Bayron Matos

Bayron Matos (born December 8, 2000) is a Dominican professional American football offensive tackle. 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 NFL's International Player Pathway Program (IPPP).

Early life Matos was born in Los Mina, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. 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. Matos played against Wander Franco and he credits the brother of Manuel Margot for teaching him the game of baseball.

Matos moved to Chattanooga, Tennessee, and began attending Hamilton Heights Christian Academy, but initially spoke no English, learning some phrases through Google Translate. 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.'" He ultimately transferred to the South Florida Bulls. 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. Initially a defensive lineman and special teams player, he was later moved to offensive tackle. He briefly played on special teams and defensive end during the 2022 season.

Professional career

Miami Dolphins 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. He trained at IMG Academy and has been praised by NFL analyst Scott Pioli for his skills and size. Despite being and , 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. He was waived on August 27, and re-signed to the practice squad. He signed a reserve/future contract on January 7, 2025.

On July 23, 2025 Matos suffered an injury at Miami Dolphins 2025 Training Camp. Team trainers came out in to the field but later Matos had to be airlifted to a hospital in the Miami-Dade area. On August 26, 2025, Matos was waived by the Dolphins with an injury designation as part of final roster cuts.

Indianapolis Colts On October 14, 2025, Matos signed with the Indianapolis Colts' practice squad. He signed a reserve/future contract with Indianapolis on January 5, 2026.

On August 18, 2026, Matos was waived by the Colts.

Personal life Matos is the son of Jose and Kirsten Matos. He has one sibling, Ismael.