It’s taken a while, but 2017 Olympia (Wa.) DT Amir Matheney, one of the best interior defensive linemen in the state, finally got his first offer last week.
“Eastern Washington offered me,” a happy Matheney told Northwest Elite Index recently. “They had been talking to me for about a month and they said they loved my film and the way I play and how I move around for a guy my size.”
In addition to his offer from the Eagles, Matheney has been talking with Montana, Utah State, Hawaii and Portland State.
This spring and summer, Matheney will be very busy, hitting several camps in the hopes of drawing more attention, but also improving as a player.
“I (attended) the Opening on Saturday and I will be at the Northwest Elite Camp on Friday (June 3rd),” Matheney noted. “I’m also planning to go to the Rough Diamond Showcase, the Montana Camp, the Eastern camp and the Portland State camp.”
At 6’2″ and weighing in at 290 pounds, Matheney has the requisite size to be a real force as a senior next fall and then at the collegiate level. This past season, while helping to lead Bears to a 7-3 record and a berth in the state playoffs, the talented interior line prospect had 56 tackles, seven sacks and 13 tackles-for-loss while earning First Team All-Narrows 4A honors.
“I played both as a nose tackle and as a defensive tackle,” Matheney told Northwest Elite Index recently. “I think what sets me apart as a player on defense is my ability to run down plays 15 yards in the backfield or 15 yards down the field.
“I think what has helped me become better at my skills as a defensive tackleis the time I spend in the weight room. I’m in there seven days a week and I watch a lot of other successful defensive tackles and try to copy their technique. Another thing that really helped me this year was the camps I attended last summer. They were a big part of my training.”
Now that Matheney has his first offer, expect more schools to come calling and he could see at least a few more before the start of his senior season.
