Willie Matthews III brings size, tackling pedigree, and up-the-middle juice to Southern’s linebacker room
Willie Matthews III is a 6-foot, 220-pound junior linebacker for Southern University, and he arrives with proven production from Lackawanna College, where in the 2022 season he posted 37 total tackles, 31 solo stops, 8 tackles for loss, and 3 sacks. His profile points to a downhill, physical defender with real backfield disruption ability, which fits a defense that wants edge-to-interior toughness from its second level. The big takeaway: he looks like a tone-setting, productive LB who can thump, trigger fast, and make plays behind the line—exactly the kind of blue-collar defender coaches love to scheme around.
