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If you watched Ka'imi Fairbairn as an underclassman at UCLA, you might not have believed his senior year was the same guy. Fairbairn had, rightfully so, earned a reputation for being inconsistent, especially in big games.
As a freshman, he missed a field goal attempt 52-yard field goal attempt which would have tied the score in the 2012 Pac-12 Championship Game. In his first two seasons, his field goal percentage was less than 70%. While Fairbairn missed two field goal attempts which could have won the game for the Bruins against Utah in 2014, Fairbairn improved his field goal percentage to more than 80% that season.
Fairbairn showed some consistency by improving a little more on that performance in 2015 including a UCLA and Pac-12 record-setting 60-yard field goal against Cal. He also became the all-time leading scorer for both UCLA and the Pac-12 Conference while on his way to winning the 2015 Lou Groza award as the nation's best placekicker.
He finished his college career by hitting 41 consecutive field goals of 35 yards or less while making 16 straight from 40 yards or less in 2015.
NFL Combine Results
| NFL Combine Tale of the Tape | |
|---|---|
| Height | 5'11" |
| Weight | 183 lbs. |
| Arm Length | 31.25 inches |
| Hands | 9.25 inches |
| Source: NFL.com | |
Strengths
Ka'imi has good leg strength and can be very precise. He finished his college career hitting 16 consecutive field goals of 40 yards or less and 41 consecutive field goals of 35 yards or less.
On kickoffs, he never had a kick go out of bounds while posting a 62.7% touchback percentage.
Weaknesses
Despite improving his overall consistency in his final two years, he still remains unproven in clutch situations.
Comparison
NFL.com compares him to Vikings kicker Blair Walsh.
Stats
| Kicking Stats | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kicking | Punting | ||||||||||||||||||
| Year | School | Conf | Class | Pos | G | XPM | XPA | XP% | FGM | FGA | FG% | Pts | Punts | Yds | Avg | ||||
| 2012 | UCLA | Pac-12 | FR | K | 14 | 56 | 59 | 94.9 | 16 | 22 | 72.7 | 104 | |||||||
| 2013 | UCLA | Pac-12 | SO | K | 13 | 59 | 60 | 98.3 | 14 | 21 | 66.7 | 101 | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 2014 | UCLA | Pac-12 | JR | PK | 13 | 47 | 48 | 97.9 | 18 | 22 | 81.8 | 101 | 0 | 0 | |||||
| 2015 | UCLA | Pac-12 | SR | PK | 13 | 47 | 47 | 100.0 | 20 | 24 | 83.3 | 107 | 0 | 0 | |||||
| Career | UCLA | 209 | 214 | 97.7 | 68 | 89 | 76.4 | 413 | 0 | 0 | |||||||||
Projection
Ka'imi should be drafted. Considering that not many kickers will get drafted, that right there says a lot. Despite being the Lou Groza award winner as the best kicker in college football, he is rated as the second best kicker in this year's draft behind Florida State's Roberto Aguayo.
But, even knowing that, he probably won't be drafted until the 6th or 7th round.