This summer, ESPN.com is taking a closer look at each scholarship player on the Oklahoma Sooners' roster in our Crimson Countdown series. Each day, we analyze each player’s impact on the program since arriving on campus, his potential impact this fall and his long-term projection. Starting with No. 1 Dominique Alexander, the series follows the roster numerically through No. 98 Chuka Ndulue.
No. 90 Matt Dimon, defensive end, 6-foot-2, 271 pounds, sophomore
Impact thus far: Dimon worked his way out of a redshirt season, playing in 12 games as a true freshman in 2013. He made the biggest impact of his career with a solid showing against Kansas, recording two tackles and adding a blocked punt against the Jayhawks.
Impact in 2014: Dimon is one of the reasons the Sooners could have one of the deeper defensive lines in the Big 12. Rarely talked about, Dimon is solid and relentless from his defensive end spot, providing another quality option in OU’s defensive line rotation. He should be a contributor this fall.
Long term upside: Expect him to be a key contributor in OU’s defense for the next three seasons.
Evaluation grade for Dimon: B. He hasn’t turned it into consistent on-field production yet but all signs point to Dimon being a terrific evaluation. He’s taken the right approach since he stepped on campus and has a great mindset that will make him an asset for years to come.
Development grade for Dimon: B. Normally Dimon’s five-tackle freshman season would be looked upon as a waste of a year but he brought a different option to the table at defensive end and saw significant time as a backup defensive end which could help him expand his role this fall. Even though he finished with single digit tackles, he saw more time on the field than his numbers would signify.
