Sam
Sloman.
Sam
Sloman.
Miami (OH)
"The Rams drafted Miami's accurate kicker at No. 248 to replace Greg Zuerlein, and after being released he kicked the field goal that clinched Tennessee's AFC South title."Pre-draft read
Sloman was the kicker at Miami (Ohio), a 5-8, 205-pound four-year contributor who became the first kicker in program history to be drafted. His primary trait was accuracy: he made 26 of 30 field goals and all 34 extra points as a senior, an 86.7 percent field-goal rate.
His secondary trait was consistency on extra points, making 112 of 114 over his career. His leg strength was adequate rather than elite, with a career long of 53 yards. He also handled kickoffs for the RedHawks, though his distance there was ordinary. His signature was the senior season that made him one of the most accurate kickers in the MAC and a MAC champion in 2019.
Any special teams unit needing an accurate short-to-mid-range kicker who is reliable on extra points.
Year 1: competition for the starting kicker job. Ceiling: starting kicker with modest range.
Outdoor cold-weather team that depends on a big leg for long field goals and deep kickoffs.
His accuracy fit best in a dome with a short-to-mid-range role.
Samuel Sloman - Kicker
Kicking footage from his recruiting profile.
Samuel Sloman- 2015 Chris Sailer Award Finalist
His high school award-finalist reel.
Titans win the AFC south! With a field goal by Sam Sloman
His game-winning kick for Tennessee in 2020.
Sloman projected as an accurate, steady kicker whose average leg strength made him a late-round kicker candidate. Evaluators liked his consistency, compact operation and big senior year, but questioned his range beyond 50 yards and his earlier-career accuracy.
He kicked for four seasons at Miami, finishing 49 of 62 on field goals, a 79 percent rate, and 112 of 114 on extra points in 40 games. As a senior he made 26 of 30 field goals with a long of 53 and all 34 extra points in 14 games, helping the RedHawks win the MAC championship. His career numbers before 2019 were uneven, and his long-range leg was unproven. The flags were his modest range, earlier inconsistency and small frame.
Most boards viewed him as one of the top few kickers in a thin class. The Rams took him at No. 248 to replace Greg Zuerlein, making him the first kicker Miami ever had drafted. He was one of three kickers selected in 2020, and the Rams saw his accuracy and steady operation as a fit for their indoor stadium.
- 01
Accuracy
Made 26 of 30 field goals as a senior, an 86.7 percent rate that ranked among the best in the MAC in 2019.
- 02
Extra-point reliability
Converted 112 of 114 extra points in his career, including all 34 of his attempts as a senior.
- 03
Compact operation
Used a consistent, repeatable approach and plant that produced a clean, quick kick under pressure.
- 04
Clutch production
Carried Miami through a MAC championship run as a senior, handling pressure kicks in big games.
- 05
Experience
Kicked for four seasons and 40 games, arriving with extensive game experience on field goals and kickoffs.
- 01
Leg strength
Had a career long of 53 yards, with limited evidence he could handle long field goals consistently.
- 02
Early inconsistency
Made only 23 of 32 field goals before his senior season, raising questions about his reliability.
- 03
Kickoff distance
Lacked the leg to consistently drive kickoffs deep into the end zone for touchbacks at the next level.
- 04
Small frame
At 5-8 his lower kick trajectory raised concerns about blocked kicks against taller NFL interior rushers.
| Yr | Team | G | FGM | FGA | FG% | XPM | XPA | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Miami (OH) | 14 | 26 | 30 | — | 34 | 34 | — |
| Career | — | 40 | 49 | 62 | — | 112 | 114 | — |
2019 and career kicking totals from StatMuse. Earlier seasons are derived only in aggregate (23 of 32 field goals before 2019) and individual season splits are left blank.
A dash means the figure is not published by a source we trust — never a zero we invented.
The realized outcome: a brief kicker for two teams in his rookie season.
Late-arriving kicker who found a long-term job after early struggles.
Drafted kicker who lost his job quickly after early misses.
Everything above is the pre-draft evaluation. This section is what actually happened — updated year over year.
Sloman won the Rams' kicking job as a rookie in 2020, making 8 of 11 field goals in seven games before being released midseason. He signed with Tennessee late in the year and made both of his field goals in one game, including the late kick against Houston that clinched the AFC South title. He finished his NFL career with 10 of 13 field goals.
In hindsight the pick returned limited value for the Rams, who moved on within half a season of his arrival. The range and consistency concerns flagged before the draft showed up quickly, and a seventh-round kicker has little margin for error. His lone Titans appearance produced one of the most memorable moments of his career, but he never secured another full-time NFL job and his time as a regular kicker lasted only part of one season. Still, becoming the first drafted kicker in Miami history and delivering a division-clinching kick is a notable legacy.