Cowboys Draft: Star/Sleeper LB in the Middle Rounds?
By Reid Hanson
The Cowboys are hunting for two starting LBs in this April’s Draft. Here is a potential star who should be available in the middle rounds…
Whether the Cowboys re-sign Rolando McClain or not, they need to find two starting linebackers in this April’s NFL Draft. McClain can be dominant at times but all too often he’s hurt or facing suspension. Sean Lee is a stud but he has a storied injury history as well. And the strong side has been unsettled for years now.
Nope. The Cowboys need young blood at LB and the draft is the best way to accomplish that task.
With so many needs all over the roster, the Cowboys will need to find at least one (and probably both) in the latter rounds. One ultra-productive player in the college ranks looks like he could very well slide in the draft and be available in rounds four or five.
Tyler Matakevich, the Temple Owls’ player you love to hate, was the 2015 Bronco Nagurski Award winner and three-time first-team All-American Athletic Conference LB. The 6’00” 238lb tackling machine was a four year starter at Temple, accruing over 100 stops every season.
Matakevich isn’t the fastest or most athletic but he’s a beast nonetheless. For the Owls he served as both the brains and the heart of the defense. Look at him as a more durabe and less dynamic Sean Lee. His fire and character are through the roof and he fits the strictest of definitions when screening for the “Right Kind of Guy”.
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"“The hard work is the biggest thing I’ve learned,” Tyler said. “People follow me as an example. I think I have a knack for getting things done so people follow and ask how I do it. I’m not a screamer or a yeller, I let my actions speak. It’s something I’ve done my whole life and something I take pride in.”"
It’s clear when watching film “Mat” isn’t lacking physical talent. It seems many people have been exaggerating his lack of high-end skills and thus driven down his draft stock. Mat certainly doesn’t have the ceiling of Miles Jack or Jaylon Smith but he’s not a bum either.
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Mat is a hard working player who is so well-studied it looks like he knows the play before the ball is even snapped. He is a solid penetrator up the middle and crashes without hesitation. In fact, it doesn’t appear he hesitates in anything he does on the field.
At his size he will need to play at either the WILL or MIKE in the NFL. He struggles in man coverage but he’s a natural fit in zone coverage. He doesn’t have the length to be dominant in coverage like Rolando McClain but he’s not a liability either (and he’s a much more consistent tackler).
He very rarely was fooled by play-action but at times over pursued against screens. He makes tackles by any means necessary and it doesn’t always look pretty but it always gets the job done. Tyler Matakevich was the unquestioned star of Owls defense.
Temple hasn’t been known as a National Championship contender over the years but last season they boasted one of the top-ranked defenses and played against some legit talent. Keep in mind, when they faced Notre Dame, the Irish were #4 ranked and Mat and crew gave them all they could handle.
Next: Why the Cowboys must choose McClain over Jack this offseason
Watch the film. Please. If you have any doubts, watch the film. He makes plays against the run and the pass and looks every bit of an NFL starter.With a predicted draft position between rounds 4-5, he may be a great value for a LB needy team like the Cowboys.