Overview
Position: Running back
Height: 5’11”
Weight: 211 pounds
School: Boise State Broncos
Combine Performance Data
40-yard dash: 4.67 seconds
Bench press: 22 reps
Vertical jump: 35.0 inches
Broad jump: 10 feet, 7 inches (fourth-best among running backs)
Three-cone drill: 7.13 seconds
20-yard shuttle: 4.29 seconds
60-yard shuttle: 11.69 seconds (best among running backs)
Alexander Mattison 2019 NFL Draft Profile
Alexander Mattison was a three-star recruit coming out of San Bernardino High School. He was twice named to San Bernardino Sun First-Team honors. He ran for over 2,000 yards in both his junior and senior year of high school. Mattison also won a league wrestling title and was named All-League as a junior.
During his freshman year at Boise State, Mattison appeared in all 13 games and tallied four touchdowns. His sophomore year was a bit more productive as he made nine starts, rushing for over 1,000 yards and 12 touchdowns appearing in all 14 games. His junior year, Mattison made a splash. He earned All-Mountain West First-Team honors while running to the Mountain West rushing title with 1,415 yards. This marks the first time a Boise State Bronco claimed a Moutain West rushing crown. He also ranked seventh in the FBS with 17 rushing touchdowns.
Each year, Mattison showed progression. His touchdowns, yardage, and even usage trended up as he progressed through his time at Boise State. Teams are going to enjoy what they see out of this kid. He has quite a bit to offer in his game. He also has some things to work on if he wants to be a productive NFL back.
Strengths
- Lower body strength;
- Gets through the first level nicely;
- Picks a good lane with the flow of the line;
- Gets north quickly;
- Has tremendous instincts;
- Falls forward more often than not;
- Stays small when maneuvering through the line;
- Stays under control with short, compact movements;
- Shows the willingness to lower his pads;
- Often breaks through initial contact;
- Shows burst when attacking in space;
- Showed some solid pass blocking ability.
Weaknesses
- Struggles to explode when turning the corner;
- Not the most athletic back;
- Not much of a pass catcher;
- Doesn’t have great agility and elusiveness;
- Relies solely on breaking tackles rather than missed tackles;
- Lacks game-breaking speed.
NFL Comparison: Jay Ajayi
Teams With Need at Position: Buffalo Bills, Miami Dolphins, Baltimore Ravens, Jacksonville Jaguars, Kansas City Chiefs, Oakland Raiders, Philadelphia Eagles, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Projection: Fourth round
Bottom Line
There is a lot to like in Mattison’s game. His lower body strength enables him to fight through initial contact with ease and allows him to get through the first level. He finds a lane with tremendous instincts and hits the hole with power and gets north with a great cut. His patience and vision would fit perfectly in a zone running scheme. When he is taken down, he has the strength to fall forward more often than not. Even standing nearly six feet tall, Mattison stays relatively low enough to sift his way through the big linemen. Once he gets into the open field, he shows a good burst. Mattison also has the willingness to lower his pads and take on contact from any defender. He’s typically under control and makes short compact movements.
However, there are a few things he struggles with that may hinder him at the next level. He’s not the most athletic back. His pure elusiveness is questionable. He doesn’t attempt to make people miss often, instead, he relies on his strength and power to run over defenders. He also isn’t fast enough to outrun defenders in the NFL. His pass-catching is questionable but is a decent enough of a blocker to be used in the passing game. Overall, Mattison rates as a slightly above average back. He possesses traits that will benefit him at the next level, but also hinder him as well.
