William Hughes is Columbia’s high-end leg weapon at punter
Hughes enters 2026 as a proven, field-flipping punter for Columbia, highlighted by a 2023 Ivy League Special Teams Player of the Week honor and a season average of 45.7 yards per punt that ranked No. 3 nationally at the time[5]. Across his Columbia career, ESPN lists a 42.4-yard career punting average with a long of 80 yards, showing both consistency and big-play range[1]. His edge is control in tough conditions—he has already shown he can pin opponents deep and change field position, which makes him a strong fit for teams valuing hidden-yardage impact over volume stats[5][1].
