kiper said as good as pollack....roth is a late first he thought.
high motor tough blue chip guy saban played against.....awesome immediate impact
capable of olb in 3-4 also
Overview: Matthew Roth is regarded as one of the premier pass rushers in the collegiate ranks and one of the toughest players in the country. He is a blue-chip prospect with a blue-collar work ethic. Roth is a colorful character who plays the game as if he is on a "search and destroy" mission. He is the source of a campus urban legend, as many Hawkeyes talk of the time Roth challenged and cleared out an entire bar in a fight. Even in practices, the coaches have to pray he stays under control. They will generally blow the whistle early on plays, so Roth does not hurt any of the offensive players. There are times where he plays with such intensity in practices that the coaches must sit him down, even for walk-throughs. Roth was a standout linebacker and fullback at Willowbrook (Ill.) High. He was a consensus All-State pick and named Illinois High School Athlete of the Year by the Chicago Tribune as a senior, totaling 161 tackles with four sacks, 23 stops for losses, 10 forced fumbles and a state-record 12 blocked kicks. He also scored four times while gaining 307 yards rushing. Roth began his Iowa career as a middle linebacker, recording 19 tackles (12 solo) in 12 games as a reserve in 2001. He shifted to the defensive line in 2002, as the coaches felt he played with too much reckless abandon to be effective as a linebacker. Roth responded to the move by recording 48 tackles (22 solo) with 10 sacks, 11 stops behind the line of scrimmage and 11 quarterback pressures, despite starting only one game. Roth took over left end duties in 2003, collecting 51 tackles (32 solo) with 12 sacks, 16 stops for losses and four forced fumbles. Only Leroy Smith (18 in 1991) had more sacks in a season for the Hawkeyes. With an addional 10 pounds of muscle on his frame in 2004, Roth put together a banner senior season, earning All-American honors. He ranked fourth in the Big 10 Conference with eight sacks and registered 15 stops for losses (sixth in the Big 10), eight pressures and 49 tackles (34 solo) while leading the conference with three forced fumbles. In 49 games, he started 25 times, recording 167 tackles (100 solo) with 23 quarterback pressures, thirty sacks for minus-192 yards, 43 stops for losses of 224 yards, eight forced fumbles, a fumble recovery and a pass deflection. His 30 career sacks rank third in school history, topped only by Mike Wells (33, 1990-93) and Jared DeVries (42, 1995-98). Only Wells (54) and DeVries (78) registered more tackles behind the line of scrimmage in a career for the Hawkeyes.