP, but ultimately won the punting job early in the season and averaged 43.6 yards per punt on 37 punts.{{cite web|url=https://www.freep.com/story/sports/college/michigan-state/spartans/2021/10/02/michigan-state-football-punter-bryce-baringers-mike-sadler/5948620001/|title=Why Mike Sadler's words stay with Michigan State P Bryce Baringer|work=Detroit Free Press|date=October 2, 2021|access-date=October 10, 2022}} As a redshirt senior, Baringer punted 59 times for a Michigan State record 48.4 yard average and was named second team All-Big Ten Conference.{{cite web|url=https://www.freep.com/story/sports/college/michigan-state/spartans/2022/09/07/michigan-state-football-special-teams-bryce-baringer-jayden-reed-kicking-game/65473835007/|title=Michigan State football's Bryce Baringer a special teams star, but other questions persist|first=Tony|last=Garcia|work=Detroit Free Press|date=September 7, 2022|access-date=October 10, 2022}} Baringer used the extra year of eligibility granted to college athletes in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and returned to Michigan State for a sixth year.{{cite web|url=https://www.mlive.com/spartans/2021/12/michigan-state-punter-bryce-baringer-returning-for-sixth-year.html|title=Michigan State punter Bryce Baringer returning for sixth year|first=Matt|last=Wenzel|website=MLive.com|date=December 16, 2021|access-date=October 10, 2022}} He entered his final season ranked as the best punting prospect for the 2023 NFL Draft by ESPN analyst Mel Kiper.{{cite web|url=https://www.mlive.com/spartans/2022/05/michigan-states-bryce-baringer-ranked-no-1-punter-for-2023-nfl-draft-by-mel-kiper.html|title=Michigan State's Bryce Baringer ranked No. 1 punter for 2023 NFL draft by Mel Kiper|first=Matt|last=Wenzel|website=MLive.com|date=May 30, 2022|access-date=October 10, 2022}}
Professional career
{{NFL predraft
| height ft = 6
| height in = 1 3/4
| weight = 216
| arm span = 30 1/2
| hand span = 9
| note = All values from NFL Combine{{Cite web |url=https://www.nfl.com/prospects/bryce-baringer/32004241-5214-5519-a728-3afd68fd5264 |title=Bryce Baringer Draft and Combine Prospect Profile |website=NFL.com |access-date=April 29, 2023}}{{Cite web |url=https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=1052691&DraftYear=2023 |title=2023 NFL Draft Scout Bryce Baringer College Football Profile |access-date=April 29, 2023 |website=DraftScout.com}}
}}
Baringer was selected by the New England Patriots in the sixth round, 192nd overall, of the 2023 NFL draft.{{cite web|url=https://www.mlive.com/spartans/2023/04/michigan-states-bryce-baringer-fulfills-lifelong-dream-being-drafted-by-patriots.html|title=Michigan State's Bryce Baringer fulfills 'lifelong dream' being drafted by Patriots|first=Matt|last=Wenzel|website=MLive.com|date=April 30, 2023|access-date=April 30, 2023}} He signed a standard four-year rookie contract with a total value of about $4.02 million, including a signing bonus of $178,459.{{Cite web |last=Williams |first=Charean |date=2023-05-10 |title=Sixth-round picks Bryce Baringer, Demario Douglas agree to terms |url=https://www.nbcsports.com/nfl/profootballtalk/rumor-mill/news/sixth-round-picks-bryce-baringer-demario-douglas-agree-to-terms |access-date=2023-09-26 |website=NBC Sports |language=en-US}} He was named to the PFWA NFL All-Rookie Team.{{Cite web |title=2023 NFL All-Rookie Team |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/awards/nfl-all-rookie-2023.htm |access-date=2024-07-27 |website=Pro-Football-Reference.com |language=en}}
Baringer started his career with a punt of at least 50 yards in each of his first 26 games. The streak ended in Week 11 of the NFL 2024 season.
Personal life
Baringer is a close friend of professional golfer James Piot, who was also his roommate at Michigan State.{{Cite web |last=Solari |first=Chris |date=April 13, 2022 |title=Michigan State football: Bryce Baringer skips practice to see Masters |url=https://www.freep.com/story/sports/college/michigan-state/spartans/2022/04/13/michigan-state-football-bryce-baringer-james-piot/7295413001/ |access-date=October 10, 2022 |website=Detroit Free Press}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{footballstats|yahoo=40209|espn=4240545|nfl=bryce-baringer}}
- [https://www.patriots.com/team/players-roster/bryce-baringer/ New England Patriots bio]
- [https://fightingillini.com/sports/football/roster/bryce-baringer/7450 Illinois Fighting Illini bio]
- [https://msuspartans.com/sports/football/roster/bryce--baringer/11968 Michigan State Spartans bio]
{{2022 NCAA Division I FBS College Football Consensus All-Americans}}
{{New England Patriots roster navbox}}
{{Patriots2023DraftPicks}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Baringer, Bryce}}
Category:All-American college football players
Category:American football punters
Category:Illinois Fighting Illini football players
Category:Michigan State Spartans football players
Category:Sportspeople from Waterford, Michigan
Category:Players of American football from Oakland County, Michigan