Position: Punter Roster status: Active Undrafted: 2009 Weight 110 kg | Height: 6 ft 3 in (1.91 m) Role American football player Name Justin Brantly | |
Date of birth: (1986-03-28) March 28, 1986 (age 29) | ||
Current team Omaha Nighthawks (#16) Place of birth: Corpus Christi, Texas College Texas A&M Aggies football | ||
Justin Jay Brantly (born March 28, 1986) is a former American football punter. He played for the Omaha Nighthawks of the United Football League. He was signed by the Houston Texans as an undrafted free agent in 2009. He played college football at Texas A&M.
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Early years
Brantly went to school in East Bernard, Texas, where his father, Jerry Brantly, served as an assistant coach under Dale Lechler, the father of NFL and former Texas A&M punter Shane Lechler. Shane and Justin were childhood friends and continue to be close. Justin later went to Sealy High School in Sealy, Texas, where he ran track and played basketball and baseball.
He was voted into the UIL All-Century Defensive Football Third Team.
Rivals.com ranked him the 18th kicker prospect in the 2005 recruiting class. He chose to play for Texas A&M over Southern California due to the small-town atmosphere at A&M. He played in the 2005 U.S. Army All-American Bowl.
College career
Brantly compiled a 44.3 career punting average, which ranks second in school history behind Shane Lechler's 44.7 set from 1996 to 1999. Brantly punted 44 times inside the opponent's 20-yard line and recorded 57 career punts of more than 50 yards. He hit a career-best 80-yard punt against Colorado in 2005.
During his senior season, Brantly led the Big 12 and placed third nationally with a 45.7-yard average. He booted 18 of his 51 punts inside the opponent's 20-yard line, and hit at least one punt of 50 or more yards in 10 of the 12 games.
After his senior season, he played in the Texas vs. The Nation Game on January 31, 2009.
College awards and honors
Pre-draft
Brantly weighed 247 pounds and measured 6-foot-3 and 3/8 at the Texas A&M Pro Day on March 4, 2009.
Houston Texans
Brantly was not drafted in the 2009 NFL Draft, but later signed as a free agent with the Houston Texans. He was released by the Texans in June 2009. He worked out with other teams during the 2009 regular season.
Omaha Nighthawks
Brantly signed with the Omaha Nighthawks of the United Football League in July 2010.