Alex Raynor is an Elite Kicker but is also Hands-On with Charity Work

Vicky Graff Photo

Alex Raynor is an elite kicker.

He now holds the Kentucky record for most consecutive made field goals with 12 after making two more in last week’s win over Ohio.

A week earlier Raynor hit all four field goals he attempted against Georgia, including a school-record 55-yarder to break another record that Austin MacGinnis had held.

Raynor is now 19-for-20 on field goal tries in his two seasons at UK after transferring from Georgia Southern.

He’s also been active with the W1974 Collective and working with the Scott County Humane Society to help find homes for dogs and cats by getting them adopted.

“I helped out at a spay-neuter clinic and that was eye opening for sure,” Raynor said on WLAP Sunday Morning Sports Talk.

Helped out? What does that mean?

“Hands-on,” he said. “I really enjoy being around animals. I have grown up with dogs and don’t mind helping out in any way that I can.”

He’s certainly been helping the UK offense going into Saturday’s game at Ole Miss. He’s been the only consistent part of the offense and getting him a 50-yard kick and it is automatic.

“That is what I train for. That is my job,” he said.  “I have gotten a lot better over the years. My technique has gotten so much better and I’ve also made improvement mindset-wise. I don’t really know what my range is but it has got better. We watch a lot of film. We run hills with the team. We are not hitting, our bodies are not meant for that, but we do everything else with the team.”

Raynor has been so good at UK that it made me wonder why he was redshirted his first year at Georgia Southern. However, turns out he was behind fifth-year senior Tyler Bass who is now in his fifth season as the Buffalo Bills’ kicker and has made 112 of 132 field goals, an 84 percent mark, in 69 NFL games so far.

“He was a fifth-year player and usually someone that old does not offer a ton of advice to a freshman. But I took a lot from his mentality to just go out and trust your body and mind,” he said.

Raynor actually verbally committed to Memphis when he decided to leave Georgia Southern.

“I hit the (transfer) portal in January of 2023. I will not get into why I think Georgia Southern made a mistake,” Raynor said. “Memphis coaches called me within 10 minutes after I hit the portal and I committed. Kentucky coaches eventually called and then I decided this was the best opportunity for me.”

With all he has already done, Raynor still has one goal on his bucket list.

“My goal is to hit a game winner. I hope we do not need me to do it but want to do that and also end up above 90 percent field-goal wise,” Raynor said.