Phidarian

Mathis

Mathis was ranked as the second or third IDL on most boards and was often mocked in the 40’s, with Winfrey (6'4"/292) lower in the 60’s or higher. After his stellar Senior Bowl Week, including both games and practices, Winfrey is getting a major bump, at least in The Draft Networks eyes. According to TDN Winfrey was able to play in a more pass rushing role as a three-technique in the Senior Bowl which really unlocked his potential, whereas with Oklahoma he was mostly zero-technique and just taking double teams. His ability to shed blocks and get to the QB were magnified in the new role and is a big part of why they projected him as the first pick in the second round in their latest mock draft.

It was expected, as Mathis had a real breakout season for the Crimson Tide in 2021. He had 53 total tackles with 10.5 for loss and a whopping nine sacks. He’s got great size and athleticism, and should be able to play in a 3-4 or a 4-3. He was second-team All-SEC and a second-team AFCA All-American. Mathis should be around a second round pick, so it was a no-brainer to make the jump to the NFL.

It’s certainly not a question of talent behind Williams, as Alabama has recruited several four-and-five star commits at the defensive tackle position. One of those players is Phidarian Mathis, a four-star player who became a part of the rotation in 2018 as a redshirt freshman. There’s also Christian Barmore and a hostfull of talented players coming in 2019. Still, Williams was special -- as Hale notes -- and replacing the most dominant player in college football on the defensive side of the football will not be easy.

Mathis is something of a late-comer to the 2017 recruiting party, as he had been listed as part of the 2018 class prior to this spring. Now bumped up a year, the 6-foot-4, 287-pounder should see his recruitment shift over to the fast lane soon enough. ESPN 300 ranks him as their No. 20 overall prospect for the cycle, noting that he “blends great size with effort and athleticism and while a good football player now he still scarily has room to grow both physically and as a player.”

LSU and TCU were also looking for a pledge from Mathis, to no avail. This stings for the Tigers, in particular, as the 6-foot-4, 287-pounder hails from Monroe, Louisiana. Scout.com notes that Mathis “can still develop as a pass rusher in terms of moves.” As things stand at this phase in his development, "[h]e uses more power, quickness and bull rush right now.” He ranks as the outlet’s No. 95 overall prospect in the 2017 cycle. The boys running the ESPN 300 are even more hyped on the newest member of the Crimson Tide. They slot him into their master list at No. 37.