Former NFL All-Pro Darren Bennett knows Melbourne, Australia's Nick McLarty, at 6-foot-7, 255 pounds, is not a typical punter.

“Everyone walks up and goes ‘What position do you play?’ ” Bennett told The Dispatch. “And he sort of plays ‘guess the position.’ A lot of it is tackle or tight end. But no one ever says punter.”

At his size, McLarty acknowledged he could have played on the offensive or defensive line. But having grown up kicking a football since age 3 while playing Australian football, McLarty said punting was the surest path to finding success in American football.

“I think my upside as a punter was way bigger than any other position,” McLarty said. “There’s obviously been a lot of comments recently … like why am I not playing another position? And, honestly, I just don’t think my upside with any other position would be as adequate as my upside with punting.”

Ohio State recognized that upside and offered him the chance to be the only scholarship punter on the Buckeyes’ 2024 roster, and he will enroll at Ohio State this summer.

McLarty said he trained exclusively as a punter for the past 14 months in Melbourne for an opportunity like this one.

'It sounds like an NFL ball'

McLarty’s path to Ohio State started with him simply needing a break from Australian football, a sport in which points are scored by kicking an oval ball through different sets of goalposts. The ball can also be advanced by kicking it to a teammate.

“I just sort of got over the whole AFL thing,” McLarty said. “I think something new and refreshing, but also which relied on my AFL background was really appealing to me.”

He also valued the opportunity to travel and earn a college degree. So McLarty connected with Bennett, a former punter for the San Diego Chargers, and Sav Rocca, a former AFL player and NFL punter with Philadelphia and Washington. Both Bennett and Rocca stand at least 6-foot-5.

And though McLarty didn't watch his first NFL game until the Kansas City Chiefs beat the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl 57, he showed potential very early.

“Right from the very first time he punted, I spoke to Sav, and Sav said, ‘You know, it sounds like an NFL ball coming off someone’s foot,’” Bennett said.

Instead of enrolling with a college program immediately after high school, McLarty remained in Melbourne and dedicated himself to punting. Bennett said McLarty learned how to use the “long levers” of his 6-foot-7 frame to maximize distance and power.

These training sessions, according to McLarty, are what captured Ohio State’s attention. He said a video Buckeyes staffers saw of him booting a 90-plus yard punt over a stadium helped begin his relationship with quality control kicking coach Rob Keys.

But that was just one punt among many, which is what Bennett feels separates McLarty from other punting prospects.

“That’s what I was saying to coach Keys over at Ohio State,” Bennett said. “You’re basically getting a professional guy right now because for 14 or 15 months, he’s made this his job, and he’s done a tremendous job at it.”

A 'leap of faith' for Ohio State

As for what McLarty saw in Ohio State, that started with what coach Ryan Day preaches.

“He had a major emphasis on specialists – especially punters – and their role on the team, saying that a lot of schools overlook punters and specialists in their role, but know they can win and lose games, especially at the highest level where margins are so slim,” McLarty said. “Coach Day has a quote saying, ‘Don’t leave any stone unturned.’ And I think that meant a lot to me because it meant that he was willing to believe in me and willing to trust that a punter could be a difference-maker for such an incredible team.”

McLarty said he also saw Ohio State’s success with Australian punters Mirco, who transferred to Vanderbilt after the 2023 season, and Cameron Johnston, the former Eddleman-Fields Big Ten Punter of the Year who has been the starting punter for the Houston Texans since 2021.

Given that history, Ohio State understands the skill set a player like McLarty can provide, but Bennett understands the risk involved in recruiting a player with no high school game tape.

“I think it’s a leap of faith for Ohio State, as it is with every Australian that comes over that’s never really played the game in America,” Bennett said. “We bring unique skills to the game. But there’s always that leap of faith.”

McLarty said he's willing to work for the top spot on OSU's depth chart. He'll battle Joe McGuire, who was Jesse Mirco’s backup in 2023, and Hadi Jawad, who transferred from Wayne State in January.

“There’s a lot of competition that’s going to happen,” McLarty said. “No matter if you’re on scholarship, if you’re a walk-on or a (preferred walk-on), it still doesn’t matter if you’re the best player there or the worst player there. It’s all dependent upon how well you kick on game day.”

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This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Nick McLarty, Australian punter, is 'difference-maker' for Ohio State