Good friend Dave-Te’ Thomas of Scouting Services has finished his player profiles of several of the top 2014 NFL Draft prospects and over the course of the next few weeks I will be posting the ones that the Pittsburgh Steelers will more than likely have interest in. While Vanderbilt wide receiver Jordan Matthews hasn’t been reported as making a pre draft visit to Pittsburgh, I know that several of you are high on him. Being as the Steelers do have some level of interest in him, now is a perfect time to post his profile that was prepared by Thomas, who has done these for the NFL for several years now.
JUSTIN ARMAND MATTHEWS
Wide Receiver
Vanderbilt University Commodores
#87
6:03.1-212
Madison, Alabama
Madison Academy
OVERVIEW
Coming up with incredible receptions seem to be part of the “family business” in the Matthews household. Much like his legendary cousin, former San Francisco 49ers Hall of Famer, Jerry Rice, Matthews seems to get better with “age.” Despite playing for a team that has seen fourteen players take snaps from under center during his time at the university, the versatile pass catcher is regarded as the elite prospect at his position in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision senior class.
Vanderbilt has never been known for their aerial attack, but despite the “musical chairs” at the quarterback position, Matthews has continued to excel on the football field. Since the second half of his sophomore season, he has been nearly unstoppable, even though opponents are often double- and even triple-teaming him on the gridiron.
Whether playing in the slot or lining up at the flanker or split end positions, Matthews has proven to be a viable weapon. The Commodores began playing organized football in 1890, but since the 1960 schedule, has produced just seven winning campaigns. They have gone to a bowl game just seven times in their history, with their pass catcher leading them to three post-season appearances in each of his final three campaigns.
Matthews first began to capture national attention in 2011. The Commodores’ passing game was virtually non-existent during their first seven contests that season, with their All-Southeastern Conference performer totaling only eight catches for 117 yards during those appearances.
With Jordan Rodgers, brother of Green Bay Packers All-Pro Aaron Rodgers, taking over at quarterback, Matthews would go on to lead the league with an average of 18.98 yards per reception. The chemistry between Rodgers and Matthews saw the receiver produce a string of three consecutive 100-yard performances, becoming the first Vanderbilt player to accomplish that feat since the turn of the century (Dan Stricker in 2000).
Over the course of his next twenty-five contests, Matthews would haul in 174 passes for 2,693 yards (15.62 ypc) and eighteen touchdowns, averaging 6.96 receptions for 107.72 yards per game. His junior campaign saw him become only the second player in school history to catch at least 90 passes in a season (94) and just the fifth Commodore to gain over 1,000 yards, setting the annual record with 1,323 yards for 2012.
During that twenty-five game span, Vanderbilt completed 347 passes, with Matthews accounting for 50.14% of those grabs. They generated 4,496 aerial yards, as their star pass catcher delivered 59.90% of that figure. The Commodores also threw for 28 touchdowns, as Matthews found the end zone on eighteen of those tosses (64.29%).
As a senior, Matthews would go on to establish school and Southeastern Conference career-records for receptions (262) and receiving yards (3,759), as his 24 touchdown catches also set the ‘Dores all-time record. In 2013, the team captain led the conference and ranked fourth in the nation with a school season-record 1,477 yards receiving, joining just eight other major college players in reaching the 1,300-yard level this season.
Matthews’ average of 8.62 receptions per game also paced the SEC. His average of 113.62 receiving yards per game is also good for the league title and rank fifth in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision ranks. What is remarkable about those figures is that Matthews had to play with a unit that was utilizing the “Wildcat” offense that saw the Commodores constantly shuttle in quarterbacks. Those passers would complete just fifteen throws of distances of thirty yards or longer. Twelve of those long bombs were caught by the senior team captain.
While those numbers are certainly impressive, perhaps no other receiver in college football has been as important to his team’s success like Matthews. Among his 262 career receptions, 66.03% have produced first downs (173) with 18.70% of those conversions coming on third- or fourth-down plays (41 third-down and eight fourth-down grabs). He gained at least ten yards on 52.29% of those snatches (137), including 56 for twenty yards or longer (20.62%).
Matthews has also provided the Vanderbilt quarterbacks with an inviting target in tight quarters. He pulled down 52 of his receptions inside the red zone (19.85%), an area where most teams rely upon their ground game to “move the chains.” In addition to his twenty-four touchdown catches, he has come up with key receptions that have led to 75 touch-down drives (team has recorded 150 touchdowns during his time with the varsity, as Matthews had a hand in 50.00% of those six-pointers) and on nineteen other possessions that led to field goals.
As a table-setter, Matthews helped account for 41.29% of the offensive team’s scoring in 2011. As a junior, he led the nation by helping the Commodores produce 62.32% of its offensive scoring output (220-of-310 points). He scored or set up 33 of the team’s 49 touchdown drives during the 2013 campaign schedule (67.35%) and had other key receptions that resulted in the team having success on seven of their fourteen field goals.
While his pass catching numbers are very impressive, Matthews has proven invaluable to the team in other areas of his game. Using his size well to take on defenders, he recorded seventeen touchdown-resulting blocks for the running game during his last 38 contests. He also added a “few wrinkles” as a ball carrier, as his eight reverses during his last two seasons produced three touchdowns and set up three other scoring drives.
Prior to his arrival at Vanderbilt University, Matthews was a three-year standout as a receiver for the Madison Academy Mustangs. As a sophomore, he pulled down 52 balls for 800 yards (15.38 ypc) and eleven touchdowns, helping head coach Matt Clouser finish with a 6-5 record in 2007.
Matthews received Class 3A All-Region VIII and All-State honors during his junior season, as he accounted for 1,357 yards and fourteen scores on 68 catches, as his average of 19.96 yards ranked second in the state. The Mustangs would compile a 6-4 record in 2008.
The team captain during his senior season, Matthews excelled on both sides of the ball, as he led the team to a 12-1 record, including an undefeated season (7-0 mark) in Region VIII competition to earn a berth in the Class 3A state quarterfinals. He gained 1,113 yards on 68 receptions (16.37 ypc) with seventeen touchdowns, coming up with 61 of those grabs and thirteen of those scores during the regular season schedule in 2009.
Matthews recorded 50 tackles with eight interceptions as a defensive back during his final season, as the team MVP scored four times as a return specialist. For that performance, he was named Class 3A All-State first-team and was a member of the All-Elite Eleven squad selected by the Huntsville Times.
Away from the gridiron, Matthews also performed on the “wing” and as a shooting guard for the Madison Academy basketball team. He was a member of the state championship squad as a sophomore, helping the Mustangs to a 25-8 record while averaging 7.3 points, 3.0 points and 1.4 assists per game.
As a junior, the team finished as the state runner-up after recording a 29-6 record. Matthews averaged a pair of assists, 8.5 rebounds, 1.6 steals and 10.2 points in the 33 games he appeared in that season, on the way to earning All-Area XV recognition. He made 50% of his field goals and averaged 13.0 points with 5.7 rebounds per game as a senior. He also excelled in the class room, earning National Honor Society accolades.
Because of his success as a receiver, Matthews received a three-star prospect rating from Rivals.com. He was pursued by recruits from Alabama, Arkansas State, Auburn, Mississippi State and Tulane, to name a few, before he committed to attend Vanderbilt on December 26th, 2009.
Matthews was one of four freshman receivers to play for the Commodores in 2010. He was limited to mostly special team chores and mop-up duty until late in the year, as he had just one catch for 35 yards to show for his first eight appearances before finishing in a flourish, collecting fifteen tosses for 181 yards (12.07 ypc). He recorded a touchdown in each of his final four contests, marking the first time a Vanderbilt player had accomplished that feat since Earl Bennett in 2005.
Matthews “caught fire” down the stretch of his sophomore season. In addition to posting three-straight 100-yard receiving performances, he led the Southeastern Conference with an average of 18.98-yards per catch in 2011, collecting a team-high 41 passes for 778 yards and five touchdowns while starting ten of thirteen games.
A member of the Biletnikoff Award Watch List (nation’s top receiver), Matthews was a unanimous All-Southeastern Conference first-team selection as a junior in 2012. He also received several All-American honors, as he led the team, ranked second in the league and 16th in the nation, as he became just the second Commodore to catch at least 90 balls (94) in a season.
Matthews set the school mark with 1,323 receiving yards (14.07 ypc) and tied for sixth on the school annual record chart with eight touchdown grabs. His average of 101.77 aerial yards per game was second-best in the SEC and ninth-best in the country. He also scored once on three carries for 61 yards, adding 32 yards on five punt returns and 32 yards on a kickoff return, ranking fourth in the league with an average of 113.00 all-purpose yards per game.
With Jordan Rodgers graduating, many talent evaluators felt that Matthews would declare for early entry to the 2013 NFL Draft. However, Commodore fans were extremely pleased when their “most dangerous weapon” decided to return to school to terrorize opposing defensive backs in 2013. He entered his final campaign rated the best senior wide receiver in the country by all of the scouting services used by the National Football League.
Matthews has continued his torrid pace throughout the 2013 schedule, as he became the first player in school history to catch at least 100 passes in a season (112). He broke his own Vanderbilt season receiving yardage record (1,323 in 2012) by amassing 1,477 yards as a senior. He recorded seven of the team’s fifteen touchdown catches and had a hand in 28-of-49 touchdown drives by the ‘Dores during his final campaign.
CAREER NOTES
Matthews started 37-of-51 games at Vanderbilt, seeing action as a slot receiver, flanker and split end…The All-American team captain caught 262 passes for 3,759 yards (14.35 ypc) and twenty-four touchdowns, generating 3,959 all-purpose yards (77.63 ypg), as the senior also totaled 115 yards with a score on nine carries (12.78 ypc), 53 yards on six punt returns (8.83 avg) and 32 yards on a kickoff return, scoring 138 points while also recording ten tackles (8 solos)…NCAA Career-Record Results…Among active NCAA Football Bowl Sub-division performers, Matthews’ 262 grabs are surpassed by only East Carolina’s Justin Hardy (266)…His 3,759 yards is the highest total among active major college players and rank 24th overall in NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision history…Southeastern Conference Career-Record Results…Matthews’s 262 receptions broke the former league record of 236 by former Vanderbilt standout Earl Bennett (236; 2005-07)…His 3,759 yards receiving established a conference record, as he is joined by Terrence Edwards of Georgia (3,093 yards; 1999-2002), Alshon Jeffery of South Carolina (3,042; 2009-11) and Josh Reed of Louisiana State (3,001; 1999-2001) as the only SEC receivers to generated over 3,000 yards receiving…His 24 touch-down catches placed 14th on the conference chart…School
Career-Record Results…His 262 receptions established new school and Southeastern Conference career-records, topping the previous league and Commodore mark of 236 catches by Earl Bennett (2005-07), as Matthews became the sixth player in SEC history to snatch at least 200 passes during his career…One of six players in school history to gain over 2,000 yards receiving, setting a new Commodores record with 3,616 yards, as he joined Boo Mitchell (2,964 yards; 1985-88), Dan Stricker (2,880; 1999-2002), Earl Bennett (2,852), Martin Cox (2,275; 1975-78) and Chuck Scott (2,219; 1981-84) in Vanderbilt’s “2,000-Yard Club”…His twenty-four touchdown receptions topped the previous school career-record of twenty-one scoring grabs by Dan Stricker, as that total placed him 24th on the SEC all-time record chart…Has caught 262-of-378 passes targeted to him (69.31%), as sixty of those attempts were off-target and 49 others were deflected by the opposition… Recorded 173 first-down grabs (66.03% of those caught), as he converted 41 third-down throws (15.65%) and eight more on fourth-down attempts…137 of Matthews’ receptions gained at least ten yards (52.29%), including 56 for twenty yards or longer (21.37%).
SEASON NOTES
Southeastern Conference Season-Record Results…Matthews’ 94 catches in 2012 tied Josh Reed of Louisiana State (2001) for third place on the Southeastern Conference’s season-record chart behind Keith Edwards of Vanderbilt (97 in 1983) and Matthews’ SEC annual record 112 receptions in 2013…Ranks third SEC season-record list with 1,477 yards receiving in 2013, placing behind Josh Reed of Louisiana State (1,740 yards in 2001) and Alshon Jeffery of South Carolina (1,517 in 2010)…His receiving yardage of 1,323 yards in 2012 also placed ninth on the league’s annual record list, as he became the only player in school and conference history to reach the 1,300 receiving yards level twice in a career…School Season-Record Results…Matthews’ 41 catches in 2011 tied Erik Davis (2003) for eighth on VU’s annual record list for sophomores…His 94 receptions in 2012 rank third on the Commodores season-record chart behind Keith Edwards (97 in 1983) and Matthews’ 2013 total of 112 grabs…In 2012, Matthews became the fifth player in school history to gain over 1,000 receiving yards in a season, joining Boo Mitchell (1,213 in 1988), Earl Bennett (1,146 in 2006), Bob Goodridge (1,114 in 1967) and Dan Stricker (1,079 in 2001), as he established a new Vanderbilt annual record with 1,323 yards…He would then top his junior record, establishing a new mark with 1,477 receiving yards in 2013…Gained at least 100 yards receiving nineteen times during his career, surpassing the old school all-time record of eleven by Dan Stricker (1999-2002)…His seven 100-yard receiving performances in 2012 topped the old Vanderbilt season-record of six, set by Boo Mitchell in 1988…He would later break his own school record by recording nine 100-yard receiving efforts in 2013…In addition to his twenty-two touchdown catches, he provided the team with critical catches that led to 75 touchdown drives and on nineteen possessions that resulted in field goals…Made 52 of his receptions (19.85%) inside the red zone, including seven on goal-line snaps…Among his ten tackles (8 solos), four of those stops came as a member of the kickoff coverage and six others came after bringing down defenders who intercepted Vanderbilt passes.
SEASON ANALYSIS
2013 SEASON
Matthews was named All-American first-team by The NFL Draft Report, as that scouting information service also lists the Commodores team captain as the top senior at his position, eligible for the 2014 NFL Draft…The versatile receiver received first-team All-Southeastern Conference accolades from the league’s coaches and Associated Press…
Matthews was also named to the Biletnikoff Award (nation’s top receiver) and the College Football Performance Awards Wide Receiver Trophy Watch lists. The CFPA recipients are chosen exclusively based upon objective scientific rankings of the extent to which individual players increase the overall effectiveness of their teams…Matthews, called the “hardest working man in college football,” by Scout.com’s Dave-Te’ Thomas, has more than lived up to that reputation during his final campaign, as he led the league and ranked fourth in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision ranks for receiving yardage, pacing the SEC while placing fifth in the nation for yards-receiving average per game (113.62 ypc), as his average of 8.62 receptions per game also led the conference…Started all thirteen games, as Matthews established school and conference season-records, becoming the first Commodore and SEC performer to catch over 100 passes (112-of-145 targeted tosses; 77.24%), topping the previous marks of 97 grabs by Keith Edwards of Vanderbilt in 1983…
Broke his own school season-record that he established in 2012 (1,323 yards) with 1,477 receiving yards (13.19 ypc), which rank third on the SEC season-record list behind Josh Reed of Louisiana State (1,740 yards in 2001) and Alshon Jeffery of South Carolina (1,517 in 2010)…He also became the first player in SEC annals to record multiple seasons with at least 1,3000 receiving yards…Seven of his receptions were for touchdowns, but he also had crucial catches that set up 26 other touchdown drives (team found the end zone 49 times – fifteen via receptions and 34 rushing) and on seven other possessions that resulted in field goals (team registered thirteen three-pointers)…The opposition deflected fourteen of those tosses targeted to the senior captain and sixteen others were off-target…The senior receiver converted thirteen third-down passes and four more on fourth-down snaps among his 64 first-down catches…He gained at least ten yards on 50 of his grabs (44.64%), including 21 that generated more than twenty yards (18.75%)…It took at least three defenders to bring the pass catcher down on 27 of his non-touchdown receptions (26.47%), as he recorded 23 catches inside the red zone, including three on goal-line plays…Matthews gained 54 yards on six reverses, as one set up a touchdown drive and another carry was followed by a Vanderbilt field goal…Displayed his excellent field vision and anticipation skills, preventing a trio of potential touchdown returns when he tackled defenders three times after the ‘Dores had passes intercepted…Accounted for at least 100 yards receiving in five of his first six games, and had nine total during the season, reaching the century mark again in each of his last four appearances…Caught a pass in all thirteen contests, extending his string of at least one reception made in each of his last 34 contests…Opened the season by pulling down ten passes for 178 yards and a touchdown vs. Mississippi…The senior receiver posted his 11th 100-yard receiving performance for Vanderbilt, as he caught six balls for 111 yards and a touchdown during the first half vs. Austin Peay…The team captain had to fend off a slew of Gamecocks assigned to cover him, but he recorded his third consecutive 100-yard performance, totaling 106 yards on eight grabs, but was denied an opportunity to score in a 35-25 loss to South Carolina…In the Massachusetts clash, Matthews did not reach the “century mark” for receiving yardage, but still managed to catch eight balls for 76 yards and a touchdown, adding eight more yards on his first rushing attempt for the 2013 campaign…
The league’s leading receiver entering the Alabama-Birmingham game, he led the Dores to a 52-24 triumph behind his eight receptions for 115 yards and a touchdown. It marked the fourth time in the team’s first five 2013 contests that Matthews had recorded at least eight grabs…Quarterback Austyn Carta-Samuels struggled to 48 yards in the first half before moving the ball with ease in the second half with the Tigers spotted a three-score lead. He found Matthews for a record-setting touchdown catch less than three minutes into the second half, as the senior receiver also overcame a slow start, posting 123 yards on seven catches vs. Missouri…Despite falling to Texas A&M by a 56-24 score, Matthews had eight receptions for 92 yards to become the SEC’s all-time leader in career yards receiving with 3,172. Six of his grabs produced first downs, as he had crucial receptions to set up three touch-down drives, including making a key block to help the ‘Dores record one of those scores…A 22-6 win over Kentucky was the result of an outstanding performance by the team captain, as Matthews hauled in a career-high twelve balls for 141 yards, setting up a trio of scoring drives that produced one touchdown and two field goals…Vanderbilt overcame four turnovers, including a fumble by their All-American receiver, to beat Tennessee for the second straight year, giving the ‘Does consecutive victories over their in-state rivals for the first time since winning six-straight over the Volunteers from 1920-26. Matthews generated 133 yards while topping his career-best for the second-straight week when he pulled in all thirteen passes targeted to him…Matthews closed out the regular season, adding to his school and SEC records, as he pulled down eleven tosses for 125 yards, the 18th time he gained over 100 yards receiving as a Commodore…He added a pair of 50-yard touchdown catches and 143 yards on five catches vs. Houston in the BBVA Compass Bowl.
2012 SEASON
Matthews garnered All-American second-team honors from The NFL Draft Report and third-team accolades from CBSSportsline and Phil Steele…The unanimous first-team All-Southeastern Conference choice and Biletnikoff ward Watch List member started all thirteen games, lining up at all three wide receiver positions (slot, flanker and split end)…
Led the team, ranked second in the conference and finished second in the nation with an average of 7.23 receptions per game, placing second in the SEC and ninth in the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision ranks with an average of 101.77 receiving yards per game…
His 94 receptions rank second on the school season-record chart and also tied for second on the conference’s annual record list…Had 128 passes targeted to him (caught 73.44%), as sixteen attempts were off-target, five came with Vanderbilt quarterbacks tossing ill-advised throws when pressured and seventeen others were deflected by opposing defenders…Set the school season-record with 1,323 receiving yards (14.07 ypc), the sixth-highest annual total in Southeastern Conference history…Set the school season-record by recording at least 100 receiving yards in seven contests…Produced 61 first downs (64.89% of passes caught) receiving, as he converted fifteen third-down tosses (15.96%) and three more on fourth-down snaps…Registered 51 receptions that gained at least ten yards (54.26%), including eighteen that were good for twenty yards or longer (19.15%)…Made twelve of his catches inside the red zone (12.77%)…On twelve of his non-touchdown grabs (13.95%), the opposition needed multiple defenders to bring him down…Collected key receptions that helped set up 28 of the team’s 42 offensive touchdowns (66.67%) and on eight other possessions that led to Commodore field goals (Vanderbilt made 20 three-pointers)…Scored 54 points, but helped account for 220 of the 353 points generated by the offense (nation-leading 62.32%)…Carried three times for 61 yards (20.33 ypc) and a score, as his two other attempts set up touchdown drives…Gained 53 yards on six punt returns (8.83 avg) and 32 yards on a kickoff return, as he ranked fourth in the league with 1,469 all-purpose yards, an average of 14.13 yards per attempt and 113.00 yards per game…Also recorded a solo tackle after a defender had intercepted a Vanderbilt pass in the Wake Forest clash…Additionally, he recorded six touchdown-resulting blocks for the ground game…Matthews opened the season in explosive fashion, recording the fourth 100-yard receiving performance for his career, as he snatched eight balls for 147 yards and the team’s only touchdown in a 17-13 loss to South Carolina…In the Northwestern game, the junior receiver collected 75 yards on six catches that included his eleventh career touchdown grab…Matthews was the lone bright spot in a 48-3 loss to Georgia, grabbing eight passes for 119 yards, despite constant gang-tackling by the Bulldogs defense…Tied
tied his then career-best with nine receptions (first accomplished that feat vs. Florida on November 5th, 2011) for 91 yards vs. Missouri…Produced his sixth 100-yard receiving performance as a Commodore, making eight catches for 131 yards and a touchdown vs. Florida…Recorded his seventh 100-yard receiving performance for the Commodores, tallying 112 yards on ten receptions, the most catches in a game by a Vanderbilt player since 2007, vs. Massachusetts…Matthews caught nine passes for 153 yards, including a 52-yard scoring grab in the third quarter vs. Mississippi…Hauled in seven passes for 115 yards and a touchdown, scoring once again on a 47-yard reverse vs. Tennessee…Matched
his career-high (earlier in 2012 vs. Massachusetts) with ten receptions, good for 144 yards, as he found the end zone for the fourth consecutive game and Vanderbilt won for the sixth-straight time, 55-21 vs. Wake Forest.
2011 SEASON
Matthews emerged as one of the most dangerous after-the-catch receivers in college football the second half of his sophomore season, as he would earn All-American honor-able mention and All-Southeastern Conference second-team recognition from The NFL Draft Report…Played in all thirteen games, starting ten contests while seeing action in the slot, at split end and flanker…Led the team with 41 receptions for 778 yards and five touchdowns, as his average of 18.98 yards per catch was the best in the conference…His
41 catches tied Erik Davis (2003) for eighth on the school season-record list for second-year players…His average of 59.85 receiving yards per game was fifth-best in the SEC… Gained at least 100 yards in three consecutive contests…Recorded only eight receptions for 117 yards (14.63 ypc) through the team’s seven games, as the Commodores’ “musical chairs” at quarter-back saw four different players attempt passes during the season… Those QBs suffered with inconsistency, as they managed to connect on just 8-of-23 passes (34.78%) that were targeted to Matthews before his second half eruption…With Jordan Rodgers taking over as the team’s starting signal-caller for the final six contests, his favorite pass catcher was on the receiving end of 33-of-48 balls targeted to Matthews (68.75%), good for 661 yards (20.03 ypc) and four touchdowns…For the entire season, Matthews caught 58.57% of the passes targeted to him, as fifteen attempts were poorly thrown and fifteen others were deflected by the opposition…Produced 32 first down receptions (78.05% of those that he caught), converting eleven third-down plays (26.83%) and one more on a fourth-down snap…Ten of his receptions came inside the red zone (24.39%), as it took more than one defender to stop him on 6-of-35 non-touchdown catches…Credited with key receptions that led to seventeen touchdown drives (offense recorded 41 touchdowns) and on three other possessions that resulted in field goals… Also registered six touchdown-resulting blocks for the ground game…Scored 30 of the 310 points recorded by the offense, but as a “table-setter,” he helped account for 128 of those points (41.29%)…Took down a pair of defenders after Vanderbilt passes were intercepted.
2010 SEASON
Matthews was one of four freshman wide receivers to suit up for the Commodores, as he played mostly with the second unit behind Udon Umoh at slot receiver…Finished second among the first-year players with fifteen receptions for 181 yards (12.07 ypc) and one touchdown…Appeared in all twelve games, starting the season finale vs. Wake Forest…
Was relegated to mostly special team chores the first half of the campaign, recording four tackles (3 solos) for the kickoff coverage unit…Had 31 passes targeted to him (caught 48.39%), as the six players who attempted passes for Vanderbilt misfired on thirteen of those attempts to Matthews, while the defense deflected three other throws…Recorded fifteen first downs via his receptions, converting a pair of third-down attempts while grabbing seven of his passes inside the red zone, including three on goal-line snaps…
Had key receptions that set up four touchdown drives and on one possession that led to a field goal…Ten of his catches gained at least ten yards (66.67%), including two for twenty yards or longer.
INJURY REPORT
No major injuries have been reported, as Matthews has never missed a game since suiting up for the Commodores.
AGILITY TESTS
4.46 in the 40-yard dash…1.55 10-yard dash…2.61 20-yard dash…4.18 20-yard shuttle…11.84 60-yard shuttle…6.95 three-cone drill…35 1/2-inch vertical jump…10’-0” broad jump…Bench pressed 225 pounds 21 times…33 ¼-inch arm length…10 3/8-inch hands… 80-inch wingspan.
HIGH SCHOOL
Matthews attended Madison (Ala.) Academy, where he starred for three seasons as a wide receiver and defensive back for Vikings head coach Matt Clouser, with Scott Peavy serving at the helm during the 2008 schedule…The National Honor Society member was named a three-star prospect by Rivals.com while serving as squad captain as a senior…
As a sophomore, he had 52 receptions for 800 yards (15.38 ypc) and eleven touchdowns, helping the team compile a 6-5 record in 2007, earning Class 1A/4A All-Metro honorable mention from the Huntsville Times…Some of his sophomore season highlights included catching a pair of passes for touchdowns in the first half, giving the Vikings a 28-20 win over Sumiton High to take over the second place in the Region VII ranks…Another scoring grab sparked the team to a 49-22 route of Danville…Matthews scored the team’s first points by taking a 22-yard pass for a touchdown on the Vikings’ game-opening drive in a 48-14 defeat of New Hope…The Vikings passed for three touchdowns, two being pulled down by Matthews in a 55-0 rout of the Hanceville Bulldogs…Matthews added two more touchdown catches vs. Brooks High, including a 31-yarder on the game’s first series…
Matthews received Class 3A All-Region VIII and All-State honors during his junior season, as he accounted for 1,357 yards and fourteen scores on 68 catches, as his average of 19.96 yards ranked second in the state. The Mustangs would compile a 6-4 record in 2008…The Huntsville Time “Elite List” member capped an 81-yard drive with a 30-yard touchdown catch and was later on the receiving end of a post pass from Travis Eakin for another score in a tough 24-21 loss to West Morgan in 2008, as he also had season highlights of the go-ahead touchdown grab in a 34-21 triumph over the West Point Warriors…The Sheffield Bulldogs fell victim to Matthews’s eight receptions for 220 yards and two touchdowns…He added two more of the team’s four aerial touchdowns as the Vikings threw for 361 yards vs. Brewer…In 2009, the team captain excelled on both sides of the ball, as he led the team to a 12-1 record, including an undefeated season (7-0 mark) in Region VIII competition to earn a berth in the Class 3A state quarterfinals. He gained 1,113 yards on 68 receptions (16.37 ypc) with seventeen touchdowns, coming up with 61 of those grabs and thirteen of those scores during the regular season schedule. He made recorded 50 tackles with eight interceptions as a defensive back during his final season, as the team MVP also scored four times as a return specialist. For that performance, he was named Class 3A All-State first-team and was a member of the All-Elite Eleven squad selected by the Huntsville Times…Some of his senior season highlights featured the wide receiver scoring first on a diving 30-yard game-opening series and then picking off a pass that he returned 97 yards for a touchdown. In the fourth quarter, he snatched another scoring strike from QB Chris Clouser for a 21-12 victory over Colbert County…The Vikings sealed the Class 3A/Region VIII title with two touchdown receptions by Matthews vs. West Morgan…Two more scoring grabs, including a 38-yarder was the receiver’s output in a win over West Limestone…All three touchdowns in a 21-6 triumph over West Point came with QB Re Lindsey finding Matthews with each toss…The receiver caught one pass for a score and found the end zone again with an 85-yard punt return vs. Sheffield…He also came up with two of the defense’s five interceptions vs. the Elkmont Red Devils…In the Brewer game, Matthews returned a punt 72 yards for a score…In the second round of the Class 3A playoffs, Matthews scored the game-winning touchdown on a pass from Chris Clouser in a 17-13 defeat of Winfield…Away from the gridiron, Matthews also performed on the “wing” and as a shooting guard for the Madison Academy basketball team. He was a member of the state championship squad as a sophomore, helping the Mustangs to a 25-8 record while averaging 7.3 points, 3.0 points and 1.4 assists per game…His sophomore hardwood highlights included 16 points on 6-of-8 field goals in the Vikings’ first meeting vs. Spark-man, adding 18 more points on 7-of-8 shooting that included four treys in their second encounter…Had 15 points vs. Raleigh-Egypt, followed by another 15 vs. Decatur, making a pair of three-pointers with two steals and four rebounds in that clash…Tallied three assists and nine rebounds vs. Weaver and posted six more boards vs. Plainview…As a junior, the basketball team finished as the state runner-up after recording a 29-6 record. Matthews averaged a pair of assists, 8.5 rebounds, 1.6 steals and 10.2 points in the 33 games he appeared in that season, on the way to earning All-Area XV recognition…His junior season highlights featured21 points and 14 rebounds vs. Columbia early in the season and a 20-point output vs. that opponent later in the schedule…Added 14 points and eleven boards with three steals and assists vs. West Limestone, 14 points that included four treys vs. Hunstville and 19 points vs. Johnson…Pulled in thirteen rebounds to go with 17 points and four assists vs. Butler and had fifteen boards and 21 points in the Hamilton clash…Put in 20 points and made sixteen rebounds vs. Leeds, as he also had fifteen rebounds with four assists vs. Madison County, three assists and twelve boards vs. Madison County and twelve more rebounds in the Loveless Academy Magnet Program in 2008-09…Made 50% of his field goals and averaged 13.0 points with 5.7 rebounds per game as a senior…He put in 15 points vs. Pope John Paul II High, adding eleven boards, three steals and 19 points in the Grissom clash during his final hoops season.
PERSONAL
Human and Organizational Development major…Cousin is legendary former San Francisco 49ers Hall of Fame receiver, Jerry Rice…Matthews is active in several leader-ship and community service projects…He also spent ten days on mission trip to Africa…
One of two sons (older brother is Justin, a former teammate at Madison Academy) of Brenda and Roderick Matthews…Father is a contracts division manager and his mother is a systems engineer…Likes to play the piano…Born Jordan Armand Matthews on 7/16/92… Resides in Madison, Alabama.
PLAYER STATISTICS
