KC Chiefs: Who are the draft’s best interior defensive line fits?
By Jacob Milham
Alabama’s Phidarian Mathis
The SEC prides itself on the quality of NFL defenders the conference produces. Could Alabama’s Phidarian Mathis be the next good prospect?
Mathis closed out his collegiate career with a monster statistical season. He earned second-team All-SEC recognition in 2021, recording 53 tackles, 12 for loss and nine sacks, and two pass breakups in 15 games. He was involved heavily in the pass-rush game, with 12 quarterback hurries and six quarterback hits. He is a long interior defender, standing 6’4″ with an 83.5″ wingspan.
His long arms allow him to cover multiple gaps against the run, and control blockers. While he does play with a high pad level at times, he has quick and decisive hands against the pass and runs. He violently rips through double-teams and sets up clear tackle opportunities for his fellow defenders.
Finished up #Alabama DT Phidarian Mathis’ report up tonight and I’m blown away by the violent hand usage. Swipes the hands uses his lower half power to defeat blocks.
— Devin Jackson (@RealD_Jackson) January 15, 2022
Had a field day against #TAMU. Absolutely a one gap shooter who will thrive on run downs. pic.twitter.com/7n35WzxcKI
Mathis tape shows a player who rarely takes plays off and is usually near the ball. He is another example of a defender excelling at the dirty work no matter the situation. He could be a good player to collapse the pocket or take up multiple gaps. He does have quick feet at the line but needs some development on his stunts and short-area speed.
Mathis would be primarily a run-defending tackle, as he lacks a good pass rush arsenal. He has the physical tools to succeed in that area but Mathis was only a consistent pass-rush threat in the 2021 season. Cullen is good at developing players though, so Mathis could be a Day 2 option for Kansas City.