In a surprising move during roster cuts, the Green Bay Packers released Anders Carlson and picked up Titan’s rookie Kicker Brayden Narveson. Shortly after, the Packers released Greg Joseph naming Brayden the week 1 Kicker. A large chunk of Packer Nation let out a sigh of relief as the kicking competition left most fans less than optimistic heading into the season.
Brayden will also keep the Packer’s streak of UDFA week 1 players alive and well. Here’s a closer look at the new special teams weapon.
Southwest to the Midwest
Brayden Narveson was born on September 28, 1999 in Scottsdale, AZ to parents Kent and Loretta Narveson. Brayden started out his journey on the gridiron at Desert Mountain High School. As a student he was also best friends with none other than Kurt Warner’s son Kade.
Even at a young age, Brayden was described as being humble and a great locker room guy.
Narveson also has battled through being diagnosed as a Type-1 diabetic needing to take a daily injection via a pump that is worn on his left arm. Here’s a great interview he gave to the Des Moines Register giving the backstory to his diagnosis.
Peterson: Iowa State kicker Brayden Narveson balances school and football as a Type-1 diabetic
Here’s a list of accolades Brayden carried with him coming out of high school via cyclones.com
“Three-star recruit by 247Sports and ESPN … ranked as the 12th-best kicker nationally by 247Sports … ranked as the No. 8 kicker in 2018 by Chris Sailer Kicking … won the Luis Zendejas Award as kicker of the year in Arizona in 2017 … first-team all-state, all-region and all-district pick as a senior … led the state in touchbacks with 49 of 63 kicks going into the end zone with no return … made 10-of-15 field goal attempts with a long of 58 yards as a senior … connected on 40-of-43 PATs … as a junior, handled kickoffs, punting and long field goals … connected on a 51-yarder … coached by David Sedmak.”
A Cyclone On A Full Ride
Brayden commited to Iowa State after high school on a full scholarship. Check out his announcement via Twitter below.
The state outlet AZCentral ranked him as the top candidate coming out of the Arizona high school football scene.
No. 1 Brayden Narveson, Scottsdale Desert Mountain, 6-0, 190, Sr.
“Powerful leg, booms kicks out of end zone.“
A “Purdy” Uneventful First Couple Years
Narveson unfortunately would not see the field during his 2018 freshman season. In 2019 he redshirted making 2 out of 4 field goals with no opportunities for an extra point. He did however get to share the field with Brock Purdy pictured below.
Transfer to Western Kentucky
In the summer of 2020 Narveson transferred to Western Kentucky University (WKU). It was here that Narveson would begin to make a name for himself at the college level.
Brayden would win the starting kicking role during the fall camp and went on to have one of the best records in WKU’s history according to their website wkusports.com. He went 13-of-14 in field goal attempts and 27-of-27 on extra points.
This was the beginning of a perfect streak of extra point attempts that lasts to this day!
Building on Success
2021 would see Narveson cement his place as one of the best kickers in WKU history. He was ranked 6th in the country that year in field goals made.
2022 would be Narveson’s final year with WKU. He appeared in 13 out of 14 games going 15 of 21 for field goals including a 51-yard field goal in the final game of the season. That year he also put up 59 extra points.
Headed to NC State
Brayden ended his college career with NC State, joining the Wolfpack in January of 2023. He finished out his senior year going 18 of 23 in field goals and 38 of 38 extra points. He also tied for 9th in the ACC, averaging 7.1 points per game.
Marching To The Beat Of His Own Drum All The Way to Music City
According to the Tennessee Titan’s outlet Music City Miracles, Narveson’s transfer from WKU to NC State made him eligible to attend the Titans’ pro day. Sources stated that he came prepared, catching the eye of special teams coach Colt Anderson. Though Brayden would go undrafted, the Titans would bring him in as a UDFA.
Competition For the Veteran
Brayden walked into a tough fight as he worked to impress his coaches enough to overtake veteran Nick Folk. In the end, Folk’s performance going 26 of 28 on field goals and his 20 year veteran status earned him a slot on the final 53 man roster. Thus leaving the door open on NFL cut day for the Green Bay Packers to come calling.
During the preseason campaign Narveson turned heads with his accuracy and big leg. He quickly became a fan favorite according to multiple outlets. He went 21 of 28 in his field goal attempts throughout camp. In-game, he was 6 for 7 in field goals and made both extra point attempts.
These incuded a 59-yard field goal in the Titan’s preseason finale against the Seattle Seahawks. The viral clip of that kick made it’s way around the Twitter-verse in quick fashion.
He then put the cherry on top with a 46-yard game winner. Showing that he has the leg talent and can handle the pressure of a clutch kick. It may not feel that way to some being that it was the preseason, but keep in mind that he’s out there to put up a game winner and earn his way into a contract with an NFL team.
Here’s a nice overview on his career leading up to being signed by the Green Bay Packers.
Destination 1265 Lombardi Avenue
That brings us to the present where as stated in the beginning of this article, Green Bay Packer fans everywhere were more than nervous about the kicking abilities that Anders Carlson and Greg Joseph were putting on display.
In a very surprising move that I didn’t see coming myself, the Packers admitted defeat with their draft pick in Carlson and picked up Brayden. Shortly after retaining Brayden off waivers, they released Greg Joseph.
Check out the video below to get the backstory on how the Packers kept their eyes on Brayden during his college career, as well as his performance during the preseason.
The Green Bay Packers Continue To Buy In
While there have been certain moves that have had me scratching my head,*cough* AJJ *cough*, I can’t deny that overall, Gutey and company are looking to win NOW. There may be some folks that question going with a rookie kicker 2 years in a row, however I think it shows how much the front office believes in the team. The window is open and I love that they are leaving nothing to chance. Clearly, the Green Bay Packers continue to buy in.
Bringing Back Consistency
It is no secret that special teams has been a pain point for years now with the Green Bay Packers. I believe that Brayden Narveson will ease the minds of Packer Nation. I also believe us Packer fans grew accustomed to elite kicking (not unlike back to back to back elite QB play) via players like Chris Jackie, Ryan Longwell, and Mason Crosby.
With Brayden the squad is getting a humble, hungry, and incredibly talented Kicker. His work ethic and demeanor fit the culture very well, and I have no doubt he will “Carry The G” in stride.
Check out Brayden and the rest of the squad live in person this season by getting your tickets from Ticket King. Click the image below and avoid using those national chains like Seat Geek and StubHub. Use a Wisconsin based business for all your Packers ticket needs!
