By Dave Holcomb
SouthernPigskin.com

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Dave Holcomb discusses the momentum around Pittsburgh cornerback Damarri Mathis.

Every single year there are NFL draft prospects that raise their stock by performing well at the NFL combine and other offseason draft workout events.

In the ACC, that player this year appears to be Pitt cornerback Damarri Mathis.

NFL writer Ian Cummings of Pro Football Network wrote that entering the offseason Mathis was x9clargely regarded as a Day 3 pick.x9d But after playing well at the Senior Bowl and then running the 40-yard dash in 4.39 seconds at the combine, Mathis has seemingly gone from borderline draft pick to possible Day 2 selection.

Where he ultimately lands will depend on what NFL scouts believe is Mathis just a good tester or is he capable of displaying his elite traits on the field?

A few of the top draft analysts in the media appear to be overlooking what Mathis has done this offseason. NFL scout Cory Giddings of Bleacher Report still has a seventh-round grade for Mathis while NFL analyst Lance Zierlein of NFL.com has Mathis in the x9ctraits or talent to be above-average backup.

x9cMathis plays with good anticipation and ball skills but lacks the top-end speed and coverage tools needed to play pure press-man coverage,x9d Zierlein wrote. x9cWhile hes played Cover 3 with some modest success in college, he lacks the traits and poise to do so in the pros.x9d

Cummings, whos draft profile on Mathis is updated as of March 22 (the profiles from NFL.com and Bleacher Report dont have the dates they were released), wrote that a x9cdive into the tapex9d showed Mathis testing numbers x9ctranslate on film.x9d

x9cAthletic testing merely confirmed whats visible on tape for Mathis,x9d Cummings wrote. x9cWhile hes fallen under the radar for a large part of this cycle, Mathis was quietly one of the better cornerbacks in the league last season.

x9cMathis is explosive, fluid, twitchy and physical. On top of that, he flashes great press technique at the line, can run with receivers downfield and has the ball skills to be a playmaker and turnover generator.x9d

Playing in Pat Narduzzis defensive system at Pitt certainly prepares cornerbacks for press-man coverage. The Panthers design their defense to feature defensive backs in man-on-man situations very often.

Mathis posted six pass breakups and two interceptions last season. He also had 45 total tackles and returned one interception for a touchdown.

Over his four-year career at Pitt, Mathis recorded 19 pass breakups and five interceptions in 47 games.

In addition to the physical skills he displays in single coverage, Mathis seeks contact while defending against the run. Giddings called him a x9csecure tackler who limits extra yards.x9d

Having something positive other than offseason testing is a great thing. Still, Mathis measurables are what stand out the most.

After showcasing his speed at the NFL combine, Mathis posted a 43.5-inch vertical jump and 133-inch broad jump at Pitts pro day.

Those measurables are outstanding. That plus the fact that he is a hard worker and active in run defense could help change the narrative around Mathis in the final month before the 2022 draft.

On the heels of his strong offseason and underrated regular season performance, Cummings projects Mathis to x9ceasilyx9d be worth a Day 2 selection.

x9cHis elite athletic makeup and steely physicality would be maximized in a press-heavy scheme, but he has the traits to become a relatively scheme-versatile starter on the boundary.x9d

As is the case for every prospect, the consensus doesnt matter. If one team believes in Mathis, then he may very well become a Day 2 pick. Based on his measurables, hes a prospect that teams can be confident in drafting after the elite cornerbacks are gone.

But should he fall to Day 3 as some experts predict, Mathis could become one of the greatest secondary steals of the 2022 class.