Pitt cornerback Damarri Mathis plans to skip Peach Bowl

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Pitt cornerback Damarri Mathis plans to skip Peach Bowl

Jerry DiPaola | Friday, December 17, 2021 5:42 p.m.

Wake Forest wide receiver A.T. Perry is tackled by Pittsburgh defensive back Damarri Mathis during the first half of the Atlantic Coast Conference championship NCAA college football game Saturday, Dec. 4, 2021, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

Pitt lost another starter for the Chick-fil-A Peach Bowl on Friday when senior cornerback Damarri Mathis announced on Twitter his plans to skip the game and focus on preparing for the NFL Draft.

Mathis has been invited to the Senior Bowl next month, but he is not listed among ESPN Draft analyst Mel Kiper Jr.’s top 13 draft-eligible cornerbacks.

Mathis has been a solid player for the Panthers and a regular in the secondary for most of his five seasons at Pitt. He concludes his Pitt career after appearing in 49 games, with 25 starts. He missed the 2020 season with a nonfootball shoulder injury suffered prior to training camp.

Thank you Pittsburgh! ???????? pic.twitter.com/SOwwZdLPJZ

— Damarri〽️ (@Damarri15) December 17, 2021

After recovering, Mathis returned this season to start 13 games while recording two interceptions, including a pick-6 against New Hampshire. For his career, he picked off five passes.

Mathis is the second player to opt out of Pitt’s first major bowl game in 17 years. All-American quarterback Kenny Pickett also said he won’t play.

Pitt has good depth at cornerback, however, including junior Marquis Williams and sophomores A.J. Woods and M.J. Devonshire (Aliquippa).