Ben Graham - #7 - P - Deakin (Australia) - Profile

CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

■ Posted career highs in 2007 with nine punts downed inside opponents' 10-yard line and six downed inside 5.

■ In 2005 became first rookie to punt for Jets for an entire season since Greg Gantt punted in all 14 games in 1974.

■ Owns second- (37.9, 2005) and third-best (37.8, '06) single-season net punting averages in Jets franchise history.

■ Played 219 games for Australian Football League's Geelong Cats from 1993-2004, where he was renowned for his kicking ability.

SEASON BY SEASON

2007 (JETS) Equaled season high with eight punts for 45.1-yard gross avg., including season-high three punts inside 20 and recorded two ST tackles in Week 17 vs. KC. ... Had season-high eight punts for 46.1 gross in Thanksgiving game at DAL. ... Had season-best 47.7 gross avg. on six punts, which included season-long 62-yarder, in Week 8 vs. BUF. ... Averaged season-high 44.7 net yards on three punts in Week 3 win vs. MIA.

2006 (JETS) Pinned two of three punts inside 20 in AFC Wild Card Game at NE. ... Punted season-high eight times for 332 yards with three inside-20 punts in Week 16 win at MIA. ... Punted three times for career-high-equaling 51.3 gross avg. and career-high 51.0 net and nailed career-long 69-yarder in Week 8 at CLE. ... Blasted 67-yarder in Week 5 at JAX. ... Had career-high four I-20 punts in Week 2 vs. NE and Week 3 at BUF.

2005 (JETS) Drove season-long 59-yard punt in Week 16 loss vs. NE. ... Had two punts downed inside 5 in Week 13 at NE. ... Had three punts at DEN in Week 11 at DEN for season highs of 51.3-yard gross and 50.0 net and set career high with two punts downed inside Broncos' 5. ... Had career-high nine punts for 380 yards (42.2 average) in Week 4 loss at BAL. ... Made first NFL tackle in Week 2 win vs. MIA. ... Punted three times for 44.3-yard gross and net averages in American football debut in season opener at KC.

CAREER TRANSACTIONS

■ Signed with Jets as FA 1/12/05.

■ Selected 40th overall by Geelong Football Club (GFC) Cats in 1992 Australian Football League draft.

BEFORE THE NFL

■ Played in 219 games in 12-year career with Geelong in AFL, where about 1 percent of players reach 200-game milestone.

■ Career AFL statistics include 1,890 kicks, 803 handballs, 985 marks, 2,693 possessions, 145 goals and 321 tackles.

■ Obtained GFC Reserves Best First-Year Player in 1992, which goes to top player on each team.

■ In 1997 was named to State of Origin squad (all-star representative team from Victoria that plays against other representative teams).

■ In 1999 played for Australia against Ireland in International Rules Series (a hybrid game between Australian Rules and Gaelic football) in Adelaide, Australia.

■ Named GFC Best and Fairest (club MVP) and GFC Best Clubman in 1999

■ Was leading goal kicker and had most Brownlow Medal votes in 2001.

■ Captained Geelong from 2000-02.

■ Retired from Australian Football League after 2004 season.

■ In July 1997, then-Jets assistant coach Eric Mangini first scouted Graham and offered him a tryout. Graham declined offer and continued to play in AFL for next seven seasons.

■ Early in his career, Graham earned reputation of having longest kick in AFL with kicks measuring as long as 87 meters (about 95 yards).

OFF THE FIELD

■ Ben and wife, Katie, have two daughters, Sophie and Rosie, and son, Jack, born late in 2007 season.

■ Attended Ray Pelfrey Kicking School in Reno, NV, for two weeks to learn American punting style and refine technique.

■ Attended Deakin University, concentrating in marketing and management.

■ Business interests in Australia include aged-care facilities and seaside restaurants.

■ Australia Day Ambassador in 2002-03 and is currently an ambassador for the Great Ocean Road, which hugs coast of Victoria and is top-ranked tourist attraction.

■ He and his two daughters joined Jets teammates Chad Pennington and Laveranues Coles and HC Eric Mangini in taping segment for Sesame Street’s “Elmo’s World” 12/12/06.

■ Helped raise money for terminally ill children at Marty Lyons Foundation Holiday Party 12/18/06.