ENGLEWOOD, Colo. — Just hours after General Manager George Paton said the Broncos would like to add a cornerback on Day 3 of the draft, Denver used its first pick of the fourth round to bolster its secondary.
With the 115th pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, the Broncos selected Pittsburgh cornerback Damarri Mathis.
A two-year starter for the Panthers, Mathis posted 87 career tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, 24 passes defensed and five interceptions.
"I had a Zoom through this process [with the Broncos]," Mathis said. "I had a really good Zoom with them leading up to the draft. I just got that call out of nowhere. It kind of scared me a little bit. I was excited. I already knew what team it was, and I'm just excited, ready to get there and work and just compete."
In 2021, as he started 13 games, Mathis earned Honorable Mention All-ACC honors.
"Damarri's athleticism really stands out when you watch him play, his athleticism and toughness," Assistant GM Darren Mougey told DenverBroncos.com. "We got to see [him] live earlier this year when they played North Carolina. Went up there to see them play and again, just his athleticism and toughness really stand out."
Mathis ran a 4.39-second 40-yard dash at the Combine.
The Athletic's Dane Brugler assigned Mathis a third-round grade and rated him as his 13th-best cornerback in the draft.
"I really don't emulate anyone," Mathis said. "I try to pattern my game after myself. As far as in the league, I like the way that [Rams CB] Jalen Ramsey plays."
