Undrafted Kicker Quinn Nordin Perfect On Field Goals, Misses PAT In Preseason Debut

By Michael Hurley, CBS Boston

BOSTON (CBS) -- The Patriots might have found something in undrafted kicker Quinn Nordin.

The 22-year-old -- who went undrafted in April after playing in just four of Michigan's six games last season -- found a spot on the Patriots' summer roster, and he's clearly doing his best to make the most of it.

After being perfect in the two practices held within Gillette Stadium in the past couple of weeks, Nordin was nearly perfect again on Thursday night in the Patriots' preseason opener vs. Washington. Nearly perfect.

He got his first opportunity with a 35-yard field goal in the first quarter, and he split the uprights. Perfectly.

His second attempt was more challenging, a 50-yard field goal to the other end of the stadium. He drilled it. Perfectly.

And he came on for another field goal to cap off the first drive after halftime. Forty yards. Perfect.

The perfection ended, though, in the fourth quarter. After a Rhamondre Stevenson touchdown put the Patriots up 15-7, Nordin pushed the PAT attempt wide right. He'd later connect on a PAT, after a 91-yard Rhamondre Stevenson touchdown in the final minutes of the game.

Veteran kicker Nick Folk has done nothing to lose his job, aside from suffering some sort of ailment that's kept him out of action recently. Perhaps he's still the Patriots' top choice at the kicker spot.

But after desperately searching LinkedIn for post-college work a few months ago, Nordin is absolutely seizing his NFL opportunity this summer. If he doesn't end up with the Patriots, it'll be hard to imagine that Nordin's body of work won't land him an NFL job somewhere.

But if he keeps kicking the way he's been kicking -- missed PAT notwithstanding -- he won't leave the Patriots with much of a choice.

In:
• NFL
• New England Patriots
• Washington Football Team