With 63 days left to go until Sun Devil football returns, we take a look at one of the most tenured Sun Devils currently in the NFL, long snapper Mitchell Fraboni.
Long snappers don't get enough credit. Like offensive linemen or kickers, they really only get talked about when something goes horribly wrong, but that isn't fair. A long snapper is the first ingredient in any successful field goal, extra point, or field-flipping punt. Without them doing their job well, special teams can very quickly become a nightmare.
Fraboni has been a model of consistency in that regard.
Born and raised in Phoenix and attending Mountain Pointe, Fraboni played defensive end and tight end in addition to long snapper. He was part of the first team in his high school's history to win a state title, and Fraboni did it while contributing in all three phases of the game.
He joined the Sun Devils in 2014 as a walk-on, going on to be a part of the team that won 10 games in consecutive years for the first time since 1973. The next year, Fraboni earned a scholarship and took over as the team's starting long snapper.
Over the next three years, Fraboni would make a name for himself as one of the most athletic, most physical long snappers in college football. He would frequently finish at or near the top of the team in special teams tackles, going well beyond just delivering perfect snaps to the kicking specialists.
Like most long snappers, Fraboni went undrafted in 2018. He bounced around The Spring League and the USFL for a bit, spending some time on NFL practice squads in between. Finally, though, he caught on in the league.
As a member of the Broncos practice squad in 2022, Fraboni was elevated a couple of times before being officially signed to the active roster a few weeks later. His season would end early due to injury, but Fraboni returned in 2023 as the starting long snapper in Denver, a role he's held ever since.
The Broncos are clearly satisfied, too, as they inked Fraboni to a three year extension this past March worth $4.2 million. That makes him the 10th highest paid long snapper in the NFL for the time being, a worthy designation for his stellar efforts.
Long snappers don't get enough credit, but exceptional players like Fraboni demonstrate why they should. He makes key plays that would otherwise ruin the team if not performed perfectly, and it's why Fraboni is more than deserving of some special recognition today.