Yetur Gross-Matos Wants 'Respect' on His Name

The former second-round pick is hungry to prove people wrong.

SPARTANBURG, S.C. - New quarterback, new head coach, new coaching staff, new faces, new expectations. Get the theme? There's been a lot of change within the Panthers' organization this offseason and for former second-round pick Yetur Gross-Matos, he's transitioning to a new position at outside linebacker.

In his first three seasons, Gross-Matos has totaled just 12 tackles for loss and 8.5 sacks. He's been rather productive in setting the edge and stopping the run, but the pass rushing totals just haven't been there. When the new coaching staff came in with a new scheme, Gross-Matos, who is a traditional 4-3 defensive end, didn't panic. He met with head coach Frank Reich 1-on-1 to figure out the plan and has been determined to master the new position.

"I really appreciated him for giving me the opportunity to do something different. Now it's on me to show them what I can do," Gross Matos said. "Athleticism has been my training card since the beginning. Now it's just learning of the techniques, but athletically, I don't feel like I'm at a default. You play in space a lot more and there is more to learn. There's more terminology and more football IQ is required."

To help make for a smooth transition, Gross-Matos spent much of his summer with Brian Burns, who is also making the switch from defensive end to outside linebacker. Burns played the position some during his rookie year, so having that experience is something Yetur benefit from. 

The two went to the field at American Heritage, where Burns went to high school in Florida, nearly every day to put work in during the offseason.

"We were there lifting, did some track stuff, and stuff that I haven't done in forever. Went over some coverage stuff, some more linebacker stuff. Staying in my playbook. Chopping wood, carrying water, and staying dedicated to the process.

"I've learned a lot, but I've leaned on all the guys. We bounce stuff off of each other and there's stuff in each of our games that we learn from, so I don't think it's been just one person. But he's not only been a great friend but a good mentor as well when it comes to football."

And yes, if you were wondering, Yetur does see and hear all the talk about the Panthers' need for another pass rusher. He doesn't mind fans or analysts around the country talking about it because it's part of what fuels him.

"I don't block it out at all. It's a great motivator. I've played here for a while. I've had good games and I've had games where I could have been a lot better. My goal is to go out there and improve every day and I want to prove people wrong.

"I want to be an all-around dominant player. I want people to respect my name. People go to social media and say we need a second pass rusher and stuff like that. I want people to have respect on my name."

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