ASU’s Michael Turk ‘a better punter’ after unprecedented NFL Draft process

Let’s take a trip back to the NFL Combine this past February.

The Arizona State Sun Devils had a number of players looking to make a lasting impression on teams ahead of the 2020 NFL Draft.

But when the draft dust settled, only wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk and running back Eno Benjamin were the only two selected by pro teams.

Of those ASU athletes whose names weren’t called on by an NFL team on draft day was punter Michael Turk and his record-tying 25 bench press reps at the combine.

Instead of testing the undrafted rookie free agency waters — like others did — Turk went a different route. Despite signing an agent and declaring for the draft, the punter was granted an unprecedented waiver to return to the school with two years of eligibility remaining.

He may have not landed on an NFL roster, but Turk has continued to make the most of his journey, using the good and the bad from the previous eight months to his advantage.

“Obviously, it didn’t go the way I thought it was going to go, but I know it went exactly how it was meant to,” Turk told reporters via Zoom on Wednesday. “Also, I’m thankful to God and this staff for bringing me back because it was helpful in terms of me becoming a better punter.

“I think the fact that I was able to do that did teach me some new things about punting and teach me some new things about myself that helped me prepare better for this season. I definitely got a lot of good out of it. … It was a little bit crazy because I was thinking after the draft there’s a very real possibility I may never punt in a game again.”

The process didn’t come without its hurdles, however.

Turk underwent about a month of back-and-forth communication with the NCAA, providing detailed reasons and writing a paper on why he should be granted a rare waiver to return to the program, he said.

After declaring for the draft on Jan. 6, not being selected in April’s draft and getting the waiver on June 3, the punter’s winding journey brought him back to Tempe.

As a redshirt sophomore last season, Turk averaged 46.0 yards per punt on 59 attempts. He ranked 11th in the FBS and led the Pac-12 in his first year playing with the Sun Devils after transferring from Lafayette and sitting out of the 2018 season.

Even with the impressive start to his Sun Devils career, Turk knows there’s much more to learn at the position. There’s always something to learn.

“I think I’ll try to be improving until the day I’m done punting because there’s always room for improvement,” Turk said. “I guess just being more deliberate in my approach. Last year was my second season playing. Really nothing new in terms of no new revelations in punting but just reinforcing what I already knew.

“Just trying to be compact in my steps and being a professional. More professional, so make it look easy and those are some things I worked on in the offseason. Just having a consistent approach to the ball and being able to get the job done every time.”

As for those bench press reps at the combine, head coach Herm Edwards liked what he saw, but punters make a name in the NFL by booting kicks not pumping iron.

“If he goes to the next level, he’s not going to get paid for lifting weights,” Edwards told reporters via Zoom on Wednesday. “It’s how he kicks. He’s impressive now, there’s no doubt.

“He can press a lot weight, but it’s going to be how he kicks. He did a good job for us last year. We’re fortunate to get him back this year and hopefully he can have another good year for us. He’s an impressive young man. He likes the weight room.”

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