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We’re not sure what footballs did to Braden Mann, but whatever it was, he continues to be on a mission to make them regret it. The accolades for the Texas A&M Aggies punter continue to pile up, and after being named to the All SEC First team by both the Associated Press and SEC coaches, he was unsurprisingly named the SEC Special Teams Player of the Year on Wednesday.
• Current FBS leader with a 51.15 punting average
— Southeastern Conference (@SEC) December 5, 2018
• 2018 @RayGuyAward Finalist @MannBraden is the #SECFB Special Teams Player of the Year. pic.twitter.com/VYtfTtU4x0
Mann is a finalist for the Ray Guy Award, given each year to the nation’s best college punter, and he seems like a virtual shoe-in for the award. With an average of 51.1 yards per punt, he leads the nation in punting average by almost three yards over his closest competitor. If he finishes the season with more than 50.8 yards per punt, he will set a new NCAA record. He also set the NCAA record for most 60+ yard punts in a single season and set the record for punting average in a game when he averaged 60.8 yards per kick on his five punts against Alabama.
In addition, Mann had four solo tackles and one forced fumble for the season.
The hardest-hitting @RayGuyAward finalist#GigEm pic.twitter.com/Sef9J85QI7
— Texas A&M Football (@AggieFootball) November 27, 2018