Draft Profile Series: Jake Matthews
- Updated: April 29, 2014
As we approach the deepest NFL Draft in recent memory, I’ll give my breakdown and analysis of 75 top prospects in this year’s class. At the conclusion of this series, I will include my final overall and positional rankings, as well as a mock draft.
Jake Matthews, OT, 6-5½, 308, Texas A&M
Key stats: Started the final 45 games of his collegiate career.
Strengths: About as solid a prospect as there is in this draft. … Four-year starter who does everything well. … Is smart, durable, has good feet, and uses near-flawless technique. … Amazing job chipping down then still dropping to protect against the end or free blitzer. … Plays under a nice, wide base and is a very good pass protector. … Has versatility to play either side. … Is smooth and what I like most is his ability to seemingly always be in perfect position (squarely between rusher and quarterback). … Anchors well with great balance and technique. … Hard worker, who plays to the whistle and really cares about his craft and his team.
Weaknesses: Not a dominant run blocker. … Arms are average length, and he also has small hands for the position – those factors probably are part of the reason he can be bull rushed at times as defenders get into his body. … His athleticism is above average, but not elite.
Conclusion: I like him more on the left side due to being a better pass protector, but he could play right tackle and be equally effective if needed. … Matthews is a plug-in-and-play tackle. The main question with Matthews is: Is he a finished product? … If the answer is no, Matthews will be a perennial pro bowler. … At worst, he is a solid starter for 10 years.
NFL comparison: Jordan Gross/Eugene Monroe.
Draft projection: Top-10 pick.
Related Posts
About Nick Sardina
