Meet EDGE Yetur Gross-Matos, Carolina Panther
In the second round of the NFL Draft, the Panthers selected Yetur Gross-Matos out of Penn State. It's interesting to see that Carolina used back-to-back draft picks on the defensive line. Football games are won on the line of scrimmage, and head coach Matt Rhule completely understands that. Rhule has repeatedly emphasized the importance of building a solid defense, and it all starts with the line.
Gross-Matos should be a great addition to the Panthers. The junior out of Penn State has a large 6'5” 266 lb. frame and uses it very effectively. His 40 tackles (15 tackles for loss) and 9.5 sacks are especially impressive, considering that he played in a Big Ten Conference that is known to produce great linemen on both sides of the football.
Gross-Matos came a long way during his inspiring journey to the NFL. His ability to overcome adversity after the saddening deaths of his father and brother is a testament to his character. Feel free to watch his beautiful story below.
Individuals with high character are who attract Penn State graduate Matt Rhule, so this pick makes even more sense. Intangibles matter, both on and off the field. Gross-Matos was seemingly the perfect choice for this rebuilding franchise at the No. 38 overall pick.
Here's a highlight reel of his sacks. Get used to seeing more of this on Sundays:
With Brian Burns on the other side of the defensive line and the one-two punch of Derrick Brown and Kawann Short in the middle, Yetur Gross-Matos should complete what could become one of the best defensive line units in the NFL. It will be fun to see how the Panthers defense shapes up from here.
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