The wait is finally over for Boise State safety JL Skinner. And teammate Scott Matlock wasn’t far behind.
Skinner’s NFL dream became a reality Saturday, albeit a bit later than most expected, when he was picked by the Denver Broncos in the 6th round with pick 183 overall in the NFL Draft.
Skinner extended Boise State’s streak to 14 consecutive years with a player selected in the NFL Draft. He’s the first Boise State safety to get drafted since Darian Thompson went No. 71 overall in the third round to the New York Giants in 2016.
Former Boise State defensive tackle Scott Matlock (left) celebrates with brother Steven after being selected by the Los Angeles Chargers in the 6th round of the NFL Draft on Saturday. (Photo by Alex Guerrero)
Matlock was selected a short time later in the sixth round with pick No. 200 overall by the Los Angeles Chargers.
The 6-foot-4 Matlock helped himself during the predraft process with a strong showing at Boise State’s Pro Day. Despite not earning an invite to the NFL Scouting Combine, Matlock had five pre-draft visits – including to the Chargers.
Matlock had 89 tackles and nine sacks the past two seasons for the Broncos.
“This is a kid who was rising up the draft process – his name kept popping up,” ESPN’s Mel Kiper Jr. said while discussing the pick. “A lot of teams felt this was a kid who they could develop into a rotation guy in the NFL right away. They feel they can get contributions from him in the first two years of his career.”
The moment Scott Matlock dreamed of!! Thanks to @TheSocietyAG for the video! (And apologize for the language). pic.twitter.com/VlDUSTog4X
— B.J. Rains (@BJRains) April 29, 2023
The 6-foot-4 Skinner might have been picked higher had he not suffered a torn pectoral muscle in February, which forced him to miss the NFL Scouting Combine and Boise State’s Pro Day. He was also unable to do any private workouts for teams.
Skinner, who had a strong showing in Senior Bowl practices before skipping the game due to the death of his aunt in January, was a First Team All-Mountain West selection as a senior in 2022 after leading the Broncos with four interceptions. He also had 65 tackles and four pass break-ups while making 12 starts. He sat out the Frisco Bowl due to an ankle injury.
As a junior in 2021 Skinner had a team-high 92 tackles, including seven-for-loss, and had two interceptions, five pass break-ups, two forced fumbles and three fumble recoveries.
Two other former Broncos are hoping to hear their name called at some point during the draft. Left tackle John Ojukwu and safety Tyreque Jones are all still on the board. The seven-round draft ends Saturday afternoon.
Check back to Bronco Nation News for more on this breaking news story.
