Bayron Matos
| Miami Dolphins | |
|---|---|
| Position: | Offensive tackle |
| Personal information | |
| Born: | December 8, 2000 Los Mina, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic |
| Height: | 6 ft 9 in (2.06 m) |
| Weight: | 290 lb (132 kg) |
| Career information | |
| High school: | Hamilton Heights Christian (Chattanooga, Tennessee) |
| College: | New Mexico (2019–2021) South Florida (2021–2022) |
| Undrafted: | 2024 |
| Career history | |
| |
| Roster status: | Undrafted free agent |
Bayron Matos (born December 8, 2000)[1][2] is a Dominican American football offensive tackle for the Miami Dolphins of the National Football League (NFL). After growing up in the Dominican Republic, he moved to the U.S. in high school and played basketball. He played college basketball for the New Mexico Lobos and South Florida Bulls from 2019–20 to 2021–22, before switching to football in 2022. He is a participant in the National Football League (NFL) International Player Pathway Program (IPPP) and is a prospect for the 2024 NFL draft.
Early life[edit]
Matos was born in Los Mina, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.[3][2] He grew up playing baseball, the country's most popular sport, and was considered a talented pitcher and outfielder, being able to throw at speeds in the low 90s.[4] He liked basketball, however, and so he gave up baseball and moved to the United States at age 16 to pursue a professional basketball career.[2][5]
Matos moved to Chattanooga, Tennessee, and began attending Hamilton Heights Christian Academy, but initially spoke no English, learning some phrases through Google Translate.[6] He noted that for a time, the only English he knew was "I'm hungry": he said, "If somebody asked how I was doing, I said, 'I'm hungry.'"[6] He was a top player at the academy, being the state leader in double-doubles and rebounds while helping them win a state championship.[1] He had 16 athletic scholarship offers coming out of high school and was ranked a three-star recruit, the third-best player in the state and the 16th-best nationally.[1] He initially committed to play college basketball for the Mississippi State Bulldogs but later flipped to the New Mexico Lobos.[1]
Matos redshirted at New Mexico in the 2019–20 season and debuted in the 2020–21 season, in which he played 20 games and started 15, totaling an average of 6.0 points and 4.1 rebounds per game.[4] He entered the NCAA transfer portal after the season.[7] He ultimately transferred to the South Florida Bulls.[8] Matos appeared in 28 games, four as a starter, for the Bulls in the 2021–22 season, averaging 10.6 minutes per game while posting 1.5 points and 2.7 rebounds per game.[1]
Football career[edit]
Matos joined the South Florida Bulls football team as a walk-on in 2022.[9] Initially a defensive lineman and special teams player, he was later moved to offensive tackle.[10] He briefly played on special teams and defensive end during the 2022 season.[11]
In January 2024, Matos was announced as one of 16 players selected for the National Football League's International Player Pathway Program (IPPP), designed to give opportunities in the league to foreign players.[12] He trained at IMG Academy and has been praised by NFL analyst Scott Pioli for his skills and size.[10][13] Despite being 6 feet 9 inches (2.06 m) and 290 pounds (130 kg), he ran a 4.88 40-yard dash at his pro day, which would have been the best among all linemen at the NFL Scouting Combine.[10][13] He is eligible to be selected at the 2024 NFL draft and has been considered a potential late-round pick.[10][13]
References[edit]
- ^ a b c d e "Bayron Matos". South Florida Bulls.
- ^ a b c "Bayron Matos, el dominicano que sueña con llegar a la NFL". El Día (in Spanish). March 17, 2024.
- ^ Guillermo Vazquez, Luis (January 18, 2024). "Bayron Matos, un dominicano que sueña con jugar en la NFL". Diario AS (in Spanish).
- ^ a b Malchow, Alex (January 22, 2024). "2024 NFL International Player Pathway spotlight: Bayron Matos, OL, Dominican Republic". American Football International.
- ^ Jones, Paul (July 10, 2019). "Bayron Matos: From MLB Prospect to Bulldog Basketball Commit". 247Sports.
- ^ a b Johnston, Joey (November 12, 2021). "Bored on the baseball diamond, Matos found his calling on the hardwood". South Florida Bulls.
- ^ Grammer, Geoff (April 14, 2021). "Lobo notes: Looking to move on, Matos no longer a part of workouts". Albuquerque Journal.
- ^ Wood, Russ (April 27, 2021). "South Florida Bulls land forward transfer Bayron Matos". Rivals.com.
- ^ Barie, Sean (August 24, 2022). "USF's Matos trades basketball court for gridiron glory". WTVT.
- ^ a b c d López Yes, Ricardo (March 21, 2024). "Nacidos para jugar: Bayron Matos, el atleta dominicano que da pasos sólidos rumbo a la NFL". National Football League.
- ^ "Could one of these international NFL Draft prospects be the next Jordan Mailata?".
- ^ "NFL announces International Pathway Program Class of 2024". National Football League. January 18, 2024.
- ^ a b c Pioli, Scott (March 18, 2024). "Three prospects to watch at International Player Pathway program workout". National Football League.