Brad Craddock

Brad Craddock
Personal information
Born: 24 June 1992
Adelaide, Australia
Height: 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight: 186 lb (84 kg)
Career information
High school: Emmaus Christian College
College: Maryland
Position: Placekicker
Undrafted: 2016
Career history
 * Offseason and/or practice squad member only
Career highlights and awards

Brad Craddock (born 24 June 1992) is a former Australian-born American football placekicker. He played college football for the University of Maryland, College Park.

Early life

Craddock was born in Adelaide to Raymond and Leonie Craddock. He attended Emmaus Christian College He began learning to punt at the age of 8 while playing Australian rules football. Craddock attended OzPunt, a developmental program for aspiring punters, placekickers, and holders in American football. He left the program with a 4.5/5 rating and as the top kicking prospect in Australia in 2012. Craddock enrolled in the University of Maryland soon after graduating the program.

College career

At 6-foot (1.8 m) tall, Craddock was initially supposed to play as a punter with the Maryland Terrapins. Instead, he was moved to the position of placekicker. As a result, he encountered many difficulties in his first year with the team. He finished the season with only 10 of 16 field goals made, posting a 62.5 success rate, and 3 of 5 successful attempts at field goals beyond 40 yards (37 meters), including one from beyond 50 yards (46 meters). He also handled kickoff duties for the Terrapins.

Under the tutelage of former Pro Bowl kicker and Baltimore Ravens player Matt Stover, Craddock's stats improved greatly in his second season with the Terrapins. In one of his career highlights, Craddock converted 3 field goals, including one from 50 yards (46 meters), help the Terrapins to a 37–0 win over West Virginia University.

Craddock entered the Big Ten along with the Terrapins. In a game against Pennsylvania State University, Craddock kicked a 43-yard (39-meter) field goal with less than a minute to go for the Terrapins to take the lead. The Terrapins won 20–19 and became bowl-eligible. After the kick, Maryland head coach Randy Edsall summarized the game with one quote, "Let the rivalry begin." He finished the year having made 18 of 19 field goals for a 94.7 percent success rate. He posted a long of 57 yards (52 meters) and his lone miss came on his last kick of the season from 54 yards (49 meters) out. Craddock earned national recognition as a 2nd team All American award, and received the Lou Groza Award, awarded annually to the United States's most effective collegiate placekicker.

Records

In his three years of collegiate football, Craddock has accrued several records. As of 2014, he has scored the most consecutive field goals in the history of the Maryland Terrapins and the entire Big Ten Conference (24 field goals), as well as the longest field goal in Terrapins history (57 yards (52 meters) against Ohio State University). Craddock also recorded the highest per-season conversion rate in the school's history (94.7%) as well as the highest career field goal conversion rate (81.7%).

Professional career

After going unselected in the 2016 NFL Draft, Craddock signed with the Cleveland Browns on 5 May 2016.

Personal life

Brad Craddock has two siblings: Alanah and Jacqui. He majored in agricultural and resource economics with a focus on agribusiness.

Craddock grew up in his home town of Adelaide, Australia, the namesake of his nickname, The Adelaide Kid.

Statistics

Through the end of the 2014 regular season, Craddock's statistics are as follows:

NCAA Collegiate Career statistics
Maryland Terrapins
Season Games Games
Started 		Kicking Extra Points Total
FGM FGA PCT 1–19 20–29 30–39 40–49 50–59 Long XPM XPA PTS
2012 9 9 10 16 62.5 0–0 3–5 3–5 3–5 1–1 52 23 25 53
2013 12 12 21 25 84.0 0–0 8–8 8–9 4–5 1–3 50 37 38 100
2014 12 12 18 19 94.7 0–0 3–3 4–4 9–9 2–3 57 41 41 95
2015 9 9 8 10 80.0 0–0 4–4 3–3 1–1 0–2 44 22 23 46