College: Vanderbilt

Ht: 6’3”

Wt: 208 lbs.

Video, per YouTube

*=Played in just six games

Positives:

Route-Running: While speed is a nice attribute to have one of the best ways to create separation from the cornerback is by running crisp routes and creating that gap to separate yourself from the coverage. NFL coaches won’t have to spend extra time with the senior wide receiver from Vanderbilt on improving his technique and teaching him how to run the route trees. He can line up on the outside or in the slot, showing the versatility that coaches will love to plug into their offense. He isn’t afraid to run a slant across the middle even if it means taking a big hit, and he can work off screens as well. Too many young wide receivers struggle to run the basic route tree and aren’t able to be as involved in their team’s offense as a rookie, as we have seen this year with Cordarrelle Patterson. Matthews won’t face any of those issues when he is drafted and can become an instant-impact player once he hits the field.

Hands: One most important skills to have if you want to be a successful wide receiver is solid route-running skills and knowledge of the basic route tree, but you also have to catch the football.

Too many players have struggled to take advantage of their size or speed in the NFL because even when the ball is put right in between the numbers, they just can’t hold on to the ball.

Matthews has put up over 200 receptions with the Commodores the past two seasons and consistently put himself near the top in the country in receiving yards and receptions. Matthews catches the football with his hands and doesn’t make some of the body catches that young receivers make.

When the ball is thrown Matthews way you know he is going to catch it and that will make him an extremely valuable asset when he arrives in the NFL.

Negatives:

Athleticism: Matthews won’t shine when the NFL Scouting Combine rolls around. While he has great size and should put up plenty of reps for the bench press, but he will fail to impress with his speed and athleticism. Often times you see breakthrough players at the combine who shine because they run a 4.3 40-yard dash. While Matthews isn’t slow, he won’t be able to stretch a defense and take a ball in space to break for a big play. He has some straight-line speed but you don’t see the same explosiveness and agility you will find from Sammy Watkins or Marqise Lee. He will be knocked for his speed during the combine and when his numbers are released from his Pro Day, they won’t stand out in the 2014 class. While he may not stand out to some, Matthews is still a talented player who can more than make up for a lack of athleticism.

Fighting for the Ball: One thing you would like to see Matthews do more is use his size and strength to fight for the football and make tough, contested catches. He has the advantage over smaller defensive backs, but when he makes it to the NFL where a lot of cornerbacks are 6’0” or taller, he will struggle if he continues to ease up on the jump ball. He has the leaping ability to go up and get it but you just don’t see the mentality to fight for the football consistently. The size and physicality is there, Matthews has the strong hands to secure the ball but he just needs to show more willingness to fight for every contested jump ball. If he can do that, it will put him in a position where his future quarterback can know he can make tough throws and Matthews will come down with the football.

NFL Player Comparison:

James Jones, Green Bay Packers

When watching Matthews the one playing style that really stood out to me is Jones. Matthews is two inches taller but both players do an excellent job moving the chains and running crisp routes. Jones was productive for the Packers but didn’t have a breakout season until 2012 when he finished with 64 receptions for 784 yards and 14 touchdowns. Jones struggled more with drops early in his career but has shown a lot of improvement over the years becoming a vital piece in the Packers’ passing attack. Matthews offers a similar skill set to Jones already coming out of Vanderbilt, but has the potential to have an even better career than Jones.

Draft Outlook:

Matthews doesn’t possess the elite speed and won’t make many big plays after the catch. He runs clean routes, is a physical wide receiver and does an excellent job holding on to the football. While he will probably never project making multiple trips to the Pro Bowl, he is someone who will become a quarterback’s trusted target to pick up the third down or just pick up chunks of yards. The 2014 class is loaded with wide receivers and while Matthews won’t wow scouts with his athleticism, his track record speaks for itself and he absolutely worth a first-round pick.

Best Fits:

Matthews may not be a number one wide receiver at the next level but he is the perfect number two for a team and can produce on a weekly basis. While he doesn’t possess great speed or an ability to break big plays, he is an immediate starter in the NFL and perfect for teams like the Cleveland Browns.

While the Browns have playmaker in Josh Gordon the offense still needs someone who can move the chains and be the go-to target when the quarterback is under pressure. Matthews precise route-running skills matched with his size and strong hands will help make him a trusted target for his quarterback and a perfect complement to Gordon.