Mike Matthews: Here's What NFL Scouts Need To See From Tennessee's Top WR

If Mike Matthews can demonstrate on-field improvement while sharpening his skill set, there's a strong chance he'll catch the attention of NFL scouts.

Tennessee Volunteers WR Mike Matthews | https://www.knoxnews.com/picture-gallery/sports/college/university-of-tennessee/football/2025/01/03/mike-matthews-tennessee-football-wide-receiver-in-photos/73443103007/

Wide Receiver Mike Matthews has an incredible opportunity as he enters his junior season with the Tennessee Volunteers, and that is to be on a trajectory with only a handful of other NCAA football players, and that is to be considered as a potential early-round selection when the 2027 NFL Draft comes to Washington, D.C., next April.

Tennessee WR Mike Matthews | https://www.si.com/college/tennessee/recruiting/commitment-day-preview-mike-matthews

A former five-star recruit, Matthews possesses every characteristic that NFL scouts and those in each team’s evaluation room are seeking in their next top-tier selection. When it comes to his speed and explosiveness, they’re both at the highest level possible, while his agility and adaptability are also nothing to ignore.

Tennessee WR Mike Matthews | https://www.espn.com/college-football/player/_/id/5079580/mike-matthews

He can outmatch defenses with the very same speed I mentioned earlier, while accelerating out of his breaks so that would-be short receptions would transition into significant downfield gains. Matthews is also physical enough to battle both cornerbacks and safeties so that when he finds himself playing through defensive contact, he comes out on top more often than not.

When it comes to Matthews’ ability and on-field IQ in terms of route running, there’s no doubt that this is one of his most intriguing (and exciting) characteristics. NFL Scouts will assess how well he can adjust pace, how well he’s able to force defenders to hesitate or for that matter entirely lose their focus while matched up, and lastly how well he adapts against man coverage in key situations. Personally, I think he’ll excel across all three categories when it comes time for NFL Scouts to assess his readiness.  

Tennessee WR Mike Matthews | https://www.si.com/college/tennessee/football/tennessee-vols-wide-receiver-a-potential-breakout-player-in-college-football-01jpwvrsz2ad

As a sophomore, Matthews stats offered insight into his high pass-catching ability (53 Rec, 813 Yards, and 4 TDs), but they also left considerable room for growth. Based on his performance of last season, I project we’ll see 55+ receptions and possibly 1,000 receiving yards from him this season, especially since both he and Faizon Brandon have forged quite the connection during camp. However, and as is the case with any player’s potential upward trajectory, we must note that there were several missed opportunities as well as dropped balls during the 2025 season, each of which Matthew’s should assess and consider each to be its own learning opportunity.

Mike Matthews will still need to produce a pretty productive 2026 season (55+ receptions, 1,000+ yards, and 9+ TDs) in order to validate this projection. NFL teams will want to see how well he can keep his composure, how well he can maintain his concentration, and how consistent his hands are, no matter how routine or how tough the situation may be, and if Matthews can successfully check those boxes, there’s no reason why he wouldn’t be at the top of the list for numerous NFL teams.

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