Tyler Matakevich, LB, Temple: 2016 NFL Draft scouting report

Temple LB Tyler Matakevich, 2016 NFL Draft scouting report — the Temple tackling machine. How does he translate to the NFL?

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Name: Tyler Matakevich

Ht: 6-0

Wt: 232 pounds

Class: Senior

Hometown: Stratford, CT

Awards, Key Stats

Consensus All-American (1st team)

2015 Chuck Bednarik Award

Bronko Nagurski Trophy

Only player in FBS to lead his team in tackles every game

138 tackles, 15 TFL, 4.5 sacks, 5 INT, 5 PBU

Prospect Video

Translatable NFL Traits

Aggressiveness/Physicality

If you want the most aggressive, most physical linebacker in the draft, look no further. There’s a reason why this kid was a consensus All-American, Bronko Nagurski trophy winner, and Chuck Bednarik award winner. He is as old-school as they come, and he is a hard-nosed football player.

NFL teams might not value the ILB position as highly as they should on draft weekend, but this is a player who will come into the NFL and tick off all the veteran players because he gives 1,000 percent effort on every single play, and plays with great physicality.

One of the ways this best benefits him is working off of blocks, which is why we saw Temple move him around from the LB position to the DL throughout his senior season. Matakevich was able to make plays as a pass defender, a run defender, and a pass rusher because he plays bigger than his size and is willing to be the aggressor where other guys might be trying to play chess.

This can also be his downfall at times, but more often than not (as evidenced by his huge numbers this past season) it works out well for the star linebacker.

Finishing plays in the backfield

In addition to being able to read and diagnose plays as an inside linebacker, Matakevich knows how to finish off quarterbacks and running backs. Take a look at what I mean. This play came right after he had forced another TFL by coming off of a block and re-directing an outside run.

There are just so many ways this guy can beat you, it’s almost not fair.

That being said…

Areas for Concern

Size/Athletic limitations

I understand guys with a lack of size have been able to succeed in the NFL, but I worry about the size/lack of elite athleticism combination for Matakevich at the next level. He is certainly able to compensate with the way he approaches the game mentally, his quickness and ability to read the play as it’s happening, but there are plenty of times when you see a need for him to re-direct, and he’s simply unable to do it.

What will that look like in the NFL? Will it affect his ability to be an ‘every down’ player?

We had the same questions for Chris Borland coming out, and things turned out just fine for him, but it’s worth pointing out…

Overall Impressions

I think Matakevich as anything other than a starting NFL linebacker would be stunning to me. He’s not going to be over-drafted. In fact, he might not go until the 3rd-5th round, depending on his Combine numbers. That being said, this guy is a gamer. He studies his opponents well, he understands tendencies, he can read a quarterback’s eyes, and he knows how to read the flow of a play so he can best mask his limitations.

I think a decent comparison in terms of the size and questions about athleticism at least in recent draft classes point me to Chris Borland of Wisconsin. Mike Mayock’s evaluation of Borland on draft weekend boiled down to this: “He’s too short. He’s too slow. I don’t care. He can play.”

That’s essentially the case with Matakevich. The numbers won’t add up when you look at his production and what we see from him at the Scouting Combine, but the dude can flat-out play football.

That usually adds up to a nice mid-round steal for some team, which I think Matakevich will wind up being.