Rhys Dakin
{{Short description|American football player (born 2004)}}
{{use dmy dates|date=June 2025}}
{{Infobox college football player
|name=Rhys Dakin
|school=Iowa Hawkeyes
|currentnumber=9
|currentposition=Punter
|class= Sophomore
|major=Sport and Recreation Management
|birth_date={{birth date and age|2004|12|7|df=yes}}
|birth_place=
|heightft=6
|heightin=4
|weight_lb=225
|highschool=Mazenod (Mulgrave, Victoria)
|pastschools=
- Iowa (2024–present)
|highlights=
|espn=5192953
}}
Rhys Dakin (born 7 December 2004) is an Australian gridiron football punter for the Iowa Hawkeyes.
Early life and high school
Dakin attended high school at Mazenod College located in Mulgrave, Victoria. Coming out of high school, he attended ProKick Australia, where he committed to play college football for the Iowa Hawkeyes.{{cite web |last1=Steppe |first1=John |title=Rhys Dakin brings his own personality, punting prowess to Iowa |url=https://www.thegazette.com/iowa-football/rhys-dakin-brings-his-own-personality-punting-prowess-to-iowa/ |website=The Gazette |date=17 August 2024 |access-date=1 June 2025}}
College football
Dakin entered the 2024 season the team's starting punter as a true freshman.{{cite web |last1=Bohenkamp |first1=John |title=Rhys Dakin welcomes 'crazy' levels of punter love from Hawkeyes fans |url=https://www.ourquadcities.com/sports/hawkeye-headquarters/rhys-dakin-welcomes-crazy-levels-of-punter-love-from-hawkeyes-fans/ |website=OurQuadCities.com |access-date=1 June 2025}}{{cite web |last1=Steppe |first1=John |title=Rhys Dakin with 'big shoes to fill' as Iowa's next punter, works to chart his own path |url=https://www.thegazette.com/iowa-football/rhys-dakin-with-big-shoes-to-fill-as-iowas-next-punter-works-to-chart-his-own-path/ |website=The Gazette |access-date=1 June 2025}} In week four of the 2024 season, he landed three punts inside the 20 yard-line, where for his performance Ina victory over Minnesota, he was named the Ray Guy Award Punter of the Week.{{cite web |last1=Steppe |first1=John |title=Iowa football's field-flipping ability extends beyond Rhys Dakin's booming punts |url=https://www.thegazette.com/iowa-football/iowa-footballs-field-flipping-ability-extends-beyond-rhys-dakins-booming-punts/ |website=The Gazette |access-date=1 June 2025}} Dakin finished the 2024 season, punting 64 times with an average of 44.1 yards per punt, with 29 being inside the opponents 20-yard line, 16 traveling over 50 yards, with just five being touchbacks, and only 12.5% of his punts being returned, where for his performance he was named a freshman all-American by FWAA and being named second-team all Big-Ten.{{cite web |last1=Steppe |first1=John |title=Iowa punter Rhys Dakin already showing improvement after impressive freshman season |url=https://www.thegazette.com/iowa-football/iowa-punter-rhys-dakin-already-showing-improvement-after-impressive-freshman-season/ |website=The Gazette |access-date=1 June 2025}}{{cite web |last1=Kakert |first1=Tom |title=Rhys Dakin named Freshman All American |url=https://www.on3.com/teams/iowa-hawkeyes/news/rhys-dakin-iowa-football-all-american/ |website=On3.com |access-date=1 June 2025}} Heading into the 2025 season, he is projected to be one of the nation's top punters, being projected as the Ray Guy Award winner by CBS Sports.{{cite web |last1=Cooper |first1=Ben |title=Iowa Hawkeyes Punter Projected to Win Major Award |url=https://www.si.com/college/iowa/football/iowa-hawkeyes-punter-projected-to-win-major-award |website=Sports Illustrated |access-date=1 June 2025}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
- [https://hawkeyesports.com/sports/football/roster/player/rhys-dakin Iowa Hawkeyes bio]
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dakin, Rhys}}
Category:Australian players of American football
Category:Sportspeople from Melbourne