With their final pick of the 2016 NFL Draft, the Pittsburgh Steelers have selected Temple inside linebacker Tyler Matakevich.
Matakevich was all over the field for the Owls. He was the AAC Conference defensive player of the year and given the Chuck Bednarik Award for the nation’s best defensive player. Last year, he racked up 126 tackles, including 15 for a loss, and 4.5 sacks. He also picked off five passes.
He wore #8 for Temple. Single digits are given to the toughest players on the team.
Over his career as a four-year starter, he had a whopping 481 career tackles, 40 TFL, and 7 sacks. He’ll be an asset on special teams and bolster the Steelers’ inside linebacker depth alongside Steven Johnson.
A lack of athleticism, however, is what has caused him to fall this far. He ran a 4.8 at the Combine.
I have watched him, though didn’t produce a report. Look for one in the next day or two.
