Casey Bednarski
Kicker
Minnesota State-Mankato

Alex Khvatov:  What are your measurements (height, weight and forty time)?

Casey Bednarski:  Height is 6’0, weight is 225 and 4.6.      

Alex Khvatov:  Where are you currently training for the NFL Draft?

Casey Bednarski:  My hometown is Wisconsin.  I work out at three different gyms.  I bounce from Planet Fitness.  It is a local gym here I run track with the owner’s son.  My high school and an indoor baseball field where I kick field goals.    

Alex Khvatov:  Tell us about your Pro Day.

Casey Bednarski:  My pro day was at Minnesota.  It was unexpected.  It came fast.  I did all of the testing along with the Gophers kicker Emmit Carpenter.  My vert was 31.5 and a 9’6 broad.  I hit 7 or 8 FG’s out of 10 kicks.  I also did kickoffs and punting.   

Alex Khvatov:  Coming out of high school, what programs showed interest in you?

Casey Bednarski:  I played football for two years in high school.  I did the punting and kicking my first year.  My senior year, I also played WR along with kicking.  I didn’t get a lot of interest coming out.  Some schools in the NSIC conference recruited me out of high school.  I went to a junior college for two years.  I graduated with the associate’s degree.  In 2017, I went to Mankato.    

Alex Khvatov:  Why did you choose Minnesota State-Mankato?

Casey Bednarski:  They wanted me.  They showed winning mentality.  They had a winning program.  I wanted to go to the NFL, and Mankato was a no brainer.  I knew that I would play in some big games winning and have a chance to make some big kicks.      

Alex Khvatov:  What are your strengths?

Casey Bednarski:  I have a powerful leg.  I excel on kickoffs.  I need to get more hangtime on my kicks.  I am pretty accurate.  I have been critiqued about my consistency.  I have more of a soccer approach to the game.  It works for me.  I have confidence.     

Alex Khvatov:  What areas of your game are you trying to improve upon?

Casey Bednarski:  I am a power guy.  The ball just flies off my foot.  I am a high intensity guy.  I need to get higher hangtime on my kickoffs.  I need to get my leg muscles stronger and need to get my technique down.    

Alex Khvatov:  Tell us about your overall career.

Casey Bednarski:  I hit a 63-yard FG to close the half during my second game of my junior year.  I had a good year.  I was named an All-American.  I went 25/27 for the year.  2017 was great.  I got a lot stronger as a senior.  But I didn’t have the greatest year.  During my senior year, I went 15/23 with a long FG of 55 yards.      

Alex Khvatov:  What is the highlight of your career up to this point?

Casey Bednarski:  One highlight is making the 63-yard FG.  I also went 4/4 that game.  It was the second game of my career.  Later that same season, it was a first-round playoff game against CSU Pueblo.  We went into OT.  We went into the wind.  Coach said that he trusted me going into the wind.  I hit the 37-yarder into the wind.  It was a big highlight.  During my senior year, I went 4/4 with the long of 55 yards.  I bring a lot of energy to a special teams’ unit.  I am a bigger kicker.    

Alex Khvatov:  What is your biggest accomplishment in college that you are most proud of?

Casey Bednarski:  During my junior college days, we had a ton of people tryout.  We had 160 people on the first day.  Just going through the whole process and sticking to the script the first two years of my college career.    

Alex Khvatov:  Who is your favorite NFL player?

Casey Bednarski:  For kickers, Justin Tucker is a monster.  For a different position, it is Calvin Johnson and Julio Jones.  It is a toss-up between those two guys.    

Alex Khvatov:  What is the most important trait for a kicker?

Casey Bednarski:  Mental toughness.  In the NFL, anybody can kick.  You have to do that when your time comes up and you have to make sure that you don’t crumble.    

Alex Khvatov:  What players on your team should we keep an eye on for next season?

Casey Bednarski:  WR Shane Zylstra has a great frame and can locate the ball very well.  He runs crisp routes.  He is a huge player and super smart.  He has an older brother who is on the Vikings.  He is working on his speed.  RB Nate Gunn is a hard-nosed type of guy.  He is surprisingly shifty for how big he is.    

Alex Khvatov:  What do you enjoy most about football?

Casey Bednarski:  Competitive nature.  I am an athlete at heart.  I play any sport at 100%.  It is so much fun when I am with the team.    

Alex Khvatov:  What are your hobbies?

Casey Bednarski:  Play video games.  My brother is a professional Fortnite player.  I am also big on computers.    

Alex Khvatov:  What do you want to do with your life after your football career is over?

Casey Bednarski:  I don’t have a defined thing.  I have a ton of ideas.  I might want to establish and run one of those kicking camps.  I also want to have a family.  I have a girlfriend right now.   

Alex Khvatov:  Tell me about the kicking camps that you attended. 

Casey Bednarski:  I went to Kohl’s camp in Arizona.  They had FA and draft eligible guys there.  I competed and did really well.  I separated myself.  Then I went to Zauner camp in Arizona.  I balled out.  I had a great first and second day.  I won the kickoff distance contest.  I separated myself again.  I also did punting and had 5.1 hangtime.    

Alex Khvatov:  What five words best describe you?

Casey Bednarski:  Competitive, passionate, energizer-bunny, caring and adventurous.