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Baltimore Ravens scouting reports: Yetur Gross-Matos an athletic marvel

By Richard Bradshaw

COLLEGE PARK, MD - SEPTEMBER 27: Yetur Gross-Matos #99 of the Penn State Nittany Lions looks on during a college football game against the Maryland Terrapins at Capital One Field at Maryland Stadium on September 27, 2019 in College Park, Maryland. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images)
COLLEGE PARK, MD - SEPTEMBER 27: Yetur Gross-Matos #99 of the Penn State Nittany Lions looks on during a college football game against the Maryland Terrapins at Capital One Field at Maryland Stadium on September 27, 2019 in College Park, Maryland. (Photo by Mitchell Layton/Getty Images) /
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Pass rush has never been more important than in today’s NFL and the Baltimore Ravens must invest in theirs. Yetur Gross-Matos would be a good start.

Breakdown:

Yetur Gross-Matos has some of the highest upside for a player entirely in the 2020 NFL Draft. Thanks in large part to his unbelievable build, YGM looks like he was made in a lab to become the perfect edge rusher. There’s production to match the upside, too.

While his ceiling is sky-high, his floor is pretty low. This is because he doesn’t have a lot of development as a pass rusher with a full toolbox. His best fit is as a 4-3 defensive end, but he showed off some versatility throughout his time at Penn State. Defensive coordinators will by dying to add him to their scheme.

Notable stats for Yetur Gross-Matos (full stats here) 2017-2019:

  • 17.0 sacks over last two seasons (18.5 career)
  • 20.0 TFLs in 2018 (36.5 career)

Strengths:

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  • A physical specimen that has all the athleticism you could ever ask for; he’s tall (6’5″), built (266-lbs.), has long arms (34 7/8″)… dude is simply built like a Greek god
  • Big ball of clay that can be molded into a top-end pass rusher
  • Build allowed Penn State to get creative in ways he could rush the passer; hand in the dirt, standing up, stunts, 3-tech, etc.
  • Solid burst out of his stance
  • Good effort to set the edge vs. the run
  • Doesn’t miss many tackles even when outside of his frame

Weaknesses:

  • Raw player; definitely a draft-and-develop prospect
  • Doesn’t stand out in any one aspect of his game
  • Gives up his chest far too often; can get walked around by offensive tackles
  • Lack of violent, disruptive pass rush moves; looks like Tarzan, plays like Jane
  • Lack of established counter move

Fit with the Ravens:

Yetur Gross-Matos would join a Baltimore Ravens front-seven that looks much improved from a pass-rushing perspective. With the addition of Calais Campbell and Matt Judon‘s return, YGM would get a lot of one-on-one matchups that he could win based on his pure athleticism.

Where Gross-Matos needs to improve is an overall refinement of his game. YGM doesn’t have a lot of pass-rushing and counter moves and that neutralizes what he can do. Defensive coordinator Don Martindale should be able to set up Gross-Matos for tons of success in the team’s odd fronts, allowing Gross-Matos to get the most out of his abilities.

Next. Top 5 Baltimore Ravens Day 2 NFL Draft picks in past 10 years. dark

The Baltimore Ravens would put their pass rush over the top by selecting Yetur Gross-Matos. His value with the 28th pick is terrific for the upside he possesses. Even if it’s a bit of an awkward fit in the Ravens 3-4 defense, the team runs enough odd fronts to flex him around and watch him excel as a versatile pass rusher.

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