Tag: Scott Matlock

2023 NFL draft: Watch highlights of new Chargers DL Scott Matlock

Get familiar with the newest member of the Chargers, Scott Matlock.

The Los Angeles Chargers continued to stockpile defensive talent by taking

The Chargers needed to continue beefing up their defensive line with low-cost selections in the draft, and Matlock should factor into their depth chart through training camp and the preseason.

Check out some of his best plays as a member of the Boise State football program below to get acquainted with his skillset ahead of the 2023 season:

Instant analysis of the Chargers’ pick of Boise State DL Scott Matlock at No. 200 overall

What the selection of Scott Matlock means for the Los Angeles Chargers.

With two players returning from season-ending injuries on the defensive line, the Chargers have elected to add more depth.

Scott Matlock out of Boise State was the Chargers’ selection at the 200th overall pick. An elite athlete with a 9.65 RAS, Matlock is a quick and agile body on the line with a decent power profile.

An Idaho native, Matlock spent five seasons at Boise State, starting 32 games from 2020 onward. He tied for the Broncos’ lead in quarterback hurries with 7 in 2022 and was named to the All-Mountain West second team in 2021 and 2022.

Given his lighter weight (296 lbs) and elite speed and agility grades, Matlock is another contender at five-technique behind Morgan Fox if second-round pick Tuli Tuipulotu is going to primarily be a traditional edge rusher.

LA struggled to generate interior pass rush beyond Fox a season ago, which is where Matlock will help out in spades. The Chargers now have Austin Johnson and Otito Ogbonnia to primarily stop the run, with Fox and Matlock to rush the passer while Sebastian Joseph-Day plays an all-around role. Given his draft status, he’ll likely only play a small share of the snaps to begin with, but LA needs all the value they can get from a pass rush perspective.

While Matlock benched 225 lbs 29 times, showcasing decent power, his play strength varies from play to play. Boise State primarily played four-man fronts, which left Matlock to play more from a three-technique spot. In LA’s three down fronts, Matlock can move a bit further to the outside, where his quickness will serve him well.

Bottom line: LA adds more pass rush presence from the interior, giving them more flexibility on the defensive line as a whole.

2023 NFL draft: Chargers pick DT Scott Matlock with No. 200 overall selection

The Chargers added depth to the interior part of the defensive line.

The Chargers have taken former Boise State defensive tackle Scott Matlock with the No. 200 overall selection in the 2023 NFL draft.

Matlock started three years for the Broncos, finishing his career with 115 total tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss and 11.5 sacks in 46 games played.

At 6-foot-4 and 296 pounds, Matlock impressed at his Pro Day with a personal record of 29 reps on the bench press and ran a 4.81 in the 40-yard dash. He also touted a 4.27 shuttle time and 29.5 inches on the vertical jump.

Matlock was a participant at the East-West Shrine Bowl, the prestigious all-star game in Las Vegas, NV.

2023 NFL Draft Profile: Boise State DT Scott Matlock

The local product showed surprising versatility in his time at Boise State. Could he be a sleeper NFL Draft pick?

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2023 NFL Draft Profile: Boise State DT Scott Matlock

The local product showed surprising versatility in his time at Boise State. Could he be a sleeper NFL Draft pick?

Contact/Follow @MattK_FS & @MWCwire

Lots of fun, all business in the trenches.

Scott Matlock has been selected by the Los Angeles Chargers with the 200th overall pick, in the sixth round of the NFL Draft.

The Boise State Broncos have done a lot of things consistently well over the years, but defensive tackle Scott Matlock might be the best current example of their ability to cultivate unheralded talents.

Hailing from Homedale, Idaho, Matlock headed east to Boise as a two-star recruit in Bryan Harsin’s 2018 class. It took two years for him to emerge as a starter, though he followed an all-conference honorable mention nod in 2020 with two subsequent appearances on the second-team defense, flashing everything from disruptive power on the defensive interior to soft hands in offensive goal-line situations.

Other Broncos might be likelier bets to hear their name called at this year’s NFL Draft, but could Matlock join that cohort?

Measurables (taken from Dane Brugler)

Height – 6′ 4″
Weight – 296 pounds
40-yard time – 4.95 seconds
10-yard split time – 1.69 seconds
Arm length – 32 3/4″
Hand size – 9″
Wingspan – 78 3/8″
Vertical jump – 29 1/2″
Broad jump – 9′ and 5″ (or 113″)
Shuttle time – 4.59 seconds
3-cone drill time – 7.31 seconds
Bench press – 29 reps

Highlights

Strengths

Looking for a defensive tackle with the power to make a difference on the interior? According to Pro Football Focus, Matlock finished 2022 with 27 stops and 20 hurries thanks to upper body strength which, in the eyes of The Athletic’s Dane Brugler, enables him to make the most of his initial burst and slice between linemen.

He’s not a one-trick pony, either, since he was athletic enough to occasionally contribute on offense at Boise State in what they called their Clydesdale package. Coaches on the leading edge of ingenuity in the NFL might already be envisioning what an athlete like Matlock could bring to the roster.

Weaknesses

Though Matlock is a high-motor performer, consistency eludes him at times. NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein noted that he “lacks consistent stoutness taking on blocks”, which is a sentiment echoed by Tony Pauline of Pro Football Network.

NFL Comparison

Jordan Jackson

Draft Prediction

Matlock may be the biggest late riser anywhere in the Mountain West thanks to a strong pro day, enticing scouts with his power while serving reminders about what his athleticism could provide on the interior. He’ll probably still have to wait until Day Three to get selected, but I think he’ll go off the board in the sixth round.

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Daniel Jeremiah lists 4 potential target for Broncos in NFL draft

Daniel Jeremiah believes Zacch Pickens, Gervon Dexter, Scott Matlock and Marte Mapu could make sense as third-round targets for the Broncos.

NFL Network draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah held a conference call with media members last week to discuss the 2023 NFL draft, which is set to kick off on Thursday, April 27.

During the call, Jeremiah was asked about potential third-round targets for the Denver Broncos, who do not hold first- or second-round picks this year. The Broncos do hold back-to-back picks (Nos. 67-68) in the third, and Jeremiah listed several prospects who could be a fit at that point in the draft.

“There’s a couple of ways they can go,” Jeremiah said. “I think with Sean Payton, he is always going to be obsessed with the trenches even though they are very active on both sides of the line of scrimmage in free agency, I wouldn’t rule that out of them continuing to fortify that group. Offensive line, defensive line would make some sense.”

He mentioned three defensive linemen specifically.

“I think there’s some intriguing defensive linemen,” Jeremiah said. “You look at a guy like Zacch Pickens from South Carolina, who is 290-plus pounds. He has got some juice. I like him a lot. You are going to see Gervon Dexter from Florida. He is going to start getting mentioned in that range of the draft.

“One of the guys who is a sleeper for me who I think could factor into that third round is a guy named Scott Matlock from Boise State who was not invited to the combine. A little bit under the radar, but he is a really good player, and teams like him a lot.”

Jeremiah also mentioned Sacramento State defensive back/linebacker Marte Mapu as a potential prospect to watch in the third round.

“He got a pec injury, so he couldn’t work out in the spring, but he was awesome at the Senior Bowl,” Jeremiah said. “He is rangy. He can really, really cover. Having linebackers that can cover, especially in the AFC West, is a big deal. I think he would be a nice one to add to their mix.”

The third round of the NFL draft will be held on Friday, April 28.

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Packers host Boise State DL Scott Matlock for official pre-draft visit

The Packers hosted Boise State defensive lineman Scott Matlock on an official top-30 visit ahead of the 2023 draft.

The Green Bay Packers hosted Boise State defensive lineman Scott Matlock on an official top-30 visit before the 2023 NFL draft, according to Tom Silverstein of the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

Matlock (6-4, 296) produced 115 tackles, 19.5 tackles for loss, 11.5 sacks, one forced fumble and two pass break-ups over 46 games and 32 starts at Boise State. He also blocked three kicks and caught a pair of touchdown passes. He was a three-time All-Mountain West selection.

Matlock, who led Boise State in tackles for loss in 2021 and hurries in 2022, participated during the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl and East-West Shrine Bowl, two showcase events for prospects.

While not invited to the combine, Matlock ran the 40-yard dash in 4.95 seconds, hit 29.5″ in the vertical leap, covered 9-5 in the broad jump, finished the short shuttle in 4.59 seconds and the three cone in 7.31 seconds and completed 29 reps on the bench press. His Relative Athletic Score is 9.66 out of 10.0.

During a two-week stretch in 2020, Matlock blocked an extra point and then blocked an field goal (resulting in a 91-yard touchdown return). In 2021, he tallied a sack and caught a touchdown pass in the same game against BYU.

Dane Brugler of The Athletic ranks Matlock as the No. 25 defensive lineman in the draft class and a likely priority free agent following the draft.

Matlock, who turns 23 in June, is an Idaho native.

The Houston Gamblers selected Matlock in the USFL draft.

The Packers need to build depth along the defensive line, a position group with only five players on the roster entering the draft. It’s possible Matlock could be a Day 3 option or a player the Packers attempt to sign following the draft.

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