Mateo Reyes is the type of guy you want to be around.
He's got a smile that can light up a room, and he's always got a good word for those who cross his path.
Reyes, a defensive back for Morehead State, is the type of guy who can see the glass half full and provide incredible insight on any topic you can think of.
When asked about why he chose to play football at Morehead State, Reyes immediately went back to his roots.
"I grew up in a small town with a population of about 40,000 and one high school," Reyes said. "With there only being one high school, the football team got a lot of support from the community members. I also got to play football with the friends that I grew up with, so I will forever cherish those memories."
Being from the west coast, playing football in Kentucky may have been a bit of a culture shock, but Morehead State provided a sense of belonging and family that he couldn't resist.
"Leading up to my opportunity to play football here in Morehead, I thought I was done with playing football," Reyes admitted. "I had a couple of Division II offers, but none of the colleges were suitable for my situation. Then I got the offer to play at Morehead, and I accepted it within a week."
"It was an easier transition for me than expected because one of my childhood friends and a couple of my friends from JUCO were already out here playing football. That also played a factor into why I came to play at Morehead State."
Reyes has always been known as a leader for Morehead State.Â
He's not the loudest or most vocal, but when he talks, people listen.
Reyes is a force on defense. He lead the Morehead State defense in total tackles in the 2025 season.
His performance this season has been incredible — and Reyes credits his teammates for helping him be in the best position possible.
"Some things that I preach to the guys is to just be assignment sound, have trust in your teammates, and to be physical every play," Reyes said. "Our defense has gotten tremendously better as the season has gone on, and one of the main reasons for that is because we have been getting better at those three things every week."
While Reyes has always been known as a leader, it's something he's embraced more throughout his career.
If he could give advice to younger kids looking to play at the Division I level, he has a few words of wisdom.
"If I could give advice to a younger kid looking to play Division I football, I would tell him or her to be coachable and give relentless effort in everything they do," Reyes explained. "With those two qualities, you will develop as an athlete and as a person faster than you'd imagine."
Reyes is a role model in his own right, but he's had plenty of people to look up to in his life.
He wouldn't be where he is today without his parents.
"Two people that I owe the world to for helping me along the way in my football journey are my mom (Roberta) and my dad (Frank)," Reyes said. "Through all the adversity I've dealt with, they have been my biggest supporters. They truly are the reason I am able to continue to live out this dream I've had since I was a child."
While he's had plenty of good moments at Morehead State, his senior night against Butler this year stands above the rest.
Reyes stuffed the stat sheet with nine tackles, one sack, one tackle for loss, and one forced fumble.
"My favorite memory from this season is easily my senior night against Butler," Reyes said. "This game was such a tough and physical battle for all four quarters, and it was very rewarding seeing all the players come together to play some of our best football and complete the comeback for my last game at Phil Simms Stadium."
Reyes is an incredible guy with a bright future. He's also a guy who knows a thing or two about music.
If he were in charge of the locker room music, he'd keep it fresh and change it up throughout the week.
"This is a difficult question for me to answer, considering my music taste is random and all over the place," Reyes said with a laugh. "But if I had control of the locker room music for a week, I would change up the genre. In the beginning of the week, I'd start with a chill vibe and then get progressively more hype throughout the week to get ready for the game."
Reyes went on to say he'd play reggae on Monday, R&B on Tuesday, 2000's rap on Wednesday, NBA Youngboy on Thursday, and Northern California rap on Friday.
While Reyes has his own taste, he understands that everyone has their own style, and that's what makes Morehead State so special.
Reyes has been an incredible ambassador for the football program and the community, and his dedication on and off the field has set the standard for every defender who follows.
