Dan Matha

The Cincinnati Bengals will give McDowell graduate Dan Matha the chance to fulfill his NFL dream.

(Update: Check out today’s Erie Times-News story.)

The Bengals invited Matha, who completed his career at Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 2012, to their Riverfront Indoor Training Facility for a three-day tryout that begins Thursday. At 6 feet 7 inches, 310 pounds, he’s expected to show off his skills as an offensive lineman.

He is the second former Erie County high school football star who will get a shot in the NFL this year. General McLane and University of Connecticut graduate Blidi Wreh-Wilson was picked by the Tennessee Titans in the third round of the recent NFL Draft. Titans rookie minicamp is scheduled to open Friday.

Pittsburgh, Cleveland and Baltimore, Cincinnati’s AFC North Division rivals, also showed interest in Matha as a rookie free agent since the conclusion of the April’s NFL draft. However, Matha said talks between his agent and those teams broke down at various points.

Matha originally was attended the University of Pittsburgh but transferred to Division II IUP in 2010. He went on to receive various all-PSAC and All-America honors for his line play with the Crimson Hawks.

It’s been nine years since an Erie-area player was selected in the NFL Draft.

Blidi Wreh-Wilson

Connecticut and General McLane graduate Blidi Wreh-Wilson hopes to change that this week. The 6-foot 1-inch, 195-pound cornerback is projected as a first-, second-, or third-round selection.

Cathedral Prep and Iowa standout Bob Sanders was the last Erie-area athlete to have his named called in the draft. Sanders was picked by the Indianapolis Colts in the second round of the 2004 draft (44th overall).

McDowell graduate and Indiana (Pa.) offensive lineman Dan Matha (6 feet 7 inches, 315 pounds) also has a chance to be selected.

The area hopefuls were featured in the Erie Times-News Sunday. Also, check out more on Erie’s draft history here.

Dan Matha

Dan Matha, a former standout lineman at McDowell, was scheduled to participate in a pro day workout at Duquesne University today.

Matha, a 6-foot 7-inch 315-pound offensive tackle, closed his college career with Indiana (Pa.) after orginally attending Pitt.

Among the teams reported to be sending officials to the Duquesne pro day were the Pittsburgh Steelers, Buffalo Bills, Cleveland Browns, San Francisco 49ers, Green Bay Packers, Kansas City Chiefs and Carolina Panthers.

In his high school days, Matha was a standout athlete at McDowell before going to Pitt./Photo by Jack Hanrahan/Erie Times-News

Transferred. Injured. Ineligible.

Senior right tackle Dan Matha has had his share of obstacles, but is once again a force on the field in helping No. 22-ranked Indiana (Pa.) boast one of the top rushing teams in NCAA Division II.

” It’s a great feeling,” Matha said. “It’s been a lot of bumps along the way. Haven’t always been healthy. So to finally be healthy. It’s a weight off my shoulders.

“To be able to play and do the things I know I’m capable of doing. Not really being hindered by an injury or pain or anything, it’s long overdue.”

With the 6-foot, 7-inch, 290-pound Matha helping clear space to run free, the Crimson Hawks (5-1, 2-1 PSAC West) are seventh nationally in rushing and have the nation’s second-leading rusher in senior Harvie Tuck.

“We vote every week in the offensive meeting room which side of the line did better,” Tuck said. “The right side has been getting a lot of wins. Probably four out of the six weeks, they’ve won and I think part of it is because of Dan.”

It wasn’ t that long ago Matha, an McDowell High graduate, was at Pitt wondering if he’d ever become healthy enough to even compete for a starting spot, let alone play.

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