Matt Peart
Offensive Tackle / UConn
Ed Hunt: How did you feel about your weigh-in numbers. Is it what you wanted?
Matt Peart: Most definitely. After talking to everybody. They really want me to be in the 305-310 range and then I weighed in at 310. With that extra weight, it’s something that I am proud of.
Ed Hunt: How do you feel about being a UConn guy coming in here playing with the best. Is this a big adjustment or is this what you are used to?
Matt Peart: With everything, you have to understand that this is upper echelon talent. Across the country, this is something that I want to show that I have the right to be here. I’m excited and looking forward to it because it’s a great group of guys and I’m just really looking forward to full team practice after this.
Ed Hunt: Has your agent told you that you could be a first-round pick?
Matt Peart: He has, but I need to do everything I need to do in order to get style points, so the onus is on me.
Ed Hunt: What have the scouts been telling you?
Matt Peart: The scouts just want to see me come out here and compete and showcase my skillset and just prove that I have the right to be here.
Ed Hunt: What are your strengths?
Matt Peart: I really think I have a good solid first-step.
Ed Hunt: Why didn’t you play left tackle at UConn?
Matt Peart: My first two years, I played left and my last two years I played right. When I made the switch, it was because they thought I would be a better right tackle and they thought I would be the best run blocking lineman at times.
Ed Hunt: What are you working on the most here in Mobile?
Matt Peart: Being a better student of the game. Having the experience to go in front of NFL head coaches. Just trying to take in as much information as I can.
Ed Hunt: Are you a student of the game?
Matt Peart: Yes, I am. With that being said, I am willing to put in the effort. I feel like I have so much more. I feel like I have so much more to give to the game and so much to learn from it.
Ed Hunt: Coming out of high school, did you get any offers from any big schools?
Matt Peart: UConn was my biggest offer. SUNY, Albany, offered me first. And then the day I committed to UConn, UNH offered me.
Ed Hunt: Are you from New England?
Matt Peart: I live in New York City. It’s technically New England, but not New England.
Ed Hunt: I’m just trying to understand the reason you didn’t go to a bigger school. Did you go to a small high school or something?
Matt Peart: I started the whole process pretty late. Like I said, I started playing my junior year. I only went to like two camps. My name wasn’t really out there. My high school was a total of 400 kids. It was a small high school. And those two things played into it. I love being a UConn Husky and I played alright for them and ended up here. I’m not trying to diminish what happened, but I’m really proud of our team.
Ed Hunt: What other sports did you play in high school?
Matt Peart: In high school, I played basketball. I ran track for a little bit, but as I got bigger, I couldn’t keep up with it. I couldn’t keep up all those shifty moves. I also played lacrosse as well.
Ed Hunt: You played lacrosse?
Matt Peart: Yes, sir!
Ed Hunt: Sounds like a Patriots player, right?
Matt Peart: (laughing).
Ed Hunt: Do scouts say you are a right tackle or a guard or a left tackle?
Matt Peart: Right now, they have me at right tackle. They’ve moved me to guard. I’m kind of looking forward to the mentality of buying into the culture which means doing what you have to do to benefit the team. If they put me into this position, then they have the belief that I can do it and just give my all for the team.
Ed Hunt: Was there a big weight gain going into college? I know you said you started the process late.
Matt Peart: Yeah, I came into college at 264 pounds and then around at the end of my freshman year, I put on 40 pounds of good weight. At that point, I wanted to be a dominant player and be a better student of the game and that’s just something I got into.
