The Winnipeg Blue Bombers have signed Global punter Tom Hackett.
General manager Kyle Walters selected the 29-year-old in the first round, sixth overall during the 2022 Global Draft. He won the Ray Guy Award as the best punter in the NCAA twice following his junior and senior years.
The Melbourne, Australia native walked-on at the University of Utah, eventually earning a scholarship and playing from 2012 to 2015 where he punted 242 times for 10,933 yards with an average of 45.2. He placed 43.8 percent of his career punts inside the 20-yard line (106-of 242) with 51 inside the 10-yard line and 21 inside the five-yard line.
The five-foot-11, 195-pound punter averaged 46.7 and 48 yards per punt while being named a consensus All-American in 2014 and 2015. Hackett recorded 68 career punts of 50-plus yards to set the school record, which included four punts of 70-plus yards. He was named to the Pac-12’s All-Century team after his career finished with the Utes.
Hackett signed an undrafted free agent contract with the New York Jets in 2016, but gang green released him less than three months later.
