FCS Punter of the Year James Platte Lands Raiders Rookie Minicamp Invite

James Platte is getting the kind of NFL look that almost never arrives for an FCS specialist unless the leg is unmistakable. The Citadel’s 2025 FCS Punter of the Year has accepted an invitation to the Las Vegas Raiders’ rookie minicamp, a four-day window that gives him a direct chance to turn college production into a professional job.

That matters because rookie minicamp is where specialists can move fast. The Raiders’ offseason program began April 7 and leads to mandatory minicamp in June, with rookie minicamp running May 1-3. Those workouts are not limited to draft picks. Las Vegas also brings in undrafted free agents, first-year players and tryout players, which is exactly the lane Platte is entering.

The Raiders have already shown that a punter can make it that way. A.J. Cole reached the roster after attending rookie minicamp on a tryout basis in 2019, a concrete reminder that a specialist does not need draft status to win an NFL job. Platte now gets the same opportunity after a career built on distance, placement and repeatable field-position value.

The Citadel graduate from South Aiken High School in Aiken, South Carolina, spent 2024 putting up numbers that were hard to ignore. He averaged 47.1 yards per punt, which ranked second in the FCS and fifth nationally, and The Citadel bio credits him with 18 punts of 50 yards or more and 17 punts downed inside the opponents’ 20-yard line. His career long stood at 69 yards against North Greenville before he later stretched it to 72 yards against Valdosta State, a kick that underscored just how much power he brings to the table.

His résumé also carries national recognition. Platte was named a 2024 AP second-team All-American and a 2024 AFCA second-team All-American, then added the Augusta Sports Council’s 2025 FCS Punter of the Year honor in March 2026. That award, presented at a banquet at First Baptist of Augusta in Augusta, Georgia, was only the seventh edition of the honor, which makes Platte part of a small group already stamped as the best at his position.

He also set The Citadel’s career punting average record at 44.0 yards per kick, a number that explains why this invite feels like more than camp filler. The Raiders are not just taking a look at an FCS standout. They are evaluating a punter with a proven leg, a track record of pinning teams deep and a legitimate path to sticking in a league where specialists can rise faster than almost anyone else.