PROVO – Why aren’t more people talking about Matt Bushman? The 6’5” TE from Tucson, AZ has made a big splash into the college football scene. Bushman has racked up some of the best numbers not only at BYU but in college football for a tight end. His 115 receptions, 1,576 yards, and 9 touchdowns position him in the top 15 tight ends of all time.
How is this so? Well, to put Bushman’s greatness into perspective, Rob Gronkowski had 75 catches, less than 1,200 yds and 16 TDs in his 20 career games at Arizona. Jason Witten, one of the best tight ends to play in the NFL, only had 68 receptions for 800 yds, and 7 TDs for the Tennessee Volunteers. Bushman is on record to break the lustrous goal of 2,000 receiving yards and another handful for TD’s this upcoming season with the Cougs.
What makes Bushman so good? First off, he is crazy athletic. Running a 4.72 forty time does not boost him as the fastest, but fast enough to create separation at the point of attack. Second is Bushman’s route running ability, one of the most gifted players on the Cougars roster allowing him to rack up more catches than anyone else on the team. Lastly Bushman has versatility to play on the outside, or in the slot. He is one of those guys too big for a defensive back to cover and too athletic for a linebacker to cover, a true mismatch at any point on the field.
Come fall 2020 in Provo, Bushman will be on his way to top ten, or even top 5 college football tight ends of all time.