Matthew

Butler

Butler (6’4/297) enjoyed a career year as a fifth-year senior with the Vols in 2021. In addition to seeing the most snaps in his career, he also totaled 47 tackles, 8.5 tackles for a loss, and five sacks - all personal bests. He displayed good explosiveness at the Combine, finishing second among defensive tackles in both the vertical and broad jumps, but underwhelmed with just 17 bench reps. Competing against stout SEC offensive fronts, some of Butler’s best performances came against the likes of Georgia, Alabama, and Ole Miss. He shows a relentless motor for getting after the quarterback and has the ability to win in one-on-one blocks with a multitude of moves. Butler’s best fit will likely be in a 4-3 defense as a one or two-gap defender.

"[DC Bob] Shoop believes that I can come in and play a primary role on the defense with my mentality and how I approach the game with cerebral mindset,” Butler said. While the 6-foot-4, 265-pounder fails to land on Rivals’ top-250 master list, outlet analyst Adam Friedman notes that he is “a valuable defensive lineman because of his scheme versatility.” Friedman is also a fan of Butler’s frame, noting that should he pack on additional weight, he could slide inside to defensive tackle without major issue.