First-team All-ACC punter Trenton Gill was drafted No. 255 overall in the seventh round by the Chicago Bears.
The Bears punter last year was veteran Pat O’Donnell, who averaged 46.2 yards on 62 punts, with a net of 38.5 yards and 19 punts inside the 20-yard line. O’Donnell left the Bears to sign with the Green Bay Packers on March 18 during the offseason.
Former Arizona Cardinals, Carolina Panthers and Washington Commanders punter Ryan Winslow could be Gill’s competition for the job.
Gill, a former walk-on from Hillsborough (N.C.) Cedar Ridge High, was NC State’s career leader in punt average (45.8) on 173 punts. Gill also has 112 career touchbacks on 193 kickoffs in his three-year Wolfpack career.
Gill led the ACC and was 20th nationally with a 45.08 average last year. He had 23 punts of 50-plus yards and had 33 punts land insider the 20-yard line.
The 6-foot-4 Gill averaged a season-best 51.2 yards on six punts with a long of 59 against Louisiana Tech. He also landed five punts inside the 20-yard line against both Louisville and at Florida State.
If Cole makes the Bears, he’d join former NC State punter AJ Cole, who led the NFL last year with a 50.0 average and was fifth with a 42.5 net.
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