Matt Araiza

Matt Araiza (born May 16, 2000) is an American football punter for the Buffalo Bills of the National Football League (NFL). He played college football at the San Diego State University.

Matt Araiza
No. 19 – Buffalo Bills
Position:Punter
Personal information
Born: (2000-05-16) May 16, 2000
San Diego, California
Height:6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight:200 lb (91 kg)
Career information
High school:Rancho Bernardo
(San Diego, California)
College:San Diego State (2018–2021)
NFL Draft:2022 / Round: 6 / Pick: 180
Career history
Roster status:Unsigned draft pick
Career highlights and awards
Career NFL statistics
Player stats at NFL.com · PFR

Early life and high school

Araiza grew up in San Diego, California and attended Rancho Bernardo High School, where he played football and was a hurdler on the track and field team.[1] He made 37 field goals and was a two-time All-America selection as a placekicker.[2] Araiza committed to play college football at San Diego State over offers from UMass and Montana.[3]

College career

Araiza redshirted his true freshman season while serving as the backup to All-Mountain West Conference kicker John Baron II.[4] He became the team's placekicker as a redshirt freshman and made a school-record 22 field goals on 26 attempts and was named honorable mention All-Mountain West.[5] Araiza made 10 of 14 field goal attempts in SDSU's COVID-19-shortened 2020 season and was named honorable mention All-Mountain West for a second straight season. He also assumed punting duties during the team's opening game against UNLV and averaged 49.8 yards on five punts.[6]

In 2021, Araiza was named the Aztecs first-string punter in addition to his kicking duties going into his redshirt junior season and was named a mid-season All-American by ESPN at the position.[7][8] He finished the season averaging 51.19 yards per punt, breaking the NCAA record set by Texas A&M's Braden Mann in 2018 (50.98) and earning himself the nickname ‘Punt God’ by fans.[9] Araiza won the Ray Guy Award as the top punter in the nation.[10] Following the end of the season, Araiza announced that he would be forgoing his final season of eligibility to enter the 2022 NFL Draft.[11]

Professional career
Pre-draft measurables
HeightWeightArm lengthHand span40-yard dash10-yard split20-yard splitVertical jumpBroad jump
6 ft 1+1⁄8 in
(1.86 m)		 200 lb
(91 kg)		 30+1⁄2 in
(0.77 m)		 9 in
(0.23 m)		4.68 s1.61 s2.71 s32.0 in
(0.81 m)		10 ft 1 in
(3.07 m)
All values from NFL Combine[12][13]

The Buffalo Bills selected Araiza in the sixth round, 180th overall, of the 2022 NFL Draft.[14]

Personal life

Araiza is of Mexican descent through his father, Rico, who was born in Mexico.[15]

References
  1. Sherman, Rodger (October 29, 2021). "The Punter That Was Promised Has Arrived". The Ringer. Retrieved November 15, 2021.
  2. "Rancho Bernardo kicker longs for a college try". The San Diego Union-Tribune. November 8, 2017. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
  3. "Record-setting RB kicker scores full ride to SDSU". The San Diego Union-Tribune. December 27, 2017. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
  4. "Aztecs' new kicker Araiza among players to watch at Fan Fest scrimmage". The San Diego Union-Tribune. August 16, 2019. Retrieved October 28, 2021.
  5. Kenney, Kirk (December 21, 2019). "Aztecs football notebook: Kicker Matt Araiza sets SDSU single-season field goal record". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved October 28, 2021.
  6. Vannini, Chris (October 27, 2021). "San Diego State's Matt Araiza is going viral one 80-yard punt at a time, plus latest in conference realignment: G5 Drive". The Athletic. Retrieved October 28, 2021.
  7. "Column: Aztecs' NCAA punting leader Matt Araiza 'can get a ton better'". The San Diego Union-Tribune. October 12, 2021. Retrieved October 28, 2021.
  8. "Aztec Matt Araiza, Rancho Bernardo High Alum, Makes ESPN's Midseason All-America Team". Times of San Diego. October 17, 2021. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
  9. "Johnson leads San Diego State past UTSA 38-24 in Frisco Bowl". ESPN.com. AP. December 21, 2021. Retrieved December 22, 2021.
  10. Kenney, Kirk (December 9, 2021). "Aztecs' Matt Araiza wins Ray Guy Award as nation's top punter". The San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved December 22, 2021.
  11. Ugetti, Paolo (December 28, 2021). "San Diego State football record-setting punter Matt Araiza entering NFL draft". ESPN.com. Retrieved January 3, 2022.
  12. "Matt Araiza Draft and Combine Prospect Profile". NFL.com. Retrieved April 30, 2022.
  13. "2022 Draft Scout Matt Araiza, San Diego State NFL Draft Scout College Football Profile". draftscout.com. Retrieved April 30, 2022.
  14. Skurski, Jay (May 2, 2022). "In 'Punt God' Matt Araiza, Bills getting a promising prospect, but far from a finished product". The Buffalo News. Archived from the original on May 2, 2022. Retrieved May 2, 2022.
  15. Uggetti, Paolo (November 10, 2021). "Why college football's must-see attraction is a punter from San Diego State". ESPN. Retrieved November 23, 2021.
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