Matthew Judon can be a premier pass rusher in 2018
By Joe Schiller
After a breakout sophomore season, Matthew Judon has the tools to be a premier pass rusher in 2018.
There’s a reason Tyus Bowser and Tim Williams didn’t see much playing time last season. While they possessed plenty of upside as rookies, it wasn’t just their inexperience that kept them off the field. It was the performance by second-year stud Matthew Judon.
It’s often we see players fall under the dreaded “sophomore slump” during their second year but Judon took no part in that. The Ravens chose to part ways with veteran edge rusher Elvis Dumveril after an injured-plagued 2016 season and it proved to be one of the best offseason decisions Ozzie Newsome made. Judon stepped up to the plate alongside Terrell Suggs and had a breakout year. He totaled 58 tackles, eight sacks, along with two forced fumbles. For a team that struggled to pressure the quarterback the previous season, Judon quickly helped change that dynamic.
Judon wasn’t Leonard Floyd, Kevin Dodd, Jaylen Smith or any of the top pass rushers coming into the 2016 NFL draft. Hell, he was one of the Ravens’ last picks in that draft class. Coming out of Division II Grand Valley State, Judon didn’t get the same looks as the bigger-named players. That’s not something the Ravens seemed to care about and like Brandon Williams and so many times before, Ozzie Newsome showed off his talent for finding small-school gems.
Listed at 6-3, 275 pounds, Judon is bigger than both Suggs and Dumveril. He’s one of the biggest pass rushers on the current roster, just an inch shorter than Za’Darius Smith. Judon recognizes his size and uses it to his complete advantage.
Opposing quarterbacks have to think twice before taking a hit in the pocket when a pass rusher of Judon’s size comes flying down the middle. Just ask Andy Dalton how that worked out for him.
What impresses me the most about Judon is not just his size but his development in just two seasons. It wasn’t exactly smooth sailing throughout his rookie year. Judon showed promise with four sacks but battled costly penalties that set himself and the Ravens back. Under the coaching of now defensive coordinator Don Martindale, Judon has vastly improved from just a pass-rusher to an all-around force on the defensive line.
Instead of just rushing the quarterback, Judon began making crucial tackles, deflecting passes at the line of scrimmage and forcing fumbles. Two games stuck out to me regarding these improvements. In a Week 6 loss to the Bears Judon completely dominated the defensive side of the ball, recording 12 tackles and a sack. Judon followed that up in Week 10 with seven total tackles, two sacks, and a forced fumble. It was enough to earn him AFC Defensive Player of the Week honors.
Those two performances showcased the complete package of Judon’s ability.
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Judon is quickly becoming a household name in Baltimore and the promise is there. Learning under a Hall of Famer in Terrell Suggs, Judon has the potential to be a premier pass rusher in the NFL next season. If he continues to make strides like we saw in 2017, watch out because that’s a scary thought.