Broncos watched Karl Schmitz at free agent combine before signing him

How did the Broncos find a punter that hasn't played football for seven years?

They did not sign him based off some YouTube videos (although the footage is impressive).

Karl Schmitz, who signed with Denver Thursday, hasn't kicked in a football game since 2008. Since then, he has worked with kicking groups including the ProForm Kicking Academy in Jacksonville and the Snap Kick Punt Elite Special Teams Academy in St. Louis.

On Tuesday, Schmitz participated in Coach Zauner's Free Agent Combine in Arizona at Campo Verde High School. Twenty-seven NFL teams and five CFL teams were in attendance.

Denver's special teams assistant Tony Coaxum was among the NFL representatives at the event.

The combine was hosted by Gary Zauner, who has been coaching special teams since 1979. Zauner has spent time with the Vikings, Ravens, and Cardinals. He has worked with kickers including Sebastian Janikowski, Billy Cundiff, Nick Novak, and former Broncos punter Brett Kern.

The combine featured kickers, punters, and long snappers. Schmitz performed well enough to catch Coaxum's attention, and the Broncos signed him as a punter two days later.

Schmitz will compete with starting punter Britton Colquitt this summer.