ESPN's Mel Kiper Jr feels like Tennessee Vols defender is an 'underrated' player in the 2022 NFL Draft
Longtime ESPN NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr feels like a Tennessee Vols defender is "underrated" heading into the 2022 NFL Draft. Kiper is a big fan of Vols defensive tackle Matthew Butler, who just wrapped up a five-year career at Tennessee where he played under three head coaches, two interim head coaches, four defensive […]
Longtime ESPN NFL Draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr feels like a Tennessee Vols defender is "underrated" heading into the 2022 NFL Draft.
Kiper is a big fan of Vols defensive tackle Matthew Butler, who just wrapped up a five-year career at Tennessee where he played under three head coaches, two interim head coaches, four defensive coordinators, and five defensive line coaches (counting former UT head coach Jeremy Pruitt, who coached the defensive line in 2020 after firing Jimmy Brumbaugh just four games into the season).
Here's what Kiper had to say about Butler this week:
Want a Day 3 pick who will play a long time in the league? That's Butler. I love his tape, and he rarely left the field for the Volunteers the past two seasons. At 6-foot-4, 297 pounds, he can split double-teams (or blow them up) and is incredibly disruptive (seven sacks from the interior since 2020). Turn on the film from the Alabama game to see him wreak havoc on the Crimson Tide, even in a blowout loss.
And like I said, his stamina and consistent effort is rare for 300-pounders in the NFL. He's not going to be an every-down player early in his career, but he has the tools to get there.
I have a Round 4 grade on Butler, but I still feel like I might be underrating him. You can bet I'll be mentioning him in my draft grades in two weeks.
This could be another Trey Smith-like situation for an NFL team.
Smith, who played with Butler at Tennessee, was selected in the sixth round of the 2021 NFL Draft by the Kansas City Chiefs. He ended up being one of the best values in the draft, as he became a key starter for the Chiefs last season.
Butler could provide similar value, though it seems like draft analysts and scouts are recognizing his abilities to the point where the former Vols standout may not fall as far in the draft as we initially thought he would.
Featured image via Knoxville News Sentinel-USA TODAY NETWORK
