Long Island was all smiles when they heard these memorable words on Friday night. "With the 79th pick in the 2024 NFL Draft the Indianapolis Colts select offensive tackle Matt Goncalves." Those words will now be forever entrenched into Long Island sports lore as the Suffolk native goes to the NFL.
The 6 foot 6, 330 pound tackle out of Pitt seemed to be the Colts target all along. Indianapolis traded up from the 82nd pick to the 79th, giving Arizona a 6th rounder to get their man. Goncalves is likely going to be a swing lineman for the Colts next season. He has experience at both tackle spots, playing 11 games at left tackle and 13 at right tackle, but can also move to the inside in the NFL. The Colts see him as an elite pass protector after he allowed just 3 sacks in 900 pass block attempts in college. And in fact, all 3 of those sacks came as a freshman, he didn't give up one since then.
Goncalves could get a chance to start at guard right away with Indy's young and improving offense, but should be there for good once they allow starter Fries walk after the 2025 contract. Goncalves missed most of last season due to an injury but scouts raved about the tape he was able to show when healthy and many believed if he was healthy he could have been as high as a first round pick. He becomes the 10th starter from Pitt's 2021 ACC Championship team to be drafted and the Manorville native assured his team that he is ready. “They won’t regret picking me, I promise you,” he said after being selected.