Drafting Yetur Gross-Matos gives Panthers a much-needed lift on the defensive line
The Panthers’ work rebuilding the defensive line continued into Day 2 of the 2020 NFL draft by snagging a player who was expected to be gone on Day 1.
Carolina took Penn State EDGE Yetur Gross-Matos with the No. 38th overall pick Friday, joining Auburn defensive tackle Derrick Brown and the team’s eventual third pick, safety Jeremy Chinn.
While not addressing the No. 1 cornerback spot in the second round, despite many top corners still being available, Gross-Matos gives the Panthers an extra presence on the edge. After making their first pick Thursday, general manager Marty Hurney noted that building a defense starts from the front and the Panthers have done just that so far. The pick wasn’t a complete surprise to Gross-Matos, who said he had good conversations with Carolina at the combine and over FaceTime, including with defensive line coach Mike Phair.
Carolina is hoping to make defensive line a strength of the team going forward. Drafting Brown was not going to be enough to replace the multiple defensive line starters they lost in free agency this offseason.
“We want to have great strengths, we want to have things that people know that, ‘hey when you play Carolina, this is what you have to deal with,’ and we’re trying to build a defensive line that you have to be prepared for,” coach Matt Rhule said. “With the guys that we have on the roster already and the edition of Yetur and Derrick (Brown), we’re just going to try to continue to make that strength a strength.”
At 6-foot-5, 266 pounds, Gross-Matos and has a lot of potential and fits a 4-3 defensive scheme well, despite not getting into football until five years before he eventually signed with Penn State. He was also recruited by Rhule at Temple, but Gross-Matos said that his dad had to remind him that Rhule was head coach with the Owls during that time.
“I guess he’s had his eye on me for awhile,” Gross-Matos said.
Panthers offensive coordinator Joe Brady did overlap with him at Penn State, however, in addition to coaching assistant EJ Barthel, who is familiar with Gross-Matos, playing a major role in the school’s recruiting efforts.
During his time with the Nittany Lions, Gross-Matos vastly improved his techniques and football knowledge. He is tied for 10th all-time in Penn State history with 19 sacks. In 2018, Gross-Matos, 22, earned Penn State’s Defensive Lineman of the Year award, finishing with 54 tackles, 20 for loss, eight sacks and two forced fumbles in 13 games. This past season he had 40 tackles, 15 for loss and 9.5 sacks and was a consensus first-team All-Big Ten player in 2019.
The Panthers have only taken three other players from Penn State before — quarterback Kerry Collins and linebackers Dan Connor and Tim Shaw. Gross-Matos is also Matt Rhule’s first selection from his alma mater. The last time the Panthers took all defensive players in the first three rounds of the draft was in 2016 when they selected Vernon Butler, James Bradberry and Daryl Worley with their first three picks. None of them are still on the team.
“Obviously, we’re always looking for pass rushers, and one of the neat things about him is, he’s a guy that can get on the edge, he can turn the corner, he’s got great body, he’s also gone inside and been a three-technique and rushed the quarterback,” Rhule said. “He’s a young guy, he’s only at the beginning of the physical development ... I think he’s going to continue to get big, and provide us with that strong side defensive end presence to go along with Stephen Weatherly and Efe Obada. So, really ecstatic about him and he’s someone that Marty really identified early on and, we never really thought he would get out of the first round and things went our way.”
Along with Penn State teammate Journey Brown, Gross-Matos was suspended the summer before his junior due to undisclosed disciplinary reasons. He said that the time away from the team helped him mature.
Gross-Matos had a difficult childhood with multiple tragedies. When he was 2-years old, his father died in a boating accident while trying to save him from drowning. Several years later, Gross-Matos’ brother, Chelal, died after being struck by lightning on a baseball field.
Family is especially important to him because of what he has gone through. His name comes from the Old Testament with Yetur meaning “surrounded by family.” And on the night that he got drafted into the NFL, those were the people that were there by his side to celebrate.
“It kind of put the rest of my life perspective (what I’ve been through.) It’s just about taking advantage of every opportunity and every second of every day,” Gross-Matos said. “Me and my family are a very, very close. So, that’s how it’s affected me on and off the field. And I’m just happy to be in this moment, you know, with these people. And I can’t wait to get to celebrate.”
This story was originally published April 24, 2020 at 7:39 PM.
