| Cliff Matthews DE South Carolina | ||
 |
Ht: 6’4″
Wt: 257 |
 |
| Strengths: | ||
| Adequate size. A decent athlete; plays faster than his timed speed. Quick off the snap and shows the ability to get into the backfield fairly consistently. Team captain. | ||
| Weaknesses: | ||
| May lack the passion to excel in the NFL; chose not to respond to his invitation to the East-West Shrine game – a very questionable decision which raises a big red flag. Missed time with a shoulder injury in 2009. Lacks an array of pass rush moves; relies on his speed which is average at best by NFL standards. | ||
| Comments: | ||
| Matthews has NFL potential, but teams will definitely want to know more about his decision to skip the East-West Shrine Game. Aside from an injury or family situation, there really isn’t a good reason not to showcase your talents in front of scouts, coaches and executives from all 32 teams. Depending on how he responded in interviews, I would not be shocked if some teams removed him from their draft board as a result. Based purely on talent, he has the potential to be a solid backup lineman and may be able to transition to linebacker in a 3-4 scheme. | ||
