Staff Report
Senior defensive tackle Demetrius Mason is taking his talents to the National Football League He signed as an undrafted free agent with the Arizona Cardinals Saturday after the NFL draft.
Mason, who transferred from Iowa Central Community College after playing two season there, played three seasons at Murray State.
Head Coach Mitch Stewart wrote that he remembers Mason when he first came to Murray State.
“I remember him being very raw. A very untapped talent,” Stewart wrote. “I think Coach Chris Boone did a wonderful job getting that potential out of him.”
During his first season as a Racer, Mason played in six games and had 11 unassisted tackles and six assisted tackles on the season. He had 3.5 tackles for a loss and combined for 28 yards on those tackles for the loss. He forced one fumble.
During Mason’s second season, he continued to grow, appearing in 10 games. He finished the 2014 season with a total of 39 tackles, 10 of those unassisted. Although Mason did not force any fumbles, he was able to recover two and deflected a pass during the season. He also finished off the year with 2.5 tackles for a loss, bringing his career total to six. Stewart wrote he found out he had the potential to be a good player.
“I think his responsibility to the position and to the craft increased,” Stewart wrote. “He realized he could be pretty good and really started taking the time to prepare.”
In Mason’s senior year his stats improved, as he competed in 11 games for the Racers. He finished last season with 21 solo tackles, 24 assisted tackles and a total of 45 tackles on the year. Mason also helped the Racers earn turnovers his senior season by forcing one fumble, recovering two fumbles and blocking a kick. Mason was able to score a touchdown his senior year, Stewart wrote.
Mason finished his career at Murray State playing in 27 games with 104 total tackles, four fumble recoveries, two forced fumbles and one touchdown.
The Arizona Cardinals rookie camp will be May 6-8 and will come before the team starts their organized team activities beginning May 17. Rookie camp will be the first time Mason will get a chance to showcase his skills with the other rookies the Cardinals drafted or signed.
“I am just excited he got an opportunity,” Stewart wrote. “I don’t know how it will all turn out…there are some really good players at the professional level…world class athletes. I am glad he got his degree, developed as a player and developed as a person.”
Stewart also wrote, “After that, it is all icing on top.”