Lou Hedley
{{Short description|Australian-born American football player (born 1993)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox NFL biography
| name = Lou Hedley
| image =
| image_size =
| alt =
| caption =
| number =
| current_team =
| position = Punter
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1993|6|26|df=y}}
| birth_place = Mandurah, Western Australia, Australia
| death_date =
| death_place =
| height_ft = 6
| height_in = 4
| weight_lb = 220
| high_school =
| college = CCSF (2017)
Miami (FL) (2019–2022)
| cfldraftyear = 2023G
| cfldraftround = 2
| cfldraftpick = 13
| undraftedyear = 2023
| pastteams =
- New Orleans Saints ({{NFL Year|2023}})
| status =
| highlights =
| statseason = 2024
| statweek =
| statlabel1 = Punts
| statvalue1 = 75
| statlabel2 = Punting yards
| statvalue2 = 3,224
| statlabel3 = Punting average
| statvalue3 = 43.0
| statlabel4 = Longest punt
| statvalue4 = 62
| statlabel5 = Inside 20
| statvalue5 = 31
| pfr = HedlLo00
}}
Louis Hedley (born 26 June 1993) is an Australian professional American football punter who is a free agent. He played college football at CCSF before transferring to Miami (FL).
Early years
Hedley grew up in Mandurah, Western Australia and originally played Australian rules football. He started playing juniors with the Mandurah Mustangs in the Peel Football League before five seasons with the South Mandurah Falcons in the Metro Football League where he was a premiership player. He played senior football in 2013 with Peel Thunder for a season in the West Australian Football League though did not break into the senior side. Known for his long kicking he was invited to join the ProKick Australia during that season, aiming for a potential American football career.{{cite web |title=94 Lou Hedley |url=https://miamihurricanes.com/roster/lou-hedley/ |website=Miami Hurricanes |date=24 July 2019 |access-date=6 May 2023}}{{Cite web |last=Barrett |first=Jackson |date=29 April 2023 |title=From scaffolding and ressies to The Rock and the NFL Draft |url=https://thewest.com.au/sport/nfl/former-mandurah-scaffolder-and-peel-thunder-reserves-player-louis-hedley-in-the-mix-for-the-nfl-draft-c-10485078 |access-date=6 July 2024 |website=The West Australian |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Rake |first=Justin |date=18 April 2017 |title=Ex-South Mandurah Falcon eyeing college football in America |url=https://www.mandurahmail.com.au/story/4604624/ex-south-mandurah-falcon-eyeing-college-football-in-america/ |access-date=6 July 2024 |website=Mandurah Mail |language=en-AU}}
College career
Hedley played one season of college football at City College of San Francisco in 2017, where he averaged 38.6 yards per punt.{{Cite magazine |last=Abdeldaim |first=Alaa |date=5 February 2019 |title=Miami Hurricanes Sign Coolest-Looking Punter Ever |url=https://www.si.com/college/2019/02/06/miami-hurricanes-sign-australian-punter-louis-hedley |access-date=6 May 2023 |magazine=Sports Illustrated}}
On 5 February 2019, Hedley officially signed with the Miami Hurricanes.{{Cite web |last=Young |first=Ryan |date=5 February 2019 |title=Miami signs Australian Louis Hedley, potentially the coolest punter ever |url=https://www.yahoo.com/now/miami-signs-australian-louis-hedley-potentially-coolest-punter-ever-042438677.html?guccounter=1 |access-date=6 May 2023 |website=Yahoo! Sports}}
Hedley played four years at Miami. He played in 46 career games, punting 208 times for 9,392 yards and an average of 45.2 yards.{{Cite web |title=Louis Hedley College Stats, School, Draft, Gamelog, Splits |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/players/louis-hedley-1.html |access-date=13 July 2024 |website=Sports Reference |language=en}} In 2019, Hedley punted 64 times for 2,808 and an average of 43.9 yards per punt. He also had the only rush of his career going for 21 yards.{{cite web |title=2019 Miami (FL) Hurricanes Stats |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/miami-fl/2019.html |website=Sports Reference |access-date=6 May 2023}} During the 2020 season Hedley would punt 49 times, for 2,311 yards, and an average of 47.2 yards per punt.{{cite web |title=2020 Miami (FL) Hurricanes Stats |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/miami-fl/2020.html |website=Sports Reference |access-date=6 May 2023}} For his performance on the year he was named to the All-Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) second team,{{Cite web |date=22 December 2020 |title=Tigers, Irish Lead All-ACC Football Team |url=https://theacc.com/news/2020/12/21/athlete-awards-tigers-irish-lead-all-acc-football-team.aspx |access-date=6 May 2023 |website=Atlantic Coast Conference}} and he was named one of the three finalists for the Ray Guy Award.{{Cite web |date=22 December 2020 |title=Hedley One of Three Finalists for Ray Guy |url=https://miamihurricanes.com/news/2020/12/22/hedley-one-of-three-finalists-for-ray-guy/ |access-date=6 May 2023 |website=University of Miami Athletics}} In the 2021 season Hedley would punt 49 times for 2,189 yards, for an average of 44.7 yards per punt. Once again for his efforts he was named second-team All-ACC.{{cite web |title=2021 Miami (FL) Hurricanes Stats |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/miami-fl/2021.html |website=Sports Reference |access-date=6 May 2023}}{{Cite web |last=Geisinger |first=Brian |date=30 November 2021 |title=2021 ALL-ACC FOOTBALL TEAM |url=https://accsports.com/acc-news/2021-all-acc-football-team/ |access-date=6 May 2023 |website=ACCSports.com}} Hedley would also be named one of the ten semifinalists for the Ray Guy Award.{{Cite web |last=Scultz |first=Nick |date=11 November 2021 |title=Ray Guy award semifinalists announced |url=https://www.on3.com/news/semifinalists-announced-ray-guy-award-punter-of-the-year-matt-araiza-cameron-dicker-tory-taylor/ |access-date=6 May 2023 |website=ON3}} In Hedley's last season in 2022, he punted 46 times for 2,084 yards and an average of 45.3 yards per punt. For his performance he would be named first-team All-ACC for the first time in his career.{{cite web |title=2022 Miami (FL) Hurricanes Stats |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/cfb/schools/miami-fl/2022.html |website=Sports Reference |access-date=6 May 2023}}{{Cite web |date=29 November 2022 |title=Clemson Leads With 12 Selection to All-ACC Football Teams |url=https://theacc.com/news/2022/11/29/athlete-awards-clemson-leads-with-12-selection-to-all-acc-football-teams.aspx |access-date=6 May 2023 |website=Atlantic Coast Conference}} He was named a semifinalist for the Ray Guy Award for the second year in a row.{{Cite web |date=21 November 2022 |title=Hedley Tabbed Semifinalist for Ray Guy Award |url=https://miamihurricanes.com/news/2022/11/21/hedley-tabbed-semifinalist-for-ray-guy-award/ |access-date=6 May 2023 |website=University of Miami Athletics}} He was also named a semifinalist for the William V. Campbell Trophy.{{cite web |title=ICYMI: Miami Punter Lou Hedley Named a 2022 William V. Campbell Trophy Semifinalist |url=https://www.bcsnn.com/football/2004-icymi-miami-punter-lou-hedley-named-a-2022-william-v-campbell-trophy-semifinalist |website=BCSNN |access-date=6 May 2023}}
After the 2022 season, Hedley announced he would forgo his last season of eligibility with Miami to declare for the NFL draft.{{Cite web |last=Peery |first=Wade |date=7 December 2022 |title=Miami punter Lou Hedley forgoes final season of eligibility, enters 2023 NFL Draft |url=https://www.on3.com/college/miami-hurricanes/news/miami-punter-lou-hedley-forgoes-final-season-of-eligibility-enters-2023-nfl-draft/ |access-date=6 May 2023 |website=On3}}
Professional career
{{NFL predraft
| height ft = 6
| height in = 2 7/8
| weight = 222
| arm span = 31 1/4
| hand span = 9 1/4
| note = All values from Pro Day{{Cite web |title=2023 NFL Draft Scout Lou Hedley College Football Profile |url=https://draftscout.com/dsprofile.php?PlayerId=1003607&DraftYear=2023 |access-date=6 January 2024 |website=DraftScout.com}}
}}
After not being selected in the 2023 NFL draft, Hedley signed with the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent.{{Cite web |last=Kirby |first=Aaron |date=30 April 2023 |title=Former WAFL defender Louis Hedley handed NFL lifeline by New Orleans Saints despite going undrafted |url=https://thewest.com.au/sport/nfl/former-wafl-defender-louis-hedley-handed-nfl-lifeline-by-new-orleans-saints-despite-going-undrafted-c-10502432 |access-date=6 May 2023 |website=The West Australian}}{{Cite web |last=Sigler |first=John |date=30 April 2023 |title=28-year-old rookie Saints punter Lou Hedley might be the most interesting man in the NFL |url=https://saintswire.usatoday.com/lists/new-orleans-saints-sign-lou-hedley-australian-punter-miami-hurricanes-nfl-draft/ |access-date=6 May 2023 |website=Saints Wire|publisher=USA Today}} On 29 August 2023, he made the initial 53-man roster.{{Cite web |date=29 August 2023 |title=Lou Hedley talks winning Saints punter job |url=https://www.neworleanssaints.com/video/2023-nfl-roster-cuts-lou-hedley-punter-new-orleans-saints-53-man-roster |access-date=21 September 2023 |website=NewOrleansSaints.com}} Hedley was also drafted in the second round (13th overall) of the 2023 CFL Global Draft by the Hamilton Tiger-Cats.{{Cite web |date=3 May 2023 |title=CFL 2023 Global Draft – The complete results |url=https://www.americanfootballinternational.com/cfl-2023-global-draft-the-complete-results/ |access-date=13 July 2024 |website=American Football International |language=en-US}} He finished his rookie season with the Saints with 75 punts for 3,224 yards for a 42.99 average.{{Cite web |title=Lou Hedley 2023 Game Log |url=https://www.pro-football-reference.com/players/H/HedlLo00/gamelog/2023/ |access-date=13 July 2024 |website=Pro Football Reference |language=en}}
On August 27, 2024, Hedley was waived by the Saints after losing the starting job to rookie Matthew Hayball.{{Cite web |date=August 27, 2024 |title=New Orleans Saints announce roster moves |url=https://www.neworleanssaints.com/news/new-orleans-saints-53-man-roster-cuts-moves-transactions-august-27-2024-nfl-season |access-date=2024-09-03 |website=NewOrleansSaints.com}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://miamihurricanes.com/roster/lou-hedley/ Miami Hurricanes bio]
- [https://ccsfathletics.com/sports/fball/2017-18/bios/hedley_louis_4wjz CCSF Rams bio]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hedley, Lou}}
Category:Australian players of American football
Category:American football punters
Category:City College of San Francisco Rams football players
Category:Miami Hurricanes football players
Category:New Orleans Saints players