Broncos Draft Pitt CB Damarri Mathis with No. 115 Overall Pick
On the draft's final day, Broncos Country only had to wait approximately half-hour before Denver selected Pittsburgh cornerback Damarri Mathis at pick No. 115.
The 5-foot-11, 196-pound defensive back is originally from Florida and is a freak athlete. At the NFL Combine, Mathis clocked a 4.39 40-yard dash showcasing his elite speed and agility. At Pittsburgh, he played in 34 career games, logging 86 tackles (66 solo), 4.5 tackles for a loss, 18 passes defended, five INTs, and one TD.
In 2021, Mathis was an honorable mention All-ACC player who has solid press-man coverage ability. His anticipation and understanding of the route tree allow him to recover from false steps in zone coverage, as game film consistently reveals. During his senior season for the Panthers, Mathis played in 12 games and logged a career-high 43 tackles (32 solo), two interceptions, five passes defended, and one touchdown.
I’d describe Mathis’ game as that of an extremely high-motor, effort player. His limitations in size are what most likely made him a fourth-round selection as opposed to rounds two or three. Mathis also plays with a heightened level of physicality that’ll make him an instant attraction to Broncos special teams coach Dwayne Stukes.
Tackling is something that the Broncos won’t have to worry about with Mathis as he brings a level of grit and understanding of fundamentals to his game. He should be an immediate contributor on special teams and will likely be seen this season in dime and nickel-based packages based on the pass-happy AFC West’s quarterbacks.
Mathis comes to Denver as Paton’s second handpicked cornerback behind 2021’s first-round homerun playmaker, Patrick Surtain II.
Follow Luke on Twitter @LukePattersonLP.
Follow Mile High Huddle on Twitter and Facebook.
Subscribe to Mile High Huddle on YouTube for daily Broncos live-stream podcasts!
