Navy’s Justin Welch: Elite 4.5-Star Kicker Entering Fall as Starting Placekicker
Justin Welch, Navy’s 2026 starting placekicker and kickoff backup, is a 6'2", 180-lb, 4.5-star Kohl’s Kicking prospect from Dutch Fork (Class of 25) with proven big-game intensity—earning Special Teams Player of the Week (Week 10, 2022) and Player of the Game (Week 14, 2023). He hit a 40-yard FG in 2024 and competed at the 2024 Kohl’s Eastern Showcase, scoring 10 points on FG charting and 96.85 on kickoffs. With no reported injury history and a 4.5 GPA, Welch combines technical precision, mental toughness, and academic discipline—making him a high-reliability fit for teams needing a clutch, all-around kicker who thrives under pressure in rivalry games like Army-Navy.
