Alabama Crimson Tide defensive lineman Phidarian Mathis Gary Cosby Jr.-USA TODAY Sports

Alabama DL Phidarian Mathis declares for 2022 NFL Draft

By Victor Barbosa | Last updated Jan 13, 2022 10:30 AM ET

Just two days after his team's crushing loss to Georgia in the College Football Playoff National Championship Game, Alabama defensive lineman Phidarian Mathis made a key announcement regarding his future.

According to ESPN's Alex Scarborough, the senior declared for the NFL draft on Wednesday.

"The senior from Louisiana could have played one more year in college by using the free year of eligibility afforded to athletes because of COVID-19 disruptions in 2020, but he chose instead to declare for the draft in a message he posted to Twitter," Scarborough wrote.

Mathis posted career-highs in tackles (50), tackles for loss (10.5) and sacks (9.0) during the 2021 season. Across his 46 career games, Mathis recorded 129 tackles, 16.0 tackles for loss and 10.5 sacks.

The 2022 NFL Draft is scheduled for April 28 through April 30.

Victor Barbosa

Victor Barbosa is a passionate follower of MLB, the NBA and NFL, with a deep interest in Boston-area teams. He graduated from Springfield College -- The Birthplace of Basketball -- in 2013 with a degree in Communications-Sports Journalism. Previous bylines include FanSided, Heavy and Syracuse

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