Goncalves selected 79th overall by the Colts
Matt Goncalves became the first former Pitt player to be selected in the 2024 NFL Draft on Friday evening. Goncalves was picked in the third round by the Indianapolis Colts with the 79th overall pick. The 6-foot-6 and 330-pound offensive linemen leaves Pitt after making 24 starts over the past four seasons with the program.
Goncalves arrived at Pitt as a little-known prospect in the class of 2019. The Long Island native chose the Panthers over offers from Buffalo and Connecticut, but despite his modest recruitment, he quickly became a valuable asset to the program. Goncalves started three games at the tail end of the 2020 season and earned freshman All-American honors.
He then became a vital depth piece for the Panthers in the 2021 season and helped lead Pitt to its first-ever ACC Championship. He started five games that season, including the Panthers 45-24 title game triumph over Wake Forest.
Entering his junior season, Goncalves did not earn a starting job out of training camp, but like previous years, injuries placed him on the field early and often. He ultimately started all 13 games in 2022 working at both tackle spots, as Pitt secured a second consecutive top 25 finish with a 9-4 record. The Long Island native did not allow a sack and ended the year with third team all-conference recognition.
The 2023 season was supposed to be Goncalves’ best year at Pitt. He was a preseason All-ACC selection and was Pitt’s unquestioned top offensive linemen entering the year for the first time in his career, but he sustained a toe injury in the third game of the season against West Virginia. It was a setback that lingered for Goncalves.
He was invited to the NFL Combine and also the prestigious Senior Bowl after the season, but was unable to participate in either event. Goncalves finally got healthy ahead of Pitt’s pro day in March and was able to perform well enough to land a third round selection.
“I was confident in my athletic ability to come out here and perform,” Goncalves said after his pro day performance. “I really wanted to do it at the combine, but I couldn’t so I thought this would be the perfect time.”
Throughout his career, Goncalves showed plenty of versatility. He started at both left and right tackle, and that should be one of his better qualities as he begins his professional career. He joins a Colts team coming off of a 9-8 record and will be responsible for blocking for promising quarterback Anthony Richardson. Goncalves will also reunite with former Pitt assistant coach Charlie Partridge, who joined the Colts staff this past offseason.
The selection of Goncalves marks the 10th player from Pitt’s 2021 ACC title team to be drafted. This also marks the second consecutive year a Pitt linemen has been drafted, as he follows Carter Warren who went in the fourth round to the New York Jets last season.