Former Clemson kicker B.T. Potter looks to prove he’s NFL-worthy while at Steelers camp
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It wasn’t exactly drilling a 52-yard field goal to give his team the lead in the College Football Playoff national championship game. But to B.T. Potter, a recent organized team activities session in which he was asked to kick field goals in a “mayday,” late-game simulation drill gave him a similar feeling.
“I think that is what makes kicking fun,” said Potter, a rookie kicker on the Pittsburgh Steelers roster after completing a decorated five-year college career at Clemson. “It’s fun to go out by myself and kick — but I never get the rush that you do (in front of others), even in practice. Just coming here (for spring practices), my first time kicking my heart was going a little bit fast — and still does.
“And I think that’s what keeps me coming back. I love that, and I love going out there competing.”
BT Potter in midseason form, connecting on a 54-yard field goal!
His career-long in regular season is 52 yards. pic.twitter.com/Fw8UZkFfa2
— Clemson Football (@ClemsonFB) April 3, 2021
Potter long ago earned a bachelor’s degree, and he picked up a master’s in athletic leadership over his five years at Clemson. On the football field in that time, he converted 73 of 97 field goals (75.3%) and 234 of 235 extra points (99.6%) while performing at times when all eyes were on him during some of the biggest moments of games and during some of the biggest games of the college football season.
None was bigger than three kicks — including the 52-yarder — he made in the CFP national title game for the 2019 season. But Potter had many other kicks during his school record-tying 69 games played for the Tigers: 449 kickoffs (344 went for touchbacks) plus the 307 that earned Clemson points.
It was enough of a resume that the Steelers gave Potter a nominal signing bonus in inking him soon after the draft ended two months ago.
“I got to meet the coaches whenever they came to our pro day at Clemson and kind of formed a relationship,” Potter said after a minicamp session last month, “and then after the draft heard from them, and I knew this was a place I wanted to be. To learn from somebody like Chris (Boswell) and (special teams coordinator Danny Smith) has just been awesome.”
Potter is smart enough to recognize the obvious: He isn’t necessarily reporting to training camp in any sort of true open competition to earn the job as the Steelers’ kicker. But with Boswell coming off a season that was one of the worst and most injury-riddled of his career, Potter has an opportunity to show he can be viewed as a viable insurance policy.
After all, the Steelers used three kickers last season. With expanded practice squads and loosened rules in regards to eligibility for them, it has not been rare in recent seasons for teams to carry an extra kicker on the practice squad. Worst case, Potter puts out some good film and earns an NFL opportunity elsewhere.
“Just show up every day and do my best,” Potter said of his mindset. “You know, at the end of the day it’s good to learn from somebody like (Boswell) who’s been in some big situations and performed well. Just see where it takes me.”
Potter confirmed Boswell missed many organized team activities sessions. That theoretically got Potter more reps with holders Pressley Harvin III and Braden Mann and long snapper Christian Kuntz as well as more personal instruction from Smith. The added attention can’t hurt.
Like 89 others, Potter is set to report to Saint Vincent for the start of training camp in four weeks. With cutdown days (aside from one final, wholesale cut from 90 to 53) eliminated from the NFL calendar, barring something unforeseen Potter will have about a month to make a case he belongs in the pros.
The odds are against him — particularly in Pittsburgh, where Boswell signed a record-setting contract less than 11 months ago. But Potter is taking it in stride.
“It’s been awesome so far,” he said. “I have enjoyed it. It’s been a good time, just getting to really see what professional football is like compared to college. It’s been a fun transition for sure.”
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