- By Dan Becker
- news@profootballtechs.com
The Ray Guy Award Winner from 2021, is enjoying his first training camp with the Buffalo Bills. Drafted in the 6th round in 2022, Matt Araiza said he’s been caught off guard by the fans showing at training camp. “The amount of fans definitely caught me off guard. I think we’ve had more fans at some of the practices than at home games my senior year.” Araiza went to San Diego State.
Leading the NCAA in punting yards last year with 4,044. Araiza has had to learn how best to not just launch the ball down the field with his leg. “You kind of want to take a little bit shorter steps. The longer you go, you hit more line drives.”
Araiza also has been working on become the place holder during field goal kicking. Araiza also was a kicker in college, making 50 field goals during his career. “My experience as a kicker has helped because I know what they want, Im happy with how that is going. The firsthand experience of how a hold can effect the field goal and knowing how a bad hold can affect the field goal helps.”
He’s enjoyed his time in Buffalo. He says his favorite thing in the city is the people and the wings of Buffalo. “There’s a wing spot close to where the rookies have been staying and yeah, I’ve been there a lot.”