MOBILE, Ala — When Phidarian Mathis was suiting up for the Alabama Crimson Tide, he was dominating SEC offensive lineman like it was nothing. However, now that he is going up to the NFL level and is at the Senior Bowl, all parts of his game will be under the microscope.
The 6-foot-3, 313 pound Mathis is a guy who with his frame, could move up and down the line if he wants to do so. He is beefy enough to play on the very interior, but he might just have the agility and length to work from a 1-technique to a 5-technique. Mathis believes that Alabama’s training has allowed him to grow.
“At Alabama, we learned to play all those positions,” Mathis said. “I’ve been very versatile. I played a lot of end and 3-technique. That’s something that I think helped me. I can play all of those spots. I can showcase that on this big stage this week.”
Mathis’ patience at Alabama, and coming back for the 2021 season has boosted his draft stock. Senior Bowl director Jim Nagy noted that the Senior Bowl thought Mathis was an early day three guy. Now, he has boosted his stock far past that. Nagy does not view Mathis as a two-down player, either. The patience of waiting a year, and waiting his turn at Alabama, were fruitful.
“Being patient is important,” Mathis said. “I say that a lot. But I had to learn to be patient and trust the process at Alabama. As a young guy who didn’t understand why he was getting playing time, I needed patience. So, waiting on my time to come was a big part of what I had to overcome. I learned a lot, and being patient is something I can learn from at the next level.”
Mathis is a guy who likely has his stock inside the Top-75 as it stands. His versatility and standout season at Alabama will make him appealing to teams throughout the process.
