ESM alum drafted by the Colts

Matt Goncalves played for the University of Pittsburgh 

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Matt Goncalves, Manorville native and Eastport-South Manor 2019 alumnus who played ball at University of Pittsburgh, has now reached the highest level of the football world.

On the evening of April 26, Goncalves was drafted by the Indianapolis Colts in the third round. The University of Pittsburgh offensive tackle was the 15th pick of the third round and was selected 79th overall after the Colts traded three picks up with the Arizona Cardinals, where Indianapolis prior had the 82nd overall pick, to select the Manorville native.

The burly O-lineman Goncalves is 6 feet, 6 inches, 327 pounds, and made 24 starts in 38 games with the Pittsburgh Panthers in four seasons from 2020-2023. Goncalves recently received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Pittsburgh in administration of justice.

He was a team captain for Pittsburgh in 2023, but played in only three games due to a season-ending injury. In his collegiate career, Goncalves played left tackle, where he participated in 697 snaps in 11 starts on the offensive side of the ball, and right tackle, where the captain partook in 973 snaps (13 starts).

In four seasons of NCAA football, Goncalves only made four penalties, did not allow one sack in 2022 and 2023, and in his collegiate career allowed just three sacks in 900 passing block snaps. In 2022, his Pro Football Focus pass block grade was 76.2 and it was 77.3 the following year.

At the NFL Combine in March, Goncalves impressed, averaging 5.20 on the 40-yard dash, 2.99 on the 20-yard split, and 1.79 on the 10-yard split. The ESM grad has a wingspan of 81 and ¼ inches and an arm length of 33 and ¼ inches. 

After redshirting in 2019, in 2020 the Football Writers Association of America named Goncalves the honor of Freshman All-American. In 2022, he was selected to the All-ACC on the third team and was a member of the All-ACC Academic Football team.

In 2023, the ESM alumnus was named Preseason All-ACC Offensive Tackle and received the invite to play at the East-West Shrine Bowl.

Training camp begins in July, and Goncalves is both eager and delighted to suit up and wear the blue and white for the Colts this fall as he will use his O-line skills to protect quarterback Anthony Richardson and block for All Pro running back Jonathan Taylor.

There was a total of six native Long Islanders going to the NFL, three that were chosen in the 2024 NFL Draft.

The others are both running backs: Dylan Laube from Westhampton, who was selected by the Las Vegas Raiders, and Jawhar Jordan, who was drafted by the Houston Texans and whose hometown is Farmingdale. Three other Long Islanders were signed as undrafted free agents.

Tight end Messiah Swinson,  a Bay Shore native who attended LI Lutheran High School in Brookville, was signed by the Green Bay Packers; wide receiver JJ Laap, from Ward Melville, signed with the Los Angeles Rams; and running back Chris Collier, a Lawrence High School alumnus, signed with the Baltimore Ravens. 

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