Pitt cornerback Damarri Mathis is up next in Unpacking Future Packers, a countdown previewing the 2022 NFL draft from Packers Wire.
The Unpacking Future Packers Countdown is a countdown of 100 prospects that could be selected by the Green Bay Packers in the 2022 NFL Draft.
Kevin King is as good as gone. Will Rasul Douglas get a new deal to bring him back to Green Bay? Or did he price himself out of Green Bay’s price range with his play this past season? Will Chandon Sullivan get a new deal?
The Green Bay Packers have two lockdown cornerbacks in place for next season with Jaire Alexander and Eric Stokes.
What the depth chart will look like behind that duo when next season kicks off is a question mark.
Expect Brian Gutekunst to use a pick or two on the cornerback position in the 2022 NFL Draft. A player that Gutekunst could target in the third round or early on day three is Pittsburgh cornerback Damarri Mathis. The Panther cornerback checks in at No. 89 in the Unpacking Future Packers countdown.
As a freshman in 2017, Mathis played primarily on Pitt’s special team’s units. In 2018, Mathis recorded 2.5 tackles for loss and logged one interception.
Mathis enjoyed a breakout season in 2019 when he recorded two tackles for loss, two interceptions, and 13 pass deflections. According to Pro Football Focus, Mathis allowed the third-lowest catch rate among Power Five cornerbacks.
“That year, he allowed the third-lowest catch rate (36.8%) among Power Five corners while racking up 10 combined pass breakups and interceptions. He did tend to get too aggressive, though, and was tagged for eight penalties on the year.”
Mathis missed the 2020 season with a shoulder injury. This past season, Mathis recorded 45 tackles, two interceptions, and six pass deflections.
“I think the increased interceptions and passes defended are kind of a good news/bad news situation for Mathis,” Alan Saunders, a reporter for Pittsburgh Sports Now said. “Those stats look good, but he was also targeted an awful lot, which is not really what you want to see.
I’d say it was a good season coming off the injury but based on where his career trajectory was before the injury, maybe a little bit underwhelming.”
The first thing that stands out about Mathis is that he’s an extremely physical press cornerback. He plays bigger than his size (5-11, 195). He has loose hips and is fluid in his backpedal. Mathis has good footwork to stay in the wide receiver’s hip pocket.
“His greatest strength is probably his press coverage technique,” Saunders said. “Pitt plays it a ton and he’s done it against all kinds of receivers. He’s very physical for his size.”
Mathis may be undersized, but he battles wide receivers at the catch point. He shows good pattern recognition and is able to jump routes. He has natural hands and had good ball production for Pitt, recording four interceptions and 19 pass deflections over the past two seasons.
“He also has a nice ability to search for the ball and make plays while the ball is in the air,” Saunders said. “He does not have straight-line track speed, but he has good closing technique.”
Mathis is chippy in run support. He flies downhill with bad intentions. At least once a game there is a play of Mathis flying downhill to make a tackle in run support or on a bubble screen. He’s a reliable open-field tackler and rarely gives up yards after the catch.
“He is very aggressive coming up against both the run and slow-developing plays like screens and jet sweeps,” Saunders said. “He might miss a tackle or two going for a big hit, but he’s definitely not afraid to stick his nose in there.”
Fit with the Packers
Mathis played primarily on the boundary during his time at Pitt. However, he has the short-area burst, instincts, and toughness to play in the slot at the next level.
“I think Mathis’ experience will be what sells him on teams,” Saunders said. “He is not going to have measurables that jump off the page. But he’s played a ton, and in a defense that has proven to be able to send players like Dane Jackson, Damar Hamlin, and Jason Pinnock into the league from a pretty similar starting point.
He also might be undervalued a bit because I think his best NFL fit is as a slot/dime corner, and he played exclusively outside at Pitt, so there is some projecting to be done there.”
A team can never have enough talented cornerbacks. Mathis would bring a physical presence to Green Bay’s secondary. He has the toughness, coverage ability, and ball skills to be a steady contributor during his rookie season.
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