No. 132: Mitch Ewald, #16, K, Indiana
2011 Stats: 13-16 field goals, 35-35 extra points, 50 kickoffs, eight touchbacks

Strengths

It's easy for a kicker on a struggling team to go unnoticed, but junior-to-be Mitch Ewald is quietly putting together a remarkable performance for Indiana. He's 29-35 on field goals in his young career, hasn't missed an extra point yet and has hit 87 percent of his field goals in Big Ten play thus far.

Weaknesses

Ewald went only 3-6 on field goals from beyond 40 yards in 2011, which is unsettling. Granted, that doesn't mean he has a weak leg—Ewald hit two kicks from 49 yards last season, and eight touchbacks isn't bad—but college football is full of guys who can hit field goals from 35 yards out.

2012 Prediction

Unless Kevin Wilson goes completely gung-ho on 4th-and-short, Indiana's almost certainly going to use Ewald for more than six field goal attempts from 40-plus yards in 2012. Assuming the incongruity of making 100 percent inside 40 yards and 50 percent outside of it (with at least 49 yards of range) doesn't continue, Ewald should put up similarly fine numbers in 2012 and be in serious contention for All-Big Ten honors.