Penn State Football: Yetur Gross-Matos set for unreal, likely-final year

Penn State football’s Yetur Gross-Matos, the top pass rusher from 2018, returns to terrorize Big Ten offenses for what’s likely going to be his final year.

Opposing quarterbacks beware, Penn State football defensive end Yetur Gross-Matos returns for one more year. He’ll have another offseason to prepare and advance his game. Gross-Matos put up a monster year for any player, let alone a sophomore in 2019. He led the defensive line in every major category: total tackles (54), tackles for loss (20) and sacks (eight).

The most impressive part, looking back on 2018, is that it was Gross-Matos‘ first year to see starter-level snaps. In 2017, he jumped into the rotation on a deep, veteran group up front, showing he had something special. His play earned him the job when Ryan Buchholz was forced to retire.

After a dominant and productive 2018, the question becomes how much higher can he climb? With a full offseason of work, and a third spring game, he could become not just a top-flight Big Ten pass rusher, but a nationally known star.

Looking at his career trajectory over his first two years, 2019 should be his last, considering his measurables (6-foot-5, 259 pounds) and production. It makes him ideal draft pick for any scheme at the next level. He can stay the same and become a lengthy, strong, 4-3 defensive end.

He could also add to his frame and become a 3-4 defensive end or even a pass-rushing linebacker outside. His build gives him all the ability to play a multitude of spots at the next level. Either way, he’s too much of an impactful play to stay in the college game after next season.

There were games he just took over on the defensive line. Really from the Indiana game on, he became virtually unblockable. In the win against the Hoosiers, he rolled up 10 tackles and two sacks to constantly keep the pressure on the quarterback. His presence opened chances up for other players, like Shaka Toney, to make plays, recording four sacks.

Including that game, he finished out the year with 37 tackles, six sacks and 12.5 tackles for loss over the final seven games of the season. He’s flat-out productive.

Few players come in and make plays the way he did during their true freshman season. Gross-Matos did and built on his game with the more snaps he got. With just one year before he’s finally allowed to go on to the next level, it’s difficult to imagine him staying.