Kam Hawkins and the long snapper's path to the NFL
- Xavier Michnewicz
- 2 hours ago
- 3 min read
With zero seconds on the clock, quarterback Shedeur Sanders found receiver LaJohntay Wester for a Hail-Mary touchdown, pulling Colorado within a single point of Baylor in its 2024 Big 12 opener.
But the miracle wouldn’t have mattered without what came next.
A routine extra point, often forgotten, sent the game to overtime, where the Buffaloes sealed the dub. Neither the win nor overtime happens without the most invisible player on the field.
“I remember standing on the 20 [yard-line] … saw LaJohntay catch it, and I’m like ‘Oh I gotta go snap the ball,’” Kameron Hawkins, Colorado’s former long snapper, said.
For Hawkins, the Baylor snap was one of many high-stakes moments in two years with Colorado. As a husband and a leader, Hawkins’ five-year collegiate career came to an end at Colorado’s Pro Day, for which he spent three months training.
“It was pretty much six days a week here,” Hawkins said. “Three to four hours a day just lifting, training, running, snapping.”
Along with his technical skills, he recorded 13 bench press reps with a 21-inch vertical to finalize his resume with Colorado at the pro day. However, Hawkins’ two years at Colorado were defined by more than those numbers or snaps. He developed a special bond with his fellow special teamers and developed as a man.
“I learned how to become a better leader, better man,” Hawkins said he learned in his time with the Buffaloes. “Just all the tidbits you get from coach[es] … give you little gems.”
The specialists were one of the few bright spots in a gloomy 3-9 2025 season for the Buffaloes. Kicker Alejandro Mata was 9-of-11 on field goals, while punter Damon Greaves was named an All-Big 12 Honorable Mention. That consistency came from the group’s shared standard and bond off the field.
“All of us push each other, we know what our expectations are and where we want to be,” Hawkins said. “So having them helps push us further to our goal … having [the other specialists] around is a special bond.”
The long snapper is a unique position that hardly garners any stats or recognition. Mostly, the position entails snapping the ball over a long distance to a punter, or holder on field goals and extra points, where they are not allowed to be hit. Still, Hawkins earned a tackle assist last season.
“We were joking like ‘Man, we got to get you on the stat board,” Hawkins said. “I have a half-a-tackle, and it was against Utah ... Got a couple downed punts as well … Especially in the pro formation, it’s kind of hard.”
Although the position doesn’t gain a lot of attention, it is a saturated market, with veterans leading the field. Of the NFL’s 32 long snappers in 2025, they averaged 11 years of experience, with only three rookies.
The teams with the longest tenured long snappers include the Tennessee Titans (16 years), San Francisco 49ers (16 years) and the Carolina Panthers (17 years). Needless to say, it's a hard position to earn a professional career in.
“It’s very hard to gauge who's gonna sign what, during this time period,” Hawkins said. “[Teams] can re-sign with their vet, they cannot and go for rookies … It’s six eggs one way, half-a-dozen another.”
Although tough, Hawkins has set himself up for success and the next level in his time with the Buffaloes.
“I was blessed enough here at Colorado to run pro formation, just like the NFL does,” Hawkins said. “That also helps with evaluation.”
While his experience has prepared him for the uncertainty of the NFL market, Hawkins is leaving Boulder with more than just playing time. For a player who operated in the highs and lows of the Coach Prime era, the value of his journey is beyond the gridiron.
“When I transferred in, you’re at such a prestig[ous] university with as much hype and eyes you have on this program,” Hawkins said. “The whole time I was here, I just took it all in. Every single moment.”