Casey Matthews 2011 NFL Draft Stock Has Risen Above his Value
Casey Matthews entered the 2010 season with little fanfare. That was not the case by seasons end. Matthews was the defensive leader of the Oregon Ducks as they quacked their way to the National Championship game. Then in that championship game Matthews was all over the field including a strip/fumble on Mr. Heisman, Cam Newton.
It also didn't hut that he is the younger brother of Green Bay's sack-master Clay Matthews.
Casey is 6'1" and 232-pounds. He did not participate in the NFL Combine as he was recovering from a shoulder injury. At his Pro Day he ran a 4.78 40, a 4.13 short shuttle, a 7.09 three-cone drill, a 9-5 broad jump and had a 32.5" vertical leap.
"Matthews is the latest in a family of guys who play the game the right way. While he lacks some size and speed, he is a smart, relentless, highly-productive player who will provide solid depth and special teams value while developing into a starter. Overcomes lacks of power by reading and reacting quicker than most linebackers. Does a great job of slipping blocks inside the box and is a sure tackler but does not have true sideline-to-sideline range and may struggle when caught in a phone booth. Better suited for zone coverage with his great awareness than man. Matthews could sneak into Day 2."
CBS Sports offers some solid insight into his question marks:
"Played in a system that had him blitzing, immediately or delayed, for a ridiculously high percentage of plays, which inflated his sacks/TFL stats. Not blazingly fast. Slightly stiff in the hips, doesn't have great change of direction ability and could struggle in man coverage vs. NFL tight ends and backs. Rarely beat the block once picked up on the blitz. While good at just about everything, not truly elite in any category."
So there you have it. We have painted a picture of a linebacker who relies on superb instincts. Which, to be honest, frightens me. Often times players that excel in the college game with instincts often become slow in the NFL game. Instincts have a hard time keeping up with the increased speed of the action.
The Raiders need weakside linebacker help, and Matthews is the hard-working type they have trended towards in recent drafts, however, there are way too many question marks. Matthews is not going to be a good value in the third. If he slides to the fourth I would consider it, but that seems unlikely at this point.
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