Jacob Small

Jacob Small

No. 21 – Sarasota Sailfish
Position:	Kicker
Personal information
Born:	(2014-01-21)January 21, 2014 (aged 49) Whatuwhiwhi, New Zealand
Height:	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Weight:	181 lb (82 kg)
Career information
High school:	Manurewa High School
College:	The University of Auckland
ISFL Draft:	2037  / Round: 10 / Pick: 2
DSFL Draft:	2036  / Round: 14 / Pick: 4
Career history
Tijuana Luchadores (2036 (S21)-2037 (S22)) Sarasota Sailfish (2038 (S23)-current)
Roster status:	Active
Career highlights and awards
2x Nominee for Kicker of the Year (DSFL) - 2036, 2037 2x Nominee for Punter of the Year (DSFL) - 2036, 2037 Pro Bowl Selection (DSFL) - 2036, 2037 Tijuana Luchadores Record - FG's Attempted in Playoff Game Ultimini Champions - Season 22 DSFL Total Points Leader - 100 Points - Season 22 Pro Bowl Selection (ISFL) - 2038
Career ISFL statistics as of 2038 "
Field goals: 18 Field goal attempts: 22 FG percentage: 81.8 Field goal long: 47 Punts: 99 Punting yards: 4622 Punting average: 46.7

Jacob Small (born January 21, 2014) is an American football kicker for the Sarasota Sailfish of the National Simulation Football League (NSFL).

Early years

Jacob Small was born Jacob Liam Small in the beach town of Whatuwhiwhi, New Zealand, to Sarah Small and Keith Taumata. His father was part of the indigenous Māori, and his mother a Japanese American who came to New Zealand for a study abroad program and never left. He was born January 21st, 2014, and lived on the beach until he turned 16 and they moved to Auckland where he attended Manurewa High School and joined the varsity football (soccer) team. After a fantastic junior year, he captained the team to 14 wins - 0 losses, averaging 2 goals a game. But his real love was American football, a sport he was never able to play besides kicking a football online for his YouTube subscribers. He graduated with a 4.0 and honors in football and school. He has no siblings and though his parents divorced after their move to Auckland, he still keeps in touch with both his parents during holidays and free time.

College career

While the University of Auckland has a soccer team, this was more of a pass time for him do to the non-competitiveness of this college sport. He averaged 3 goals a game in 46 games in 4 seasons with the team. He gained the most notoriety from his YouTube channel and his "Kicking Challenges" where he would see how far he could kick a football through the uprights. At over 560 thousand subscribers he was invited to America to test his skills in the combine and he was drafted #116 by the Tijuana Luchadores, who gave him the opportunity to show what he can do in an actual football game, coming from New Zealand, his team coined the name the "Kiwi Kicker" which he fully embraced. He still found time to graduate with a degree in Elementary Teaching in 4 years. Jacob Small says if he cannot succeed on the football field he will succeed in the classroom teaching future students for a better generation and a better world.

Pre-draft measurables

Ht	Wt	40‑yd dash	20‑ss	3‑cone	Vert jump	Broad	BP	Wonderlic
5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)	181 lb (82 kg)	6.01 s	5.56 s	8.38 s	18.3 in (0.46 m)	4 ft 7.56 in (1.41 m)	0 reps	30

Professional career

2036 season

After graduating from the University of Auckland and gaining notoriety from his YouTube channel, Small decided to enter the DSFL draft. Never having played football in college Jacob Small was a high-risk selection but many believe after growing throughout his first season ever playing this sport that he was selected far too low and was an absolute steal! The Tijuana Luchadores selected Jacob Small #116 overall/Round 14/Pick 4 and the Season was underway.

The preseason was Jacob Small's first opportunity to show what he could do in the realm of American Football, and without question... he was ready. Exceeding all expectations, Jacob Small went 6 for 7 on Extra Points, and 6 for 6 on Field Goals.

With a season full of highs and lows for everyone on the Tijuana Luchadores, Jacob Small's shining moment was in a Week 8 game against the Minnesota Grey Ducks where he was Awarded the (Pelota de Juego) or Game Ball, making him the Week 8 Offensive Player of the Game. [See Awards] Jacob Small punted 8 times for 362 yards with a 45.2 avg, he was also perfect on the game going 2 for 2 on extra points, 2 for 2 on Field Goals and the clinching "Player of the Game" moment the 39-yard field goal with just over 20 seconds left giving the Luchadores the lead and ultimately the victory. That game sealed the only 2-0 back-to-back "series" wins for the Luchadores all season. The next game started a 4 game losing streak causing the Luchadores to end the season out of Playoff Contention at 6-8.

On the season, Small went 33 for 36 on Extra Points, 17 for 21 on Field Goals with a long of 52, and had 10 punts within the 20 with a long of 61 yards. For someone with no experience in American Football besides owning a ball, no one could have expected the great performance from this rookie keeping him in contention with the top of the rookie class.

2037 season

The expansion Sarasota Sailfish selected Jacob Small #110 overall/Round 10/Pick 2 but elected against starting him this season for the team and decided against calling him up allowing him to keep him playing for the Tijuana Luchadores in the DSFL for one more season of developmental growth.

The Season 22 preseason featured a brilliant performance from Jacob Small and showed the rest of the league what was to come throughout the season as Small went 10 for 11 on Extra Points, and 10 for 11 on Field Goals. He also broke his own record for longest Field Goal with a successful 53-yard attempt in preseason play.

After a disappointing 6-8 season for the Tijuana Luchadores the previous season, Jacob Small and the team stepped up to prove they had the talent to succeed; improving their record to 10-4 ultimately ending the season winning their 7th Ultimini Championship in team history. Jacob Small was an important part of the Luchadores Winning 10 out of their last 12 games of the season, including winning Player of the Game in Week 10 scoring more than 50% of the team's points in a 17-14 win against Myrtle Beach in the middle of a 5 game win streak. He capped off the regular season as the highest-scoring player in the league along with Kal Solarin both ending the season with 100 Points.

On the season, Small went 34 for 37 on Extra Points, 22 for 27 on Field Goals with a long of 47, and had 11 punts within the 20 with a long of 66 yards. In the playoffs, Jacob Small went 2/2 on Extra Points and 4/5 on Field Goals including the Game Winner in overtime to send the Luchadores to the Ultimini. Jacob Small was perfect on the game in the Ultimini to bring the championship home to Tijuana.

2038 season

The 2038 season was neither a step up or a step down for the New Zealand kicker who would experience his first taste of the Major leagues with a newly revamped 16 game season. As the starting Punter and Kicker for the Sarasota Sailfish coming off of their first season and first playoff birth hoping to repeat.

After missing the preseason with an injury, Jacob Small's first opportunity was a week 1 game against the Chicago Butchers where he went 2/2 on Field Goals and 2/2 on Extra Points, but even with shining performances like that one, it was an overall uneventful season for the Kiwi Kicker who would have very good numbers as the only rookie kicker for the 2038 season. He stayed in the middle of the pack and on the season, Small went 34 for 36 on Extra Points, 18 for 22 on Field Goals with a long of 47.

One thing nobody expected from the Rookie was a fantastic performance as Sarasota's punter. With just 99 punts throughout the season, 25 of them were Punts within the 20 yard line putting him at the top of his class in that statistic. With an average punt of 46.7 yards, 4622 total yards and a long of 71 yards, Jacob Small looks destined to receive a nomination for Punter of the Year for the 2038 Season, the jury is still out on whether he will win his first award in his 3 years in the league. And for his punting efforts, Jacob Small was given a spot on the Pro Bowl squad for his division.

Sarasota would go on to win the final game of the season losing out on the playoffs by one game, finishing out the season 8-8, an even .500.

DSFL career statistics (Regular Season)

Career statistics			Extra Points			Field Goals									Punts
Season	Team	Games	XPM	XPA	XP%	FGM	FGA	FG%	<20	20-29	30-39	40-49	50+	Lng	Punts	Yds	Avg	Inside 20	Long
2036 (S21)	Luchadores	14	33	36	91.7	17	21	81	0/0	7/7	5/7	4/5	1/2	52	90	3776	42	10	61

Career statistics			Extra Points			Field Goals									Punts
Season	Team	Games	XPM	XPA	XP%	FGM	FGA	FG%	<20	20-29	30-39	40-49	50+	Lng	Punts	Yds	Avg	Inside 20	Long
2037 (S22)	Luchadores	14	34	37	91.9	22	27	81.5	0/0	5/5	10/12	7/9	0/1	47	71	3127	44	11	66

Career statistics			Extra Points			Field Goals									Punts
Season	Team	Games	XPM	XPA	XP%	FGM	FGA	FG%	<20	20-29	30-39	40-49	50+	Lng	Punts	Yds	Avg	Inside 20	Long
TOTAL	Luchadores	28	67	73	91.8	39	48	81.3	0/0	12/12	15/19	11/14	1/3	52	161	6903	43	21	66

ISFL career statistics (Regular Season)

Career statistics			Extra Points			Field Goals				Punts				Points
Season	Team	Games	Made	Attempted	PCT	Made	Attempted	PCT	Long	Punts	Yards	Inside 20	Long	Points
2038 (S23)-	SAR	16	34	36	94.4	18	22	81.8	47	99	4622	25	71	88
Total		16	34	36	94.4	18	22	81.8	47	99	4622	25	71	88

Achievements and records

Achievements

• 2x Nominee for Kicker of the Year (DSFL) - Season 21, Season 22
• 2x Nominee for Punter of the Year (DSFL) - Season 21, Season 22
• Pro Bowl (DSFL) - Season 21 [K], Season 22 [K/P]
• Ultimini Champions - Season 22
• DSFL Total Points Leader - 100 Points (Tied with Kal Solarin) - Season 22
• ISFL League Leader in Punts Inside the 20 Yard Line - 25 Punts - Season 23
• Pro Bowl (ISFL) - Season 23 [P]

Records

• Tijuana Luchadores Record - FG's Attempted in Playoff Game

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