Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 3 games
| Wk | Opp | PUNT | YDS | AVG | LONG | IN20 | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 56-9vs Furman | 2 | 89 | 44.5 | 52 | 1 | |
| Wk 2 | W 45-24@ Georgia Tech | 3 | 134 | 44.7 | 48 | 1 | |
| Wk 3 | W 42-9vs Kennesaw State | 2 | 92 | 46.0 | 47 | 1 | |
| Total | 7 | 315 | 45.1 | 52 | 3 |
#98
Jackson Ross
Senior punter for Tennessee. From Melbourne, VIC — one of 83 Australians punting in FBS this season.
6′4″ · 203 lb · Melbourne, VIC · Haileybury College
The numbers
45
yards per punt · 2026 · through week 3
3 games into 2026 so far -- Best game: 3 punts, 44.7 avg, at Georgia Tech
Inside the 20 · 43%
0%field median 33%60%
3 of his 7 punts died inside the 20. The field median is about one in three, among 134 FBS punters with 5+ punts this season.
The story
Senior punter for Tennessee. From Melbourne, VIC — one of 83 Australians punting in FBS this season.
- Signed as a 2-star recruit to Tennessee in 2022.
Jackson Ross
Drops it inside the 20 and pins them on their own goal line. A 2-star signing who has since put four seasons on the field at Tennessee. 2025 brought the first one: SEC Special Teams Player of the Week.
Low coverage — composed from the verified record.
- positional archetype classification
- recruiting profile
- recognition record
His career
Nobody recruited him. He earned the honors anyway.
2022
- Signed with Tennessee2-star out of ProKick Australia
Career arc
HS
Recruit
★★
CFB
College
Tennessee
NFL
NFL Draft
—
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
1 coach2023–2026
Tennessee
Played his entire career under Josh Heupel.
Game log
Signature game
SIGNATURE GAME · Week 1 · 2026
W 56–9
vs Furman
44.5 yards per punt · 2 punts · 1 inside the 20
Dominant 47-point win at home against Furman.
2026 snapshot
Since week 2: +2 punts, +1 punt inside the 20.
Season context · Team result + system
4 seasons under Josh Heupel — 30-12 over that span.
2023Tennessee9-4HC: Josh Heupel · Run-leaning
2024Tennessee10-3HC: Josh Heupel · Run-heavy
2025Tennessee8-5HC: Josh Heupel · Balanced
2026Tennessee3-0HC: Josh Heupel · Run-heavy
How he plays
Play style
Drops it inside the 20 and pins them on their own goal line.
CFB Index positional classification
Starter
Tennessee carries two punters; Ross has taken all seven punts. The No. 2,679 recruit in the country is punting in the SEC as a senior.
The battery
Tennessee’s specialists
- #48Bennett BradyLong snapper · Sr.
- #53Blake HowardLong snapper · Jr.
- #98Jackson RossPunter · Sr.7 punts · 45 avg · 3 inside the 20
- #99Logan FoleyPunter · Fr.
- #28Cooper RanvierKicker · So.3 of 3 on field goals
- #93Grady DangerfieldKicker · Fr.
- #94Josh TurbyvilleKicker · Sr.
Where he came from
From Melbourne, VIC — one of 83 Australians punting in FBS this season.
DNA match
Player DNA
Pinner
Drops it inside the 20 and pins them on their own goal line.
P
His 2025 production profile sits closest to Oliver Straw’s 2023 season.
Matches Oliver on
Yards / punt
Weight
In-20 rate
Differs from Oliver on
Height (higher)
Not enough data yet for this comparison.
As a junior, his production profile tracks closest to Lou Hedley's junior season at Miami (2022).
62%match
All-ACC
Matches Lou on
Height
In-20 rate
Yards / punt
Differs from Lou on
Class year (lower)
Weight (lower)
Player DNA
Players who play like Jackson Ross
Background
CAREER HONORS 2026 East-West Shrine Bowl 1000 2025 Ray Guy Award Semifinalist Ray Guy Award College Punter of the Week Ray's 8 List (at Alabama, 10/20/25) 2025 Fall Academic Honor Roll 2024 Fall SEC Academic Honor Roll 2023 SEC All-Freshman Team 2023 Fall SEC Academic Honor Roll 2023 Ray Guy…
Stats from CFBD · ESPN · fan discourse. Every figure computed from source tables — not invented. Methodology