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Multiple NFL Draft predictors expect Pittsburgh offensive lineman Matt Goncalves from Manorville to be selected considerably high in the April draft.
Goncalves, who declared himself eligible for the draft last month after three seasons as a starter for the Panthers, is the 84th ranked prospect on the board, according to CBS Sports. NFLdraftbuzz.com places him at No. 102.
Most mock drafts have Goncalves, 22, being picked in the fourth round, which is good news for the left tackle’s bank account.
Consider that the highest fourth-round selection (103rd overall) earns nearly $5 million in total value, with an estimated signing bonus of about $850,000 and a cap of just shy of $1 million, Sportskeeda reports. The last pick in the fourth round can expect to earn about $4.3 million, with an estimated signing bonus of about $500,000 and a cap of just over $877,000.
In its latest projections, CBS Sports and profootballnetwork.com predict Goncalves will get drafted in the third round. Profootballnetwork.com notes that the Eastport-South Manor graduate “has starting upside with his athleticism, knee bend, hand power, and tenacity.”
In scouting reports, Goncalves earns high grades for his run and pass blocking.
“Fires off the snap quickly, and he shows the flexibility to get out and seal on reach blocks,” says NFLdraftbuzz.com. “He’s at his best, however, in the phone booth. With a thick build and a naturally wide base, he brings power and physicality in the run game.”
Furthermore, Goncalves “has the quickness to set up quickly with enough lateral shuffle to mirror and mobility to get to the second level” and “plays with natural leverage and has the strength to anchor against the bull rush.”
Goncalves developed a lot of his footwork playing basketball as a youth. He lettered four seasons on the basketball team at Eastport-South Manor.
He spent five seasons with Pittsburgh, serving as an anchor of the Panthers’ offensive line for much of the last four seasons. He was a team captain this fall, but a leg injury forced him to miss all but the first three games of the season.
Coming out of high school, Goncalves was the consensus No. 1 offensive line prospect in the state, according to the scouting services.
