2025 Graduate Student:
Earned All-Big Ten Honorable Mention … Played in all 13 games … Launched 36 punts for 1,619 yards … Recorded nine punts over 50 yards and averaged 44.97 yards per punt on the season … Pinned opponents inside the 20-yard line 10 times … Provided valuable versatility on special teams, connecting on 3-of-3 field goal attempts and making 2-of-2 PATs … Filled in as a kickoff specialist 40 times, logging 2,499 kicking yards … Handled field-goal kicking and punting operations in season opener at Tulane (8/30), averaging 47.7 yards per punt on three punts … Scored NU’s first points of the season on a 21-yard field goal against Tulane (8/30) … Drilled field goals of 35 and 25 yards in length during his and punted three times for 127 yards (42.3 yards per punt) against Western Illinois (9/5) … Notched a season-long 59-yard punt against Oregon (9/13) … Handled kickoffs and punted three times for 131 yards (43.7 average) against UCLA (9/27) … Punted once for 39 yards and tallied seven touchbacks on eight kickoffs against ULM (10/5) … Logged six kickoffs, two punts for 98 yards (49 average) and added his first solo tackle of the season at Penn State (10/11) … Handled kickoff duties and punted twice for 96 yards, including a 52-yarder, against Purdue (10/18) … Punted twice for 71 yards (35.5 average) against Nebraska (10/25) … Booted four punts, including a 51-yarder, for 181 yards (45.2 average) at USC (11/7) … Punted six times for 271 yards (45.2 average) and handled kickoffs against Michigan (11/15) … Handled kickoff duties, punted once for 45 yards and set career highs in total tackles (two) and solo tackles (two) against Minnesota (11/22) … Booted two punts for 84 yards (42 average) at Illinois (11/29) … Punted four times for 167 yards (41.8 average) in the GameAbove Sports Bowl against Central Michigan (12/26).
2024 Redshirt Junior:
Appeared in all 12 contests playing both punter and kicker, tallying 39 punts for 1,679 yards while converting 11-of-11 extra point attempts and 10-of-14 field goal attempts … Named the Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week on October 13 following a win at Maryland … Named Academic All-Big Ten … Punted seven times for 270 yards against Duke (9/6) … Punted for a career-high 301 yards on seven punts against Washington (9/21) … Started as NU’s placekicker at Maryland and drilled 3-of-3 field goal attempts, one of which from 43 yards and two from 38 yards, along with all four extra point attempts … Also punted for 246 yards on five punts (49.2 yards per punt) with a long of 58 yards and two downed inside the 20, ultimately earning Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week honors (10/11) … Punted six times for 230 yards and converted on a 26-yard field goal vs. Wisconsin (10/19) … Drilled two extra points while punting for 281 yards at Iowa (10/26) … Converted on 39-yard field goal and a 41-yard field goal while making two extra points in a win at Purdue (11/2) … Made a 28-yard field goal and a 26-yard field goal against Michigan (11/23) … Converted on a 21-yard field goal and a 34-yard field goal and finished with two extra points against Illinois (11/30).
2023 Junior:
Served as Northwestern’s backup punter and kickoff specialist, playing in four games … Redshirted … Named Academic All-Big Ten … Punted twice for 85 yards (42.5 ypp) and recorded one tackle … Kicked off 11 times for 690 yards, posting an average of 62.7 yards per kick, and logged five touchbacks … Punted twice against Nebraska (10/21) and Iowa (11/4).
2022 Sophomore:
Appeared in all 12 games, averaging 41 yards on 45 punts … Pinned Nebraska inside the 10 yard line three times and tallied 245 total yards on six punts (8/27).
2021 (at UCLA):
Saw action in all 12 games as the starting punter … Recorded a season-best 66-yard boot against Hawai'i and had six kicks of over 50 yards during the season.
2020 (at UCLA):
Saw action in 7 games as the starting punter … Averaged 43.1 yards per kick with a long of 62 yards (at Oregon) … Placed 12 kicks inside the 20-yard line with high of 4 at Oregon … Had 4 kicks of over 50 yards, with a best of 2 at Colorado for 51 and 52 yards … Ranked 5th in the Pac-12 with his 43.1-yard average … UCLA ranked 5th in the Pac-12 in net punting at 39.0 … Earned a spot on the Athletic Director's Honor Roll for Winter 2021.
High School:
Three-star recruit according to ESPN and Rivals … No. 6 kicker by 247Sports and ESPN … No. 29 prospect in state by ESPN … Named Kicker of the Year finalist by Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association in 2019 … Named All-Region 6-6A Kicker of the Year after posting seven field goals, 93 points in 2019 in which the Raptors fell in 2019 Division I Class 6A championship game … Converted 47 of 49 extra points and 4 of 6 field goals, including long of 46 yards, in 2018, also handled kickoffs and punts for Raptors
Personal:
Son of Erika and David Akers … Father, David, played 16 professional seasons in the NFL, appeared in six Pro Bowls and was 2017 inductee into Philadelphia Eagles Hall of Fame
