MB #91

Matthew Butler

Defensive Tackle · Tennessee

A five-year Tennessee Volunteer who turned a violent get-off and combative hands into a fifth-round selection, Matthew Butler has carved out a career as a rotational interior lineman.

Matthew Butler is a defensive tackle who spent five seasons at Tennessee before starting his pro career with the Las Vegas Raiders. He has bounced through several roster transactions since, now working to establish himself in Miami's interior defensive line rotation.

★ Fifth-round pick, No. 175 overall, 2022 NFL Draft

★ SEC Academic Honor Roll and CoSIDA Academic All-America selections at Tennessee

★ 152 career tackles and 9.5 sacks across 52 games at Tennessee

Path to the league

Butler played five seasons at Tennessee from 2017 to 2021, appearing in 52 games with 25 starts under three different head coaches. His breakout came as a senior, when he posted career highs of 47 tackles, 8.5 tackles for loss and five sacks. The Las Vegas Raiders selected him in the fifth round, 175th overall, in the 2022 NFL Draft.

Career highlights

Over 52 games at Tennessee, Butler totaled 152 tackles and 9.5 sacks. He was also recognized off the field, earning multiple selections to the SEC Academic Honor Roll and CoSIDA Academic All-America teams while majoring in political science. In the pros, he made his NFL debut in Week 3 of the 2022 season with the Raiders, splitting time between the active roster and practice squad in his early years.

2025 season recap

Miami claimed Butler off waivers from Las Vegas on May 13, 2025, and he re-signed with the Dolphins in March 2026. Through the 2024 season he had accumulated 15 total tackles and 0.5 sacks in his NFL career, and he continues to work as a depth piece along Miami's defensive interior.