Giants Player Profile | Matt Peart, OT
2019 Season Rewind
Matt Peart started 12 games at right tackle for the Huskies in 2019 and was named First-Team American-Athletic Conference.
After being redshirted as a freshman, Peart went on to start all 48 games of his career on the offensive line playing both tackle positions and guard.
Peart finished his final collegiate campaign by participating in the Senior Bowl, which impressed scouts with his athleticism and mobility. This helped solidify his projection as a future NFL starter in the eyes of many experts.
The offensive tackle was invited to the NFL Combine in February, where he put on a more than solid showing running a 5.06 40-yard dash and putting up 26 reps on the bench press.
Following the combine, Peart opted to enroll in Parisi Speed School in New Jersey to work on his footwork and agility before his pro day, which was later canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Jamaican-born, Bronx native showed improvement on the field, has a very high ceiling, and promising work ethic, which ultimately paid off for him in this year’s draft as the Giants selected him in the third round. But there is some question as to how close he is to being ready for full-time starter duty as a rookie.
Looking Ahead
With Andrew Thomas and Nate Solder projected as the starting offensive tackles in 2020, Peart seems destined to spending a year in development so he can get his toolbox up to speed for the NFL.
The hope is that Giants offensive line coach Marc Colombo will be able to help polish Peart into a capable starter to where come 2021, he'll be more up to speed and in a better position to compete for a starting job. In the meantime, Peart will also need to fill out some more as he is said to have a “skinny frame,” due to his lanky body type.
Despite needing to bulk up, Peart’s massive size at 6”7, 320 pounds, along with his incredible length, make him a strong candidate to develop as an edge protector.
Barring any unforeseen changes, Solder could be a candidate to become a cap casualty in 2021 as he is due to make $13.5 million and would only create a $6.5 million dead cap figure if released.
If Peart proves he is ready, he is the obvious choice to replace Solder in the starting lineup at right tackle, with fellow draftmate Andrew Thomas playing opposite of him on the left side.
Former NFL scout Jim Nagy even went as far to say that Peart is a better athlete than Thomas and might be a better fit for left tackle in the long run. Nagy praised Peart’s tremendous upside as it’s not often teams find that type of talent in the third round, according to the former scout.
While Peart certainly has a lot to improve on before he is fully ready to be a starter at the next level, Giants brass, and its coaching staff has faith that he will develop into a mainstay on their offensive line for many years to come.
Peart seems to have a good head on his shoulders and has proven he is willing to put in the work. If this attitude translates over to his professional career, we should be hearing his name a lot in the future.
