University of Connecticut Athletics
Matt Peart is Ready to Take the Next Step of His Career
12/2/2019 11:58:00 AM | Football
Peart Honored as All-New England Selection
When the final whistle sounded in UConn's final game against Temple on Saturday, Matt Peart's college football career was officially over. The offensive tackle from Kingston, Jamaica, had completed his fifth season as a member of the Huskies, including a redshirt season in 2015.
Peart who has started all 48 of UConn's games in the last four seasons and was recently honored as an All-New England Team selection by the New England Football Writers Association, has become a model of consistency for UConn football. His career at UConn may now be over, but his football career is only just beginning.
Peart is a prospect in the upcoming 2020 NFL Draft. According to early projections, he could be selected anywhere from the sixth round all the way up to a top-100 selection in the second or third round. However, Peart says he never pays attention to things like that.
"The only reason I know about it is because people bring it up to me," Peart said. "I honestly keep my head clear of that type of stuff. At the end of the day, for me it's just speculation, nothing's set in stone. There's no guarantee that's gonna happen. I just have to understand that in order for me to make that happen, I just have to work hard."
That's exactly what Peart has done for the past four years: work hard. His hard work and dedication has not gone unnoticed by his coaches and teammates.
"Matt is a guy that really I think epitomizes what you're looking for in a student athlete at any college," head coach Randy Edsall said. "He's a good student, does things the right way. He's gotten better each and every year that I've been here, culminating to where right now he's playing the best football of his career."
"Ever since I got here, he's just been a leader," running back Kevin Mensah said. "He just has that knowledge. He just loves this game. You can see the work ethic that he has and everything he does off and on the field. It really impacts a lot of people on the team."
Mensah has been one of the beneficiaries of Peart's great, yet often overlooked, work on the offensive line. Mensah rushed for back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons behind offensive lines anchored by Peart. Mensah said Peart's experience allows him to be the leader of that unit.
"He has a huge affect [on the offensive line]," Mensah said. "They all gotta listen to him because he's been here for five years. So the fact he has all that experience, if I was on the offensive line, I would listen to Peart too."
Peart has already accepted his invitation to play in the Senior Bowl next month, which is one of the most prestigious postseason showcases for NFL prospects. The game will take place in Mobile, Alabama on Saturday, January 25th.
"It felt great," Peart said of his invitation to the Senior Bowl. "Just knowing all your hard work has paid off and you got the recognition from those people is pretty spectacular in my opinion. I'm just grateful for the opportunity. I'm excited about it."
Peart has played for multiple coaches (both Edsall and Bob Diaco) and at multiple positions (both left and right tackle) during his time at UConn. He said that he believes that versatility and unique experience makes him who he is as a player.
"If you put in perspective everything I've been through, it just shows that my love for football is real," Peart said. "It's like coming up every single day, grinding and being the same guy every single day. Every single down, I want to give 100% effort no matter what it is."
At 6-foot-7 and 300 pounds, Peart has the prototypical build for an NFL lineman, and with good technique to boot, Peart has what it takes to succeed at the next level. Edsall said that Peart hasn't "tapped out" his potential yet and Peart agrees. He is never satisfied with his performance and feels he can be better on every play.
"I feel like I'm my own worst critic," Peart said. "Like in the film room, coach will be like, 'That's a good block,' and I can find like 10 things I could've done better … That mentality got me to where I am today. That's what I'm gonna keep doing."
Peart will graduate next week with a degree in allied health sciences, concentrating on occupational therapy. After graduation, he will be training for the next stage of his career. He said he doesn't know where that will be yet, but he admits that he hopes it's someplace warm. Edsall said he believes that Peart's skills and hard work will set him up for long-term success both in football and in life.
"He's been a pleasure to deal with," Edsall said. "He's gonna be successful in whatever he does, whether it's on the football field or when his playing days are over. He'll be a success in life because he understands. He has the work ethic, he has the mentality. And he's a guy that will listen and do what you ask him to do because he wants to try to be the best he can be in everything he does."
