5 things to know about new 49ers DE Yetur Gross-Matos

The 49ers added some depth to the defensive end position Monday, agreeing to terms with former Carolina Panthers edge defender Yetur Gross-Matos.

Gross-Matos, who joined the Panthers as a second-round draft selection out of Penn State in 2020, agreed to a two-year deal worth as much as $18 million, according to reports. Gross-Matos, 26, became the second defensive end the 49ers came to terms with on Monday, joining veteran Leonard Floyd, who agreed to a two-year, $20 million deal earlier in the day.

In Gross-Matos, the 49ers will be adding a player who may be starting to realize his potential after some ups and downs over his first three seasons with the Panthers. Here are some things to know about Gross-Matos as he begins his time in the Bay Area.

Shaped and motivated by a tragic past

Gross-Matos experienced two devastating family tragedies when he was a young boy. On May 7, 2000, when Gross-Matos was two years old, he, his two siblings; his mother, Sakinah; his father, Michael Gross; and Sakinah's father-in-law, Chester, were all on a boat near Chesapeake Bay in Maryland. Gross-Matos fell off the boat, which caused Michael and Chester to dive into the water to save him. Michael was able to reach his son and hand him to Chester, who swam him back to the boat. But Michael fell victim to the water and drowned.

Then, on June 3, 2009, Gross-Matos' older brother Chelal died after being struck by lightning on a baseball field.

Those tragedies have stayed with Gross-Matos throughout his life and motivated him to forge a successful football career.

"I think about the people that I lost in my life every day," Gross-Matos told the York Dispatch in 2020. "It's been my motivation since I was a young kid. So that's kind of pushing me to get to the point where I'm at, and I know it's only going to continue to motivate me further. But I never let those things go. Those memories are going to last me a lifetime."

Sports as a bond

Sakinah eventually got re-married to Rob Matos, who would become the adoptive father to Yetur and his siblings. Rob, who played baseball and basketball in college, helped integrate sports into Yetur's life. Rob introduced Yetur to football before his freshman season in high school and helped coach him into a highly-touted defensive line prospect.

"He was always right there beside me and he's always had my back," Yetur said of Matos in a 2020 interview with ESPN. "When I think of a father, I think of a backbone, always there to support me and at the same time the foundation of who I am."

Still, Gross-Matos hasn't forgotten the sacrifice of Michael, even though he never got the opportunity to know him.

"I just know if he didn't jump into that water to save me, I wouldn't be here right now," Gross-Matos told ESPN. "I'm still breathing because of him. I definitely see it as a sacrifice, and I'm eternally grateful."

He came a long way in a short time

Gross-Matos was a raw player early in his career, but he went from being "not good enough to play in games" to being rated as a top 150 recruit nationally by Rivals.com after a high school career at Fredericksburg (Va.) Chancellor, where he totaled 272 tackles, 37 sacks, and six forced fumbles in three seasons. As a high school senior, Gross-Matos racked up 130 tackles, 18.5 sacks, and 21 tackles for loss. After signing with Penn State in 2017, Gross-Matos went on to total 111 tackles and 19 sacks in three seasons before declaring for the NFL Draft as a junior. Gross-Matos was a first-team All-Big Ten selection in his final season with the Nittany Lions.

A highly-touted prospect

Gross-Matos was projected by some to be a first-round pick in the 2020 NFL Draft. He did not participate in any running drills during the NFL Scouting Combine (DraftScout.com lists his best 40 time at 4.61) but he put up some measurements in other areas that caught some attention. Gross-Matos posted a vertical jump of 34 inches and a broad jump of 10 feet at the NFL Scouting Combine and was measured at 6-5, 266 with a wingspan of 82 1/4 inches.

NFL.com analyst Lance Zierlein called Gross-Matos an "ascending 4-3 defensive end who should go from good size to imposing frame as he fills out his power-forward body type. He isn't overly twitchy but impressive length, fluidity and short-area athleticism allow him consistent work-arounds against opposing blockers. He's average at the point of attack by NFL standards, but that should change with additional strength work and more efficient hand usage. The rush toolbox is only halfway full, but it's just a matter of time before his spin move and a speed-to-power charge become part of a diversified attack. Gross-Matos should be an early starter, but when the power and skill catch up with the athleticism, look for him to become one of the more productive defenders in the league."

A position switch helped him in 2023

Gross-Matos totaled 142 tackles and 13 sacks in his four seasons with the Panthers, which saw him start 32 out of 55 games. Gross-Matos was viewed in some circles as a disappointment after his 2022 season, but he found a spark in 2023 after being moved to 3-4 outside linebacker by newly-hired defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero.

It took Gross-Matos some time to catch on, but he began to impress after getting his feet wet at the position.

"He's never played standing up. He's always played with his hands down, so that's not unnatural at all for that to happen," Evero said in October of 2023, per Panthers.com. "But where I've been really pleased with him is that he's worked through it. He never got down about it. He was upbeat; he was positive. And he knew that if he worked (and) prepared that it would eventually come around. And it has."

Former teammate Brian Burns, who was traded from the Panthers to the Giants just hours before Gross-Matos agreed to terms with the 49ers, said the move was a positive one that put Gross-Matos back in a natural place.

"Yetur always had it; like, there's no surprise to me that he's rushing well," Burns said, per Panthers.com. "In prior years, he's been put in difficult positions to have a lot of sack success. … But now, I think he's back into his true position of being on the edge. He's able to use his strength and athleticism."

With defensive ends Chase Young, Randy Gregory, and Clelin Ferrell heading towards free agency, it appears likely that Floyd and Gross-Matos will carry on much of the load at the defensive end spot opposite Nick Bosa for the 49ers in 2024.