Quebec tackle Matthew Bergeron continues to earn points with NFL decision makers. His week at the Senior Bowl is another successful step towards his dream.
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Bergeron spent the last few days in Mobile, Alabama for this grad game, which took place on Saturday afternoon.
Not only did he take part as a starter in the first series, but he also earned praise in the training sessions on the previous days.
The site theringer.com spoke of the representative of Syracuse University as the “worst kept secret in the NFL”.
Draft analyst Daniel Jeremiah, who aired the game on NFL Network, mentioned the former Filons du Cégep de Thetford Mines as a potential second-round pick in the draft, which will take place April 27-29.
“It was a great experience. I made new friends and met coaches from all over the place. I did well on the pitch. I think it was also important, apart from making good games and showing my personality to the teams. I’ve been able to measure myself against top-class players and I’m proud of what I’ve achieved,” Bergeron told the Journal in a post-match phone interview.
interview points
Although the American team he belonged to lost 27 to 10 against the national team, the young man from Victoriaville was able to live his experience to the full.
During the week in Alabama, Bergeron was able to meet the 32 NFL teams in 15-minute interviews.
“People have their own opinions on the pitch. People put a lot of value into the film and I know it did well, but I really feel like I got a lot of points in my interviews. The teams recognized that I am a sociable person and that I am valued by the people around me. It was only positive. It weighs a lot on the scales,” he said.
The likeable 6’5″, 323 lb athlete made no secret of the fact that the week had been both challenging and rewarding.
“I loved the experience with the boys and it ended well even though we lost. It’s been a long week and I’m exhausted physically and mentally. You always learn new things and the teams go into great detail in interviews to get to know you. Whether it’s playbook questions or even math, you have to be constantly vigilant,” he explained.
Blocker or Guardian?
Despite playing as a blocker his entire career, Bergeron completed a few reps as a guard this week. He expects to stay in his natural position on the next level, but he doesn’t close doors.
“When I spoke to NFL general managers and coaches, it came out that I’m seen more as a blocker than a guard. It’s still reassuring to me. I proved this week that I can arrive in a team and play anywhere.
“At the end of the day, I’ll play guard when a team drafts me in as a guard. It’s not a problem, even if I dream of playing blocker. All I can control is to be ready for both positions,” he said wisely.
A nice transition
In the end, Bergeron is proud of the work he has done and increasingly realizes that he has already gained a foothold in the NFL through meetings with coaches and general managers.
“Obviously it’s impressive at first, but once the conversation starts, you can see they’re people like you and me. You get used to that quickly. I’m not a college player anymore. I’m one of the drafted players and I train with players who have been or are part of the NFL. It’s becoming a habit.”