Name: Steve Sanchez
School: California Lutheran University
Position: P
Height: 5-11
Weight: 220

Q: What goals did you set and/or accomplish in your final collegiate season? 

My main goal that I set for myself going into my senior year was earning the starting job as a punter. As new coaching staff where brought into the program, and myself being a transfer meant I had demonstrate my ability and skills. I was able to demonstrate my coaches my skills and power as a punter. Which had earned me the starting job as my team’s punter.

Q: What would your coaches and teammates say about the type of player you are?

I’ve reached out to former teammates and coaches for this question. Certain teammates have said, “hard working with his craft, determined to always be outstanding in the field, and most of all a team player. Making good friendships and being a guy with high character.” Another has said, “Steve, really puts all effort and always gets the job done. He’s made a tremendous impact on special teams and his knowledge and passion for special teams is what makes our program more better.” A former coach has said, “Steve has always given us more of what we asked from him. Wether that being changing his steps or his style of punt to fit our coordination, he has always come through for us. He is a very intelligent man, he makes in impact in the classroom. He’s smart on the field too, he’s recognized and has caught fake special team plays that have saved us from getting scored on or put is in a bad position. He is a man of high character and I’ve never had a single problem with his character and respect to his teammates and coaching staff.”

Q: When you are studying film, what are the things you focus on to improve your game?

When I’m studying film, I look a lot on my operation time. From when the ball is snapped to when the ball is kicked. My operation time is crucial for me as it really impacts on avoiding getting blocked by the defense. I also look for the returners behavior. I look to see where he lines up and how he responds to certain kicks, specially directional punts. Never in my whole 10 year career of punting has a punt returner ever returned my punt for a touchdown. Reading the punt return scheme off film makes me perform better on knowing how I’m going to operate my punts for each punt return team. I’ve had multiple of returners muff my punts and have given my team to successfully recover it for a turnover. I’ve been able to give a hard time to the opposing punt returners throughout my high school and college career because I’ve observed through their plays what makes it harder for them to catch and their flaws in techniques as a punt returner. Overall, I look for my operations time for the entire punt execution and the punt return scheme to better myself.

Q: What separates you from the other pro prospects at your position? 

What makes me a top prospect is that my operation time is very quick and I can consistently punt 45+ yards with 4.8+ seconds of hang time at any direction. As a left footed punter, people would assume the left side is my favorable direction to punt but I have trained myself to punt in all directions. On top of that, I’m not scared to make a tackle and I’ve proven before that I can run down the field and stop a returner. I got the body size and athleticism to make a big hit.

Q: What is your offseason plan to train and prepare for professional opportunities?

I’ll be working with a personal fitness training to keep up my athleticism and strength for this upcoming pro combine I will compete in on April in Los Angeles. Along with training consistently on my punting and holding skills to be a top pro prospect. I will be looking for a pro agent to take me in and just look for all opportunities to make myself stand out positively in any way.

Q: What kind of strengths and abilities will you bring to a team that will stand out both on and off the field?

The strength I can bring to a team is character and a strong quality of team work. I always look ways to improve myself and most of all the team I play in. I hate losing. I hate being last. If there’s any way I can make a difference, I take full opportunity of it. As in the past I haven’t been afraid to give feedback and suggestions to teammates and coaches on how we can be better as a team. I take responsibility for my unit that I’m in charge in, as a punter (punt team) or holder (field goal team), I make sure everyone is in ready to go and everyone is doing they’re job as special teams is 1/3 of the entire game. Makes a big difference. What makes me stand out off the field is I always put a priority to succeed in my academic, professional, and personal life. Just as much as I put full effort in working ways to be better and being the best on my team? I apply that to my daily living wether that being in the classroom, in a job, with professors, even with my loved ones friends and family. I always stand out for them. What makes me stand out on the field is that I got an explosive leg and there’s nothing more than I love watching that ball fly in a spiral. On top of that, as being proven in the last, anything that’s given to me by a coach or a professor no matter how difficult the task is or challenging it is? I always get the job done. I’ve never came short on anything of what’s been asked of me. I like to myself proving and demonstrating that I can do a lot for myself and for anyone that believes in me.

Q: What is your final pitch to the NFL and any other pro leagues?

Bottom line is anything you give, I will always return in favor full and more of what you’ve given me. I always go the extra mile for people that believe in me and give me a chance.