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Matthew Butler NFL Draft Profile
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Matthew Butler Scouting ReportMatthew plays with good leverage. He has great proportional length and power. His explosiveness also stands out, he is consistently quicker off the snap than his teammates. He can work on stacking counters more often. He has the physical tools to be on of the top defensive lineman in this year's draft. Butler provides some secondary interior pass rush, getting most penetration when playing the three technique. He plays with lean and leverage against the run, tough for one man to move (sometimes double teams, too). He delivers a strong punch and uses his hands to shed blocks to make plays in the hole or outside the box. He uses lower body strength to anchor inside.
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Areas for ImprovementButler misses tackles, even when he gets his hands on the ballcarrier. He needs to improve hand placement and technique. He sees the ball well but is stuck on blocks when head up. He does not shed to make plays often enough. He must improve hand use and read and react skills. He lacks the violent hands to shed. He can be eliminated by double team blocks. Butler often washed out by stronghanded blockers. He has a quick first step with fluid movements off the ball. He is highly competitive and fierce. He shows relentless effort to the pocket with a nonstop motor.
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Matthew Butler Career at TennesseeMatthew Butler is a leader, veteran and returning starter on the defensive line for the Vols. In his fifth year with the program after electing to return for his "super" senior season. He appeard in 52 games with 25 starts. He had a breakout year in 2019 in which he led all defensive linemen on the team in tackles (45). He collected 140 total tackles, 15 tackles for the loss and 8.5 sacks for a loss of 54 yards. Matthew is one of the SEC's top scholar athletes, who was the recipient of a 2021 NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship and a nominee for the 2021 SEC McWhorter Award. He became the seventh Vol football student athlete to receive the NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship dating to 1971. He is a four time member of the SEC Academic Honor Roll and was chosen to the 2018-19 VOLeaders Academy. He wore the SEC graduate patch after receiving his undergraduate degree in December 2020.
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Matthew Butler NFL Draft Player ProfileThe interior defensive line class appears underwhelming on the surface, but there may be a few gems underneath that surface. Tennessee’s Matthew Butler is one of them. A fifth-year senior for the Volunteers, Butler is currently embarking on a career year. It’s taken a while for Butler to break out, but his traits easily catch the eye now that he has. (Butler) has great proportional length and power. His explosiveness also stands out, as Butler is consistently quicker off the snap than his teammates.
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