Career Summary

Kansei Matsuzawa is a Japanese-born placekicker who became Hawai'i's first consensus football All-American before signing with the Las Vegas Raiders as an undrafted free agent in 2026.

Kansei Matsuzawa developed from a late-starting kicker into one of the most accurate specialists in Hawai'i football history. He finished his Rainbow Warrior career 39-for-45 on field-goal attempts and, after the 2026 NFL Draft, signed with the Las Vegas Raiders as an undrafted free agent.

Section reviewed 2026-09-12

Early Life

Matsuzawa grew up in Japan before coming to the United States to pursue football.

Matsuzawa is from Ichikawa, Chiba, Japan. Hawai'i's roster identifies him as a graduate of Makuhari Sogo High School, where he participated in soccer before his later transition to kicking.

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High School

His soccer background at Makuhari Sogo preceded his development as a football kicker.

At Makuhari Sogo High School in Japan, Matsuzawa played soccer and helped his team reach the Best 8 in the National Soccer Tournament. That ball-striking background came before he began pursuing American football as a kicker.

Section reviewed 2026-09-12

College Career

A Hawai'i walk-on, Matsuzawa turned two highly productive seasons into a record-setting senior year.

Matsuzawa joined Hawai'i as a walk-on after first attending Hocking College. In 2024, he made 12 of 16 field goals and all 32 extra-point attempts. He then made 27 of 29 field goals in 2025, including his first 25 attempts of the season, and scored 121 points.

His 2025 season included a 52-yard field goal and a game-winning kick against Stanford. He made 26 consecutive field goals across the 2024 and 2025 seasons, while his 25 straight makes to open 2025 tied the FBS single-season record.

Section reviewed 2026-09-12

Path to the NFL

Matsuzawa taught himself to kick, began at Hocking College, and earned a Hawai'i walk-on opportunity before reaching the NFL as an undrafted free agent.

According to Hawai'i, Matsuzawa began teaching himself to kick after attending an NFL game in the United States at age 20. He started his college career at Hocking College, where he made 12 of 17 field goals as a sophomore, then walked on at Hawai'i and developed into an NFL prospect.

The Raiders signed Matsuzawa as an undrafted free agent following the 2026 NFL Draft.

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NFL Career

He entered the Raiders organization as an undrafted free agent in 2026.

Matsuzawa signed with the Las Vegas Raiders after the 2026 NFL Draft. During the Raiders' 2026 training camp, the club documented his transition from fan to professional kicker as he competed in the organization.

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Career Accomplishments

His 2025 honors included consensus All-American recognition, Mountain West Special Teams Player of the Year, and Lou Groza Award finalist status.

Matsuzawa became the first consensus All-American in Hawai'i football history in 2025. That season he was named Mountain West Special Teams Player of the Year, earned first-team all-conference recognition, and was a finalist for the Lou Groza Award.

He also received first-team Academic All-America recognition from College Sports Communicators in 2025.

Section reviewed 2026-09-12