PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: Tyler Dunlop, L.D. Bell

Sport: Football

Class: 2016

Position: Kicker/Punter

His story: Class of 2016 kicker/punter Tyler Dunlop is among those returners that had a successful 2014-2015 season and is looking to improve the program under new head coach Mike Glaze. The senior-to-be earned second-team all-district (7-6A) and second-team all-6A honors from the Texas Sports Writers Association. He also was named to the first team all-6A squad by the Associated Press Sports Editors. Dunlop started playing football in the seventh grade and was always an excellent soccer player, which got him into special teams. “I had my phase of a year or two at receiver, but for the most part I've been just a kicker,” he said. Dunlop expects great things this upcoming season with Glaze running the show. “Two state championships is all I needed to hear to buy in,” he said. He's been playing varsity football for the past two seasons and hasn’t decided on whether to play in college, but Dunlop wants to go into criminal justice and hopes to become a police officer or game warden one day. As for role models, the Bell kicker looks up to Dallas Cowboys kicker Dan Bailey. “He started with nothing and now, he's probably the best kicker in the NFL,” Dunlop said. At Bell, the Raiders are going through offseason workouts and Dunlop knows it's a tough transition to adjust to a new coach but is confident the team will compete and win games in the fall. The soccer/football player has been a great kicker because he uses both sports to his advantage. “I played soccer since I was four, and being a kicker and punter really is the best way to combine the two,” he said.

Fun fact: “I'm actually not lazy, like the typical kicker stereotypes seem to portray,” Dunlop said.

He said: “Coach Glaze is very straightforward and really looks after his players. First thing he told me was if there was anything he could help me with [to ask] and not to be afraid to come talk to him.”

- Brian Gosset, bgosset@star-telegram.com

This story was originally published June 15, 2015 at 3:04 PM with the headline "PLAYER SPOTLIGHT: Tyler Dunlop, L.D. Bell."