Ryan Eckley was drafted to replace departed Pro Bowl punter Jordan Stout, but the Ravens see him being more closely aligned with Stout's predecessor.
Sam Koch punted in Baltimore for 16 seasons and a franchise record 256 games. He's a legend who changed the game forever.
A sixth-round pick, Eckley is looking to carry on the Ravens' punting prowess, and Senior Special Teams Coach Randy Brown see shades of Koch in Eckley's game.
"Ryan is more of a shot maker," Brown said. "Jordan was more of a home run hitter, then turned into a shot maker with his pooches and with his boomerangs.
"Ryan doesn't have the Sam Koch qualities from '06 to, let's say, '13, when Sam was more of just a directional turnover guy. It's more of the Sam Koch towards the end of his career."
Even though Koch was a revolutionary in the sport, he only made one Pro Bowl. The guys with big-time power and long hang times often get the attention. But the fact was, Koch made life hard on returners with his wide range of punts.
That's what the Ravens expect from Eckley, who led the FBS in punting average at 48.5 yards in 2025.
Eckley gives the Ravens a bunch of different "shots" they can call and hit, which Brown loves because he calls the game the way a catcher does for a pitcher.
"We try to put the ball where the returner isn't," Brown said. "We try to put the ball where the returner's not expecting it.
"Returners are so good now. You don't want them just standing under the ball waiting for it. You want them looking right, looking left, running right, running backwards, running left, so they can't set their feet. He's got the ability to make those shots."
Eckley also punts with good touch and buried many opponents deep in their own territory last season. He had 20 punts downed inside the 20-yard line and 10 inside the 10, including four at the 1-yard line.
Part of the reason he's so good at that, Brown cites, is because Eckley is such a good athlete. He also played quarterback in high school just outside of Tampa, Fla., and has a three handicap in golf.
"It's because you have a feel, really. It's no different than pitchers and quarterbacks, that you have a feel," Brown said.
"You can just tell it and see; you can watch him when he just throws a football around. He's just a natural athlete. He's like that kid in high school that could play any sport he wanted, do anything he wanted, and he was always going to be good at it."
Koch was the same way. He dominated the cornhole tournaments in the Ravens' locker room because his toss was so consistent, and he was a near-perfect passer on fake punts.
Brown also liked that Eckley punted in harsh weather conditions at Michigan State, which will help him acclimate to the rough AFC North.
The final piece, and what put him ahead of Georgia punter Brett Thorson, who was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Minnesota Vikings, is that Eckley is also a holder.
"Holding actually is higher than anything," Brown said. "You have to be able to hold, and you have to be able to hold really well. I was watching him hold like, 'Man, that's smooth.'"
It was the second straight year that Brown was sent on a hunt to find the Ravens' next specialist. Last year, he traversed the country and settled on kicker Tyler Loop, who had a highly successful rookie season despite its painful ending.
Brown has several touchpoints with Eckley over the pre-draft process. He was at the Specialist Showcase at the Combine, which Brown runs. Brown went to his Michigan State pro day and got breakfast together beforehand. Then Brown did a private workout with him at his high school in Tampa, in which he put Eckley through a full, typical Wednesday practice.
In the end, Brown told General Manager Eric DeCosta that Eckley was his guy, and DeCosta got him before another team could poach him. Eckley was the first of two punters drafted. The Bills drafted Tommy Doman out of Florida in the seventh round.
"I'll tell him the same thing as I told Tyler," Brown said. "Let's go be the best Ryan Eckley."
