What Ochaun Mathis will bring to Nebraska defense in 2022

This offseason, the Nebraska Cornhuskers acquired defensive end Ochaun Mathis through the transfer portal. During a recent show, college football analyst J.D PicKell revealed his list for the most impactful non-quarterback transfers in the 2022 college football season, and Mathis made the list. Below is what the college football analyst highlighted as the reason why the former TCU star turned Cornhusker will make a significant impact in 2022.

“He’s going to bring to the table is an enormous boost for this Nebraska pass rush, that was I think like 86 a year ago, in terms of sack percentage,” said PicKell. “They were bad in the front seven; they’re going to be a lot better because of him, and because of what he brings to the table. At the very least he’s going to command more double teams. Not every snap, not every game, but at different times they’re going to have to double 32. And when they do that, it frees up other guys in your front seven go and make plays. So at the very least he’s going to command attention and make this defense better just by being on the field.”

Some believed that the former TCU Horned Frog would have ended up with the Texas Longhorns after his former head coach Gary Patterson joined them this offseason. However, that did not end up being the case, and Mathis will now face off against the Big Ten’s best.

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In 2020 Mathis had a breakout year at TCU. He went on to record 46 total tackles, 25 solo, nine sacks, and a forced fumble. However, Mathis’s production dropped off the following season, much like the rest of the Horned Frogs team. He finished the 2021 campaign with similar numbers for stats and solo tackles, 45 and 30, but only recorded four sacks on the season.

Mathis joins one of the top conferences when it comes to producing defensive line talent. The Big Ten has sent an impressive amount of quality defensive linemen to the NFL over the past 15 years. That list includes young stars such as the Bosa brothers, Joey, and Nick, Chase Young, and this year’s second overall pick in the 2022 NFL Draft Aidan Hutchinson. Mathis will look to add his name to that list this season with Nebraska and end up a top selection in the draft like former Cornhusker defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh.