49ers Special Teams Coach Says Jake Moody Needs to Get his Mind Right

Jake Moody is an enigma.

He has an extremely powerful leg, which is why the 49ers drafted him in Round 3. Still, by taking him on Day 2, they reached for him and put a ton of pressure on him to live up to his draft position.

So far, he hasn't. He missed a kick in every playoff game of his rookie season -- he even missed an extra point in the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl. Then he injured his ankle in 2024 and kicked even worse when he returned.

Still, his issues seem more mental than physical.

This week, new special teams coordinator Brant Boyer was asked to give his take on Moody. Here's what Boyer said courtesy of the 49ers' p.r. department.

Q: There's been a lot of ups and downs the first two years of K Jake Moody. You come in with a fresh set of eyes on him. What's your early take on the competition or just how things stand with him?

BOYER: “Well, I think that there isn't a special teams coach in this league that didn't have him rated number one coming out, that I know of. He's as talented as a kid as it gets. I think that the injury issue where he was fighting injuries going back and forth, I think that had a lot to do with it. I think that us bringing in (longsnapper) Jon Weeks is going to help. I think that if the kid gets his mind right, which I think he's doing, he's doing a hell of a job for us so far. I think he'll do a heck of a job for us. I really do.”

Q: Do you expect him to be your kicker?

BOYER: “Well, yeah. I mean, it all comes down to what happens in the preseason and everything, just like in any other position for sure.”

Q: Why do you think Weeks and Moody are kind of related there? What does Weeks bring that will help Jake?

BOYER: “Well, I just know from experience playing against Weeks. I tried to rush him all the time, couldn't get him. Talking to the guy, hearing everything about him from everybody in the league, that there's nothing, not a bad word being said about the guy. Always appreciated the way he snapped the ball. Always appreciated the way he picked for his guys and the way, he's more of a picker than a cover guy. But when you ask him to cover kicks and everything like that, he has no problem doing any of it and he will tackle. So, when a guy becomes available like that, I think that'll settle down the position a little bit. You're trying to get the operation right. And I think that the changes that we've made and the operation is smooth, I think it'll be a positive for this organization for sure.”

Q: You mentioned Jake Moody getting his mind right. What is he doing off the field to make sure that he's confident?

BOYER: “Well, I don't know if it's getting his mind right, but I think finally being healthy is a huge deal. I think, like I said, adding Weeks is a big deal for him so that total operation being smooth and everything like that will certainly help the kid for sure.”

MY TAKE: It sounds like Boyer is blaming Moody's mindset, his ankle injury and the 49ers' previous long snapper, Taybor Pepper, for Moody's struggles.

It will be interesting to see if the new long snapper can help.

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