Matt Goncalves is perhaps the top Pitt prospect in the 2024 NFL Draft, and he’s trending upward despite a season-ending injury during his senior season.
CBS Sports rated Goncalves as the 84th-ranked recruit in the draft, which is a third-round grade, and Pro Football Network mocked him to the Cleveland Browns in the third round of a recent mock draft.
Pro Football Network’s Ian Cummings slated Goncalves to go to the Browns with the 91st pick in the draft, writing:
“An injury took Matt Goncalves off the field early, but he has starting upside with his athleticism, knee bend, hand power, and tenacity.”
Goncalves started all three games he played in last season, filling the crucial left tackle pivot, and he was expected to break out even further after a strong 2022 season.
Goncalves earned third-team All-ACC honors in 2022, taking 830 snaps last season, which only trailed Jake Kradel offensively, and he flashed the ability to play on either side of the line in the process.
He finished his career with appearances in 35 games (making 21 starts dating back to 2020), and his size (6-foot-6, 330 pounds) and versatility (able to play on the left and right side of the line) should entice scouts.
He earned a 71.9 PFF offensive grade last season, with 76.2 in pass blocking and a 67.2 in run blocking, in 830 snaps — starting all 13 games last season. According to PFF, he didn’t allow a sack while allowing five quarterback hits and 12 quarterback hurries. In 165 snaps this season, he allowed just four pressures and three hurries.
Goncalves would join the likes of Carter Warren (fourth round, 2023), Jimmy Morrissey (seventh round, 2021), Brian O’Neill (second round, 2018), Dorian Johnson (fourth round, 2017) and Adam Bisnowaty (sixth round, 2017) as Pitt offensive linemen to be selected over the last handful of NFL Drafts.
The 2024 NFL Draft is scheduled to begin on Thursday, April 25 and run through the weekend. This year’s venue is Ford Field in Detroit, Mich.
I thought Matt was a decent player here ,but 3rd rd to me is a little high , I hope I’m wrong