DJ Matthews was ready to take a big step up for Indiana this past season after playing three seasons for Florida State. Mathews was coming into his best throughout his collegiate career until he tore his ACL in Week 5 of the 2021 season.

After some recovery time and rehab, Matthews is excepted to be ready for Week 1 of the 2022 season, according to Jared Kelly of 247Sports.

Last season, Matthews produced 13 receptions for 165 yards in 5 games. He accumulated 84 receptions for 809 yards and 5 touchdowns in 3 seasons with Florida State.

He is set to be a vital member on and off the field for Indiana in the 2022 season. Indiana head coach Tom Allen talked extensively about Matthew’s road to returning to the field:

“Yeah, he’s expected to be ready for Week 1,” Allen said Friday in a press conference. “After the first practice when we came back together as a staff, the general consensus, we were like, ‘Wow, boy, did we sure miss DJ last year.’ He didn’t get to play very many games, so you kind of forget how good he really was.

“He didn’t practice in the spring, obviously, coming off that injury. So it’s still a progression you go through with everything, and more than anything, it’s just the load that he’s able to handle.

“He’s just a special player. He’s got really, really special ball skills, he knows how to get open, got a lot of moxie and savvy and toughness to him. So just a really, really good football player.”