Zoltan Mesko
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Career Summary
Zoltan Mesko was a Michigan punter who played four NFL seasons, primarily with New England.
Zoltan Mesko was an NFL punter from Michigan. NFL statistics list 55 games played across four seasons, including three full seasons with the New England Patriots and seven games with Pittsburgh in 2013.
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Early Life
Mesko immigrated from Romania to the United States with his family as a child.
A Patriots scouting-combine report described Mesko as a Hungarian-born immigrant who came to the United States at age 11. The same report traced his football path from soccer in eastern Europe to American football after the move.
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High School
The reviewed official sources do not provide a detailed high school football account.
The official sources reviewed for this profile describe Mesko's immigration and college career but do not provide sufficient detail for a sourced high school football history.
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College Career
At Michigan, Mesko was a four-year letterman, team captain, and one of the program's most productive punters.
The Patriots identified Mesko as a four-year letterman at Michigan and the first special teams player in school history elected a team captain. His 42.5-yard career punting average ranked second in Michigan history in the club's 2010 announcement.
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Path to the NFL
New England selected Mesko in the fifth round of the 2010 NFL Draft, 150th overall.
The Patriots selected Mesko with the 150th overall pick in the fifth round of the 2010 NFL Draft and announced his signing in June 2010.
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NFL Career
Mesko punted in 55 NFL games, totaling 209 punts for 9,183 yards and 74 punts inside the 20-yard line.
NFL career statistics credit Mesko with 209 punts for 9,183 yards, a 43.9-yard gross average, and 74 punts inside the 20. He punted in all 16 games for New England in each of his first three seasons, then appeared in seven games for Pittsburgh in 2013.
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Career Accomplishments
His 2011 net average ranked among the best in NFL history at the time, and he produced 74 career punts inside the 20.
Patriots special teams notes reported that Mesko's 41.5 net average in 2011 ranked 10th in NFL history at that point. Across his NFL career, he placed 74 punts inside the 20-yard line.
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Playing Style
Mesko described his leadership as action-oriented and paired a 6-foot-5 frame with productive directional punting.
The NFL lists Mesko at 6-foot-5 and 230 pounds. In his Patriots conference call, he described himself as a hard worker and leader by action; his NFL statistics document 74 career punts inside the 20-yard line.
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Legacy
Mesko's career joined a distinctive immigration story with a captaincy at Michigan and three seasons as New England's primary punter.
Mesko progressed from an immigrant childhood and a soccer background to a Michigan captaincy and a fifth-round NFL selection. His three complete regular seasons with New England account for most of his 55 NFL games.
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Post-Career
The reviewed official sources do not provide sufficiently detailed post-playing-career information.
The official sources reviewed for this profile focus on Mesko's college and NFL career and do not provide a substantiated post-playing-career account.
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22861, 00-0027749, 1986-03-06, Zoltan Mesko, Zoltan, Mesko
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