Boise State roster countdown 2020: Day 46, Joel Velazquez

By Michael G Johnson Jul 21, 2020, 6:10pm PDT

@VnillaGorilla56

NCAA FOOTBALL: DEC 27 Cactus Bowl - Boise State v Baylor

#46, Joel Velazquez, Redshirt Senior, K/P

Stats

Height: 6’0”

Weight: 222 (-5)

High School: Trabuco Hills High School, Mission Viejo, California

How’d he get to The Blue^TM?

Mr. Velazquez came our way via a 3-star ranking from Scout.com, following a high school career that had him selected to the All-CIF Southern Section Southwest Division Team as a punter in 2015, named to All-Sea View League First Team, and the Orange County Register’s All-County Third Team (as a punter). He was also a perfect 35-for-35 on PAT attempts and went 6-for-9 on field-goal attempts, sent 41 of his 54 kickoffs for touchbacks, averaged 39.4 yards over 56 punts with a long of 72. Further, he competed in shotput and discus for the Trabuco Hills track and field team, earning three varsity letters. He holds top-10 school marks in 10-lb. and 12-lb. shotput events, and in 1.6-kg discus.

Nickname

”Driver”

I don't know a whole lot about golf but I'm * pretty sure * the driver is the club used for long distances. As such, Joel has his 52 yarder at UNLV last year to thank for this new nickname.

Look-alike

No one said the lookalikes had to be actual, living humans. So my pick is (still) Wreck-It Ralph.

Career highlights

Joel is primarily a kickoff specialist, but he did have one of the most perfect onside kicks you'll ever see to make possible that insane thriller of a comeback against Colorado State a few years ago. It was also he--not Sachse--that got sent onto the field to add three points to the board, from 52 yards, before halftime at UNLV last year.

Picture-perfect onside kick from Joel Velazquez, even better recovery from Cedrick Wilson. Couldn't draw it up any better! #BleedBlue pic.twitter.com/aDJAfkte6s
— Boise State Football (@BroncoSportsFB) November 12, 2017

2020 Prospectus

Sachse is gone, but Johnny Messina is in. Wale looks like more of a punter. So. . .I honestly don't know who the primary place kicker will be this season, between Messina and Velazquez. Neither would shock me.

Is he on Twitter?

Yes. Yes, he is.

C n’ H #specialists_BSU https://t.co/G3gmAFhXxn
— Joel Velazquez (@JoelV_12) December 3, 2017

Completely made up fact

Confused by his nickname, some of the incoming freshman have been asking Joel to chauffeur them places. He's such a nice guy that he just gave them rides until he realized the source of the confusion...and then he continued to.