Blake Grupe

Blake Grupe (born November 5, 1998) is an American football placekicker for the New Orleans Saints of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football for the Arkansas State Red Wolves and the Notre Dame Fighting Irish and was signed by the Saints as an undrafted free agent after the 2023 NFL Draft.

Blake Grupe
No. 19 – New Orleans Saints
Position:Placekicker
Personal information
Born: (1998-11-05) November 5, 1998
Sedalia, Missouri, U.S.
Height:5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)
Weight:156 lb (71 kg)
Career information
High school:Smith-Cotton
(Sedalia, Missouri)
College:Arkansas State (2017–2021)
Notre Dame (2022)
Undrafted:2023
Career history
Roster status:Active
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics as of Week 6, 2023
Field goals attempted:16
Field goals made:20
Longest field goal:54
Extra points attempted:11
Extra points made:11
Points scored:59
Player stats at NFL.com · PFR

Early life

Blake Grupe was born on November 5, 1998.[1] He attended Smith-Cotton High School in Sedalia, Missouri, and was a three-sport athlete, playing soccer, baseball and football, although he did not begin playing football until his sophomore year.[2] As a senior, he was named all-state in both football and soccer, setting the school's records for single-season and career field goals made.[2] He committed to play college football for the Arkansas State Red Wolves.[3]

College career

As a true freshman at Arkansas State in 2017, Grupe redshirted.[2] The following year, he earned the starting placekicking job in week three and finished the season having converted 14-of-21 attempts, placing seventh in the Sun Belt Conference.[2] In 2019, Grupe made 19-of-22 field goal attempts and was named first-team all-conference as well as a semifinalist for the Lou Groza Award as best placekicker nationally; his 110 total points scored set a school record for kickers and was second-best in the conference, additionally being the 13th-best total in the United States.[4][5]

In 2020, Grupe went 11-of-18 on field goals and made 43 extra points.[5][6] In his final year at Arkansas State, 2021, he made 20-of-25 field goals and all but one of his 32 extra point attempts.[7] He holds several school records, including career extra points made (162), career field goals made (64) and career points scored (354).[8] Grupe transferred to Notre Dame for his final season of eligibility in 2022.[9] He went 14-of-19 on field goals and made all 49 of his extra point attempts in his lone year with the team.[10]

Statistics
Year Team GP Overall FGs PATs Total points
LngFGAFGMPctXPAXPMPct
2017Arkansas State 0DNP
2018Arkansas State 1147211466.7383592.177
2019Arkansas State 1346221986.4545398.1110
2020Arkansas State 1142181161.1454395.676
2021Arkansas State 1250252080.0323196.991
2022Notre Dame 1347191473.74949100.091
Career60501057874.321821196.8445

Professional career

New Orleans Saints

After going unselected in the 2023 NFL Draft, Grupe was signed by the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted free agent.[11] In the first preseason game, he made the game-winning field goal against the Kansas City Chiefs.[12] He competed with veteran Wil Lutz for a spot on the team and won the position battle.[13][14][15]

In Week 3 of the 2023 season, Grupe missed a 46-yard go-ahead field goal against the Green Bay Packers, resulting in a Saints loss.[16] In Week 5, Grupe was named NFC Special Teams Player of the Week after completing four extra points, two 50+ yard field goals, and recording five touchbacks on seven kickoffs in a 34-0 win over the New England Patriots.[17]

NFL career statistics
Year Team GP Overall FGs PATs Kickoffs Total points
LngFGAFGMPctXPAXPMPctKOAvgTB
2023NO 654161381.31010100.02965.42549
Career654161381.31010100.02965.42549

References
  1. "Blake Grupe". ESPN.com. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  2. Daeschner, Trenton (October 4, 2019). "Grupe thriving after challenge". Arkansas Democrat-Gazette. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  3. Kirby, Randy (February 1, 2017). "Two Smith-Cotton Seniors Sign to Play College Football". KSIS. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  4. "Arkansas State kicker Blake Grupe on Groza Award watch list". KAIT. July 22, 2020. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  5. "Blake Grupe". Arkansas State Red Wolves. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  6. Loy, Tom (January 13, 2022). "Graduate Transfer Kicker Commits to Notre Dame". 247Sports. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  7. Farmer, Douglas (May 11, 2022). "Notre Dame 99-to-0: No. 99 Blake Grupe, kicker, Arkansas State transfer". NBC Sports. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  8. "Blake Grupe". New Orleans Saints. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  9. Nole, Tom (February 1, 2022). "K Grupe will fill big shoes for Notre Dame". The Indianapolis Star. p. B5 – via Newspapers.com. open access
  10. Sigler, John (June 6, 2023). "Saints believe a legitimate kicker competition is brewing ahead of training camp". Saints Wire. USA Today. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  11. Sanders, Dylan (April 29, 2023). "New Orleans Saints sign undrafted Notre Dame kicker Blake Grupe". Saints Wire. USA Today. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  12. "Former Arkansas State kicker Blake Grupe boots game-winner for Saints in Week 1 of NFL Preseason". KAIT. Associated Press. August 13, 2023. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  13. DeShazier, John (August 29, 2023). "Rookie kicker Blake Grupe remains poised, makes New Orleans Saints' 53-man roster". NewOrleansSaints.com. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  14. "Wil Lutz or Blake Grupe? Here's Jeff Duncan's verdict on Saints kicker battle". NOLA.com. August 28, 2023. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  15. Mackel, Fletcher (August 29, 2023). "Report: Broncos trade for Saints kicker Wil Lutz, rookie Blake Grupe wins job for Black & Gold". WDSU. Retrieved September 21, 2023.
  16. Johnson, Luke. "Saints Blake Grupe on his 4th quarter miss: 'Guys did their job. I've got to be better'". NOLA. Retrieved September 29, 2023.
  17. Gordon, Grant (October 11, 2023). "Bears WR D.J. Moore, Bengals WR Ja'Marr Chase highlight Players of the Week". NFL.com. Archived from the original on October 11, 2023. Retrieved October 11, 2023.
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