Ranking SEC football's top kickers, punters and returners going into the 2022 season

You can count on the kicking game  to decide outcomes in SEC football games this fall. Whether it's made or missed field goals or field-position-changing punts and returns, special teams make a difference.

Missouri kicker Harrison Melvis, Texas A&M punter Nik Constantinou and Mississippi State returner Lideatrick Griffin are the best at what they do in the SEC going into the 2022 season, according to voting by experts who cover the league for the USA TODAY Sports Network.

In each position grouping, five points were awarded for a first-place vote down to one point for a fifth-place vote.

The USA TODAY Sports Network is counting down to SEC Media Days, scheduled for July 18-21 in Atlanta, by revealing its top players at each position grouping.

Here is a look at the top five kickers, punters and returners in the SEC:

Kickers

1. Harrison Mevis

Missouri, junior (67 points, 9 first-place votes)

The “Thiccer Kicker” made 23 of 25 field goals last season and hit all three attempts from over 50 yards.

2. Cam Little

Arkansas, sophomore (51 points, 1 first-place vote)

Little was a Freshman All-American last season with an 83.4 field-goal percentage and a perfect 46-for-46 on PATs.

3. Anders Carlson

Auburn, senior (47 points, 4 first-place votes)

Expected to be back from ACL surgery, Carlson is already second in Auburn history with 67 made field goals, highlighted by a 20-for-22 rate in 2020.

4. Will Reichard

Alabama, senior (36 points, 2 first-place votes)

Reichard kicked 22 field goals in 2021, which tied for second in the SEC, with a 78.6% percentage as he led the SEC with 137 points.

5. Jack Podlesny

Georgia, senior (30 points)

Podlesny has converted 35 of 43 field goals in two seasons, including 22 of 27 in 2021 with a 49-yarder in the national title win.

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Punters

1. Nik Constantinou

Texas A&M, junior (74 points, 14 first-place votes)

The AP All-SEC first-team punter returns after leading the SEC and ranking in the top-10 nationally in yards per punt at 46.61 yards.

2. Oscar Chapman

Auburn, junior (58 points, 2 first-place votes)

Chapman averaged 44.8 yards per punt last season, ranking second in the SEC.

3. Paxton Brooks

Tennessee, senior (37 points)

Brooks averaged 44 yards per punt and landed 40% (18 of 45) inside the 20, third-highest among returning SEC punters.

4. Jeremy Crawshaw

Florida, sophomore (36 points)

Crawshaw punted 52 times for an average of 44.1 yards as a freshman, including 20 punts of 50 yards or more, resulting in his placement on the All-SEC Freshman team.

5. Jay Bramblett

LSU, senior (18 points)

Bramblett was a three-year starter at Notre Dame before transferring to LSU.

Returners

1. Lideatrick Griffin

Mississippi State, junior (71 points, 7 first-place votes)

Griffin led the SEC with 32.8 yards per kickoff return and recorded a 100-yard touchdown return.

2. Jahmyr Gibbs

Alabama, junior (64 points, 8 first-place votes)

Gibbs has breakaway speed that could serve well on returns, something he showed at Georgia Tech with 23 kickoff returns for 589 yards and a touchdown in 2021.

3. Juju McDowell

South Carolina, sophomore (43 points)

McDowell gained 26 yards per kick return on average and had a long of 63 yards that set up the game-winning kick at East Carolina.

4. Tayvion Robinson

Kentucky, senior (36 points, 1 first-place vote)

Wide receiver averaged 13.1 yards on 25 punt returns with one touchdown at Virginia Tech last season.

5. Chris Hilton Jr.

LSU, freshman (11 points)

Hilton was a track star coming out of high school and his speed could translate into the return game.

This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: Top 5 kickers, punters and returners in SEC football for 2022 season