Carolina Panthers Draft: Yetur Gross-Matos selected at No. 38
By Dean Jones
The Carolina Panthers have used the No. 38 NFL Draft selection on Yetur Gross-Matos, a talented defensive end out of Penn State who comes with considerable upside.
The Carolina Panthers bolstered their pass rush by taking Penn State defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos with the 38th overall selection in the 2020 NFL Draft. The player joins Derrick Brown on the team’s new defensive front going forward.
This is another real statement of intent from general manager Marty Hurney, who has stated his desire to build the franchise from the inside out after taking Brown at No. 7
Gross-Matos has all the physical attributes to make a real impact in the NFL. His length is off the charts and this is something he takes full advantage of.
The prospect ended his time with Penn State on a high with 9.5 sacks and 40 combined tackles, 24 of which were solo. It was something of a surprise to see him fall out of the first round given how much Gross-Matos stood out during the evaluation process.
His burst is also another standout feature of his game. Gross-Matos’ quickstep is going to cause a lot of offensive lineman at the next level considerable problems.
With a little coaching up, there is no telling what the player can achieve in the future. Putting Gross-Matos on the edge alongside second-year professional Brian Burns and free-agent acquisition Stephen Weatherly represents an enticing prospect both in 2020 and the long term.
The Panthers’ defensive front is now arguably their strongest area of the field. Kawann Short is coming back from a serious should injury and will form a solid base with Brown in the middle. That should also open up significant gaps for their pass-rushing trio to work in.
If Gross-Matos fulfills his potential, then there is no limit to what he can achieve in the future. He is strong, agile, and plays with a ferocity that has not been seen in Carolina since the days of Julius Peppers.