Taylor Mehlhaff
Encyclopedia
Taylor Mehlhaff is an American football
placekicker
who is currently a free agent
. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints
in the sixth round of the 2008 NFL Draft
. He played college football
at Wisconsin
.
Mehlhaff has also been a member of the Minnesota Vikings
and Hartford Colonials. Mehlhaff also assisted the high school football team at La Follette High School before being picked up by the Hartford Colonials.
.
He was the 2003 South Dakota Gatorade High School player of the year as Quarterback & Kicker.
Other awards include: Riddell First-Team All-American & USA Today 2nd Team All-American, 2004 Rivals.com #1 Ranked Prep Kicker in the Nation.
Mehlhaff was a 2-time All-Big Ten performer & 2-time University of Wisconsin Special Teams player of the year.
Other awards include: Lou Groza Award Semi-finalist, 2007 First-Team AFCA
All-American & SI All-American, 2nd All-Time UW scoring leader behind former Heisman Trophy winner Ron Dayne.
in the 2008 NFL Draft
. The Saints released Mehlhaff during final cuts after he lost out to Martin Gramatica
.
on December 31, 2008, and was waived on September 1, 2009.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
placekicker
Placekicker
Placekicker, or simply kicker , is the title of the player in American and Canadian football who is responsible for the kicking duties of field goals, extra points...
who is currently a free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
. He was drafted by the New Orleans Saints
New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
in the sixth round of the 2008 NFL Draft
2008 NFL Draft
The 2008 NFL Draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 26 and April 27, 2008. For the 29th consecutive year, ESPN televised the draft; the NFL Network also broadcast the event, its third year doing so...
. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
at Wisconsin
Wisconsin Badgers football
The Wisconsin Badgers are a college football program that represents the University of Wisconsin–Madison in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision and the Big Ten Conference. They play their home games at Camp Randall Stadium, the fourth-oldest stadium in college football...
.
Mehlhaff has also been a member of the Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
and Hartford Colonials. Mehlhaff also assisted the high school football team at La Follette High School before being picked up by the Hartford Colonials.
High School career
Mehlhaff was a star 4-sport athlete at Aberdeen Central High School in Aberdeen, South DakotaAberdeen, South Dakota
Aberdeen is a city in and the county seat of Brown County, South Dakota, United States, about 125 mi northeast of Pierre. Settled in 1880, it was incorporated in 1882. The city population was 26,091 at the 2010 census. The American News is the local newspaper...
.
He was the 2003 South Dakota Gatorade High School player of the year as Quarterback & Kicker.
Other awards include: Riddell First-Team All-American & USA Today 2nd Team All-American, 2004 Rivals.com #1 Ranked Prep Kicker in the Nation.
College career
"Taylor Mehlhaff teamed with punter Ken DeBauche to form what many experts felt was the best kicking tandem in college football in recent years." -NFLDraftScout.comMehlhaff was a 2-time All-Big Ten performer & 2-time University of Wisconsin Special Teams player of the year.
Other awards include: Lou Groza Award Semi-finalist, 2007 First-Team AFCA
AFCA
AFCA can refer to:* AFC Ajax* A.F.C. Aldermaston* Air Force Communications Agency* American Football Coaches Association* American Foundation for Children with AIDS* Antique Fan Collectors Association* Australian Film Critics Association...
All-American & SI All-American, 2nd All-Time UW scoring leader behind former Heisman Trophy winner Ron Dayne.
New Orleans Saints
Mehlhaff was a sixth round selection by the New Orleans SaintsNew Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints are a professional American football team based in New Orleans, Louisiana. They are members of the South Division of the National Football Conference of the National Football League ....
in the 2008 NFL Draft
2008 NFL Draft
The 2008 NFL Draft took place at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on April 26 and April 27, 2008. For the 29th consecutive year, ESPN televised the draft; the NFL Network also broadcast the event, its third year doing so...
. The Saints released Mehlhaff during final cuts after he lost out to Martin Gramatica
Martin Gramatica
Martín Gramática is an Argentine-American former football placekicker.Gramática was drafted by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the third round of the 1999 NFL Draft after playing college football at Kansas State, and has also been a member of the Indianapolis Colts, New England Patriots, Dallas...
.
Minnesota Vikings
Mehlhaff was signed to a future contract by the Minnesota VikingsMinnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
on December 31, 2008, and was waived on September 1, 2009.