BOISE, Idaho — With the 2023 NFL Draft set to begin in a little more than 24 hours, former Boise State defensive tackle Scott Matlock is climbing into expert rankings and mock drafts.
Since his final game as a Bronco, the Homedale native has quickly gone from a borderline prospect taken in the USFL College Draft, to an almost sure-bet to land with an NFL team this weekend. Matlock was arguably the best performer at Boise State's Pro Day, and scouts have clearly taken notice.
While the 6-foot-4, 300-pound defender was not invited to compete in the NFL Combine at Lucas Oil Stadium, Matlock has stuck to his blue-collar mentality, doing all in his power to gain traction.
"I have a high expectation for myself. I know what I'm capable of and I know what I'm worth kind of thing, so I wasn't going to let not getting a combine invite ruin my mentality or my training," Matlock said. "I mean, it is what it is, gotta move on. I'm just trying to do the best I can."
Matlock impressed at Pro Day with a personal record 29 reps on the bench press and ran a 4.81 in the 40-yard dash. He also touted a 4.27 shuttle time and 29.5 inches on the vertical jump.
The top-notch workout came in front of representatives from 30 out of 32 NFL teams. Matlock measured in with 9-inch hands and nearly 79-inch arms. The 29-rep performance on the bench would have been tied for third-best of all defensive tackles in Indianapolis.
"Felt really light and I just wanted to keep it going. I lost count, so I didn't really know where I was at," Matlock said. "I thought I turned some heads. You know, did a good job in the position stuff. At the end of the day, I'm at my best when I'm playing the game, you know, not being a track athlete."
Matlock started three years at Boise State, finishing his career in blue and orange with 115 total tackles, 19.5 tackles-for-loss and 11.5 sacks in 46 games played.
The athletic defensive tackle and team captain last fall also grabbed two six-yard touchdowns as a Bronco.
While his college film speaks for itself, Matlock has taken full advantage to get in front of NFL scouts, be it at Pro Day or the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl, where he grabbed two tackles and a sack.
"All these other things are just kind of extra bonuses that can help boost your grade and likeability," Matlock said.
NFL Analyst Lance Zierlein projects Matlock to be selected in the sixth round of this weekend's draft.
In his seven-round mock draft published to NFL.com on April 21, Draft Analyst Chad Reuter had the Los Angeles Chargers taking Matlock in the seventh round at No. 239 overall.
Also of note, ESPN Senior Writer Todd McShay ranked Matlock as his No. 10 defensive tackle prospect in his final 2023 NFL Draft rankings.
Earlier this month, the Boise State product told KTVB he had met with the New England Patriots, New York Jets, Cincinnati Bengals and Jacksonville Jaguars.
In those conversations, scouts have told the Idaho native and fan favorite to continue to be himself, an unsurprising note to those in Bronco Nation who know all about Matlock's personality.
"Everything I've heard is just, 'keep doing what you're doing.' Like, I'm on the right path, I'm on the right track," Matlock said. "So, at the end of the day, I just gotta keep doing what I've been doing to get me to this point."
The 2023 NFL Draft in Kansas City kicks off with the first round on Thursday night. The second and third rounds take place Friday, with rounds four through seven on Saturday.
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