Spending a draft pick on a punter isn't unusual in the NFL

because field position matters in the league. When that rookie comes in and shows off a booming leg Kam Chancellor Color Rush Jersey , people take notice.Michael Dickson bypassed his final year of eligibility at Texas to enter the draft early, and the Seattle Seahawks traded up in the fifth round to take the Australian native and 2017 Ray Guy Award winner. Dickson has made both decisions pay off very nicely in his debut season.Dickson edged out Johnny Hekker of the Los Angeles Rams as the NFL's top punter in 2018 in voting released Friday by a panel of 10 football writers for The Associated Press. Dickson received four first-place votes and was the only punter listed on every ballot. "When's the last time a rookie topped any of the position rankings? Who knows?" Dallas-based Schuyler Dixon said. "When's the last time a punter skipped his final season of eligibility for the draft? This former Texas Longhorn is a generational talent."Dickson, who has had a long punt of 69 yards this season, is second in gross punting averaging at 48.7 yards. But the rookie easily leads the NFL with a net average of 44.2 yards. He's also placed 20 punts inside an opponent's 20. Dickson was voted the NFC's special teams player for November thanks to his leg."Spending a fifth-round draft pick on the Aussie from the Texas Longhorns has turned into a key move in Seattle's unexpectedly solid season," New York-based lead NFL writer Barry Wilner said.Hekker, who finished fourth in these rankings in 2017, received two first-place votes. His biggest challenge comes from playing for a team with a high-powered offense that just doesn't need him much. Luckily, Hekker keeps finding ways to make himself valuable."He's a four-tool punter," said Philadelphia-based Rob Maaddi. "Hekker can run or throw for a first down on fake punts, and he has also made an extra point and field goal this season. His net average being fifth is just an added bonus."In all, 17 punters received at least one vote, with only five receiving at least one first-place vote.Brett Kern of the Tennessee Titans, who earned his first Pro Bowl nod in 2017 when he also the top punter in these rankings Shaquem Griffin Color Rush Jersey , joined Hekker receiving two first-place votes and finished third. Kern is fourth with a gross average of 40.5 yards with his net taking a hit from a struggling punt coverage unit. But the 11-year veteran still has a strong leg, with a long of 62 yards this season."Forget drafting Tim Tebow or trading Jay Cutler, Josh McDaniels' head coaching legacy in Denver was inexplicably waiving Kern, who landed on Tennessee's roster and has been nothing but sensational for the last decade," said Denver-based Arnie Stapleton.No punter has had as many chances this season as Andy Lee of Arizona, not that usage is limiting his effectiveness. Lee finished fourth with a leg that has a long punt of 64 yards this season."Lee is a three-time Pro Bowl pick and could be in for another trip with another solid season," New York-based Dennis Waszak Jr. said. "With Arizona's offense struggling as the worst-ranked unit in the league, Lee has been plenty busy while punting an NFL-leading 71 times, and his 48.5 gross average and 41.7 net both rank near the top."Cameron Johnston of Philadelphia finished fifth as the other punter to receive a first-place vote. New York-based Simmi Buttar noted the Australia native is tied for the league lead in gross average with Dickson and has a long punt of 68 yards.Washington's Tress Way and Dustin Colquitt of the Chiefs tied for sixth. San Francisco-based Josh Dubow noted no punter has been better than Way at pinning teams deep, with nearly 60 percent of his punts downed inside the 20."No one has even approached that mark in nearly three decades," Dubow said.Colquitt, like Hekker, simply doesn't get many chances to punt. Wilner says Bradley McDougald Color Rush Jersey , yes, Colquitt could get rusty with how well the Chiefs move the ball, but the punter remains one of the NFL's best.Sam Koch is a 13-year veteran for Baltimore yet remains a factor for the Ravens and came in eighth. He finished just ahead of a second-year punter in Matt Haack of Miami. The Dolphins keep Haack pretty busy, but he has put 31 kicks inside the 20 to finish ninth.Rigoberto Sanchez of the Colts came in 10th, and he has the second-best net average at 42.8 yards that cannot be ignored."Don't usually look at indoor kickers, but Sanchez has given up a total of 63 return yards," Wilner said. The start of the Seahawks off-season article 芦 Seahawks Draft BlogSeahawks Players Reflect On Free Agency & Optimism For The Future As Offseason BeginsSeahawks players look ahead to 2019, and in some cases to free agency, as the offseason begins following Saturday's playoff loss in Dallas.What The Seahawks Said Following Their Wild Card Playoff Loss To The CowboysPostgame quotes from the Seattle Seahawks' Wild Card playoff matchup against the Dallas Cowboys.What The Cowboys Said Following Their Wild Card Playoff Win vs The SeahawksPostgame quotes from the Dallas Cowboys following the team's Wild Card playoff win over the Seattle Seahawks.Lament, regret after Seahawks ousted early from playoffs | The TribuneNow that it's over, Russell Wilson's belief in the comparison of where the Seattle Seahawks were during his rookie season in 2012 and the 2018 season that concluded with a wild-card round loss to the Dallas Cowboys has only grown stronger.Seahawks grades from Wild Card game loss to CowboysSeahawks grades from Wild Card game loss to Cowboys. Here are the grades for Seattle's last game of the 2018 season. Some good and some bad.Seahawks news: Doug Baldwin warns rest of the league to "look out"Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Doug Baldwin says the rest of the league should "look out" for Seattle in the future after their playoff loss.The Seahawks Forgot They Had Russell Wilson Until It Was Too LateAfter an offseason roster purge, the Seahawks put together a playoff push even though they ran the ball more than they threw it—an unconventional approach in today’s NFL. Russell Wilson thrived nonetheless, thanks to his mastery of the deep ball and his ability to throw with unreal accuracy into tight windows. In last night’s wild-card playoff game at the Cowboys Brett Hundley Color Rush Jersey , the Seahawks stayed with the run just long enough to lose.NSFW VIDEO: Bettor Goes Crazy After Seahawks Ruin His Cowboys Bet | theduelSeahawks cover on 2-point conversion and one fan lost his mind.McVay expects Todd Gurley (knee) to return Tuesday - NFL.comAfter spending two weeks without him, it appears as though the Rams will get Todd Gurley back this week. Rams coach Sean McVay said he anticipates Gurley will fully participate in Tuesday's practice.ATN Podcast: 2018 Wild Card Weekend Recap - NFL.comA room filled with heroes -- Dan Hanzus, Marc Sessler, Chris Wesseling and Gregg Rosenthal -- recap everything you need to know and more about Wild Card Weekend.Twelve things we learned from Wild Card Weekend - NFL.comThe first weekend of playoff action did not disappoint. The Eagles, Colts, Chargers and Cowboys advance to the Divisional Round. Around The NFL breaks down what we learned from Wild Card Weekend.Eagles' playoff win nets Nick Foles $1M incentive - NFL.comNick Foles is headed to the Divisional Round of the playoffs a richer man. The Eagles' 16-15 win over the Bears on Sunday earned Foles $1 million in incentives.Cody Parkey on missed FG: 'Thought I hit a good ball' - NFL.comCody Parkey's up-and-down season ended on a down note. The Chicago Bears kicker missed a 43-yard attempt that would have sent his team into the Divisional Round.NFL community reacts to stunning Bears-Eagles finish - NFL.comA stunning finish in the Bears-Eagles capper to Wild Card Weekend left the football world slack-jawed, with nothing but their thumbs to communicate. We collected some of the best reaction.Eagles come back to defeat Bears, will face Saints - NFL.comThe Eagles will travel to New Orleans to face the top-seeded Saints after scraping past the Bears in a 16-15 thriller at Soldier Field. Here's what we learned from Philadelphia's stirring comeback.Former Cardinal Kwamie Lassiter dies at 49 – ProFootballTalkFormer Cardinals safety Kwamie Lassiter died on Sunday after having a heart attack. Lassiter, who was 49 years old, joined the Cardinals after going undrafted out of Kansas in 1995 and developed into a starter for Arizona over the course of his eight seasons in the desert.FMIA Wild-Card Weekend: Double-Doink Misses, Grass-Green Stains and One Golden Grab – ProFootballTalkNFL Wild-Card Weekend had it all, from a double-doink miss and a Golden grab in Eagles-Bears to a Chargers changeup in L.A.-Baltimore.Philip Rivers: Exciting to get another chance to face Patriots – ProFootballTalkSunday's win over the Ravens sets the Chargers up for a trip to New England to face the Patriots next weekend and it's not the first time that quarterback Philip Rivers has found himself in that spot.