Syracuse offensive lineman Matthew Bergeron answers a question at the NCAA college football Atlantic Coast Conference Media Days in Charlotte, N.C., Wednesday, July 20, 2022. NFL draft guru Daniel Jeremiah doesn't see Canadian tackle Bergeron waiting too long to hear his name called in this year's NFL draft. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP/Nell Redmond
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Atlanta Falcons selected Canadian offensive tackle Matthew Bergeron in the second round of the NFL draft Friday night.
Atlanta made a deal with the Indianapolis Colts to move up and select Bergeron with the seventh pick of the second round, No. 38 overall.
The 23-year-old native of Victoriaville, Que., played his college football at Syracuse and became the first Canadian selected in this year’s draft. The six-foot-five, 322-pound Bergeron started 11 games last season and served as a team captain.
Bergeron allowed just four sacks in 686 snaps and was penalized three times. He was a 2022 second team All-ACC and AP All-ACC second team selection.
The burly Canadian anchored an offensive line that helped running back Sean Tucker gain more than 1,000 yards and become the first player in school history to record consecutive 1,000-yard seasons as well as 250-plus receiving yards.
Bergeron was invited to both the Senior Bowl and NFL combine during the off-season.
Bergeron made 39 career starts at tackle at Syracuse and was the top-ranked player in the CFL’s spring scouting bureau of the top-20 prospects for the May 2 draft. Bergeron became the first freshman to start at tackle for the Orange in nearly 20 years.
He came into the NFL draft as the top Canadian prospect, garnering a grade as an eventual plus starter. Bergeron had a 30.5-inch vertical leap and eight-foot-seven broad jump at the NFL combine and ended up ranked eighth among offensive tackles there.
The scouting report on Bergeron said while he was a college tackle, he could end up being a guard in the NFL. Scouts felt he was evenly proportioned and wore his weight well and many were impressed with his run-blocking (which had been described as Pro Bowl-calibre) and his ability to excel in positioning, sustaining and then finishing.
But while Bergeron also received solid grades for his athleticism, there were concerns his ability to consistently anchor as well as with his hand placement. Scouts also cited inconsistent footwork while getting into his pass sets and that Bergeron sometimes gives up too much ground while being bull-rushed by defensive linemen.
While many feel his issues can be corrected with NFL coaching, they might result in his being moved inside as a pro.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 28, 2023.
