Yetur Gross Matos, DE, Penn St.
At 6-foot-5, 266 pounds Gross-Matos fits the bill as prototypical right end in a 4-3 with a high ceiling. He is a tall, long, and flexible athlete with the ideal size and length for the position.
Gross-Matos plays with good balance and eye discipline. As a rusher he uses his length and flexibility to work the edges of offensive tackles getting his outside hip past the offensive tackle, pulling the lineman forward and using a rip move to free himself. Gross-Matos shows the ability to change directions mid rush and redirect to a better pass rush angle.
He still has plenty of room to go as a rusher and can add more tools to diversify his rush plan. He doesn’t always use his length to his advantage and could get stronger but that shouldn’t be a problem with his frame.
He will need to improve as a run defender as he can struggle to stay square to the line of scrimmage but he shows quickness to slip blocks and make plays in the backfield which is evident with his 34.5 tackles for loss over the last two seasons. Gross-Matos finished his junior year with 40 tackles, 14.5 tackles for loss, and nine sacks.
The Cowboys have been rumored to be interested in Gross-Matos and he could be an option at No. 17 depending on how the board falls.
What the experts say:
Ascending 4-3 defensive end who should go from good size to imposing frame as he fills out his power-forward body type. He isn’t overly twitchy but impressive length, fluidity and short-area athleticism allow him consistent work-arounds against opposing blockers. He’s average at the point of attack by NFL standards, but that should change with additional strength work and more efficient hand usage. The rush toolbox is only halfway full, but it’s just a matter of time before his spin move and a speed-to-power charge become part of a diversified attack. Gross-Matos should be an early starter, but when the power and skill catch up with the athleticism, look for him to become one of the more productive defenders in the league.
Yetur Gross-Matos is a high ceiling prospect who has the ability to develop into a game changing pass rusher as a 4-3 defensive end. Gross-Matos has been tasked with playing in a number of alignments and has the athleticism to line up all over the front, but his short area agility, speed to power and length will make the greatest impact as an end man on the line of scrimmage. He’s currently a plug and play run defender with a sky high ceiling as a pass rusher.
While there are occasional plays when he can get pushed back, overall Gross-Matos has some natural strength, and that can be seen with his ability to fight through blockers. He also is a good athlete with closing speed. As a run defender, Gross-Matos has a real presence, using his length to stand up blockers and then his strength to shed them. With speed, he flows quickly to the ball and gets in on tackles. Gross-Matos shows more desire and “want to” than many college edge defenders who seem more consumed with rushing the quarterback.