Elon University redshirt senior punter Jeff Yurk announced on Nov. 28 that he was declaring for the NFL Draft, but he said the decision was brewing for almost a year. Yurk came off a season where he made the 2024 All Coastal Athletic Association First Team and averaged a school record 47.9 yards per punt. 

Yurk said he knew there was an opportunity to declare for the draft with the season he had. Entering his final season, he said if he was going to make a decision, this would be the time to do so.

“I knew all along after having a good year last season,” Yurk said. “Since I was running out of eligibility this season, I felt that it was a good idea to declare for the draft.”

However, Yurk said he knew if he wanted to feel comfortable with his decision, he would still have to prove himself on the field. 

By the end of the season, Yurk had turned in another productive season. He led the CAA in average punt yards for the second straight season with 48.3, which ranked No. 2 in the Football Championship Subdivision. Yurk was additionally named to the All-CAA first team after the season. 

With Yurk feeling more confident on declaring, he then sought advice from other coaches and scouts about a potential NFL career. Yurk said he wanted to know whether those people thought he had the skills NFL teams might be evaluating.

“I had a couple different coaches, special teams coordinators and some scouts see what they thought about my path to the NFL,” Yurk said. “They gave me advice on getting to that point and luckily for me, they felt I had the opportunity to make it to the NFL.” 

Elon University assistant football coach Mike Nall who coaches punters, kickers, snappers and holders, said one of Yurk's best attributes is that he’s always looking to elevate his skills. 

“He strives every day to try to improve on the little nuances of what he does to get to that next level,” Nall said. “He's never satisfied with where he is. ” 

With Yurk’s sights set on the NFL, Nall said Yurk’s powerful long-distance punting won’t be the only thing scouts are watching. Nall said skills such as directional kicking and hangtime as critical components for a punter, and Yurk has begun to develop some of those skillsets. 

“Jeff obviously kicks the ball a long way,” Nall said. “He’s got a very strong leg, but can he also be a good directional punter? Will he be able to achieve the hangtime teams are looking for? I think that’s going to be a big emphasis with the scouts that look at Jeff and he’s really strived to improve that aspect of his game.”

Yurk acknowledged that hangtime and directional kicking are areas to continue building upon before the draft. He spent the season working on those aspects with Nall and intends on practicing those skills leading up to the draft. 

“Playing more freely opened up a lot more strength and just not being super technical about everything,” Yurk said. “I do want to create more hangtime and put it close to the sidelines. If you really want to make it to the NFL, you have to put a little bit more hang time and make that decision for the returner.”

With the draft occurring from April 23-25, 2026, Yurk said he is taking his draft preparation one day at a time. It is rare that kickers and punters get drafted, and Yurk admitted  it makes things more difficult to foresee. But Yurk said he wants to get at least 1% better each day. 

“Being a specialist, it's so hard to kind of predict everything that happens,” Yurk said. “There’s a lot of unknowns in the near future so I’m just trying to get a little bit better over the next couple of months.”

Yurk’s next game won’t be at Rhodes Stadium, but in DeLand, Florida at the Hula Bowl on Jan. 10. The Hula Bowl is a college football all-star game where seniors get the opportunity to compete in front of NFL, United Football League and Canadian Football League scouts. 

Nall said he sees a tremendous opportunity for Yurk to succeed wherever he plays next. He believes Yurk’s desire to constantly improve is going to benefit him in the long run. 

“He's just a great guy to have around in the group,” Nall said. “Whatever level he ends up playing at, I think he's got a great chance to play at the next level.”