[FONT=Arial, sans-serif] [/FONT]Waletzko is UND's first participant in the Senior Bowl since Jim Kleinsasser in 1999.
Former UND offensive lineman Matt Waletzko poses with UND offensive coordinator Danny Freund on Wednesday, Feb. 3, at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala.
Submitted photo.
By Tom Miller
February 04, 2022 10:26 AM
GRAND FORKS — Former UND tackle Matt Waletzko is one of the few FCS players at this week's Senior Bowl, the premier college football showcase event.
Coming from the FCS, Waletzko is practicing this week alongside plenty of players ranked ahead of him in NFL Draft projections.
UND offensive coordinator Danny Freund, though, said Waletzko is opening up the eyes of NFL scouts this week in Mobile, Ala.
Freund is in Mobile this week to support Waletzko, a 6-foot-7 All-American and four-year starter for the Fighting Hawks.
"Matt is closing the gap on some of these guys," Freund said. "These teams know they have to get him in and have him develop, but there's so much upside with the long arms and the athleticism.
"I don't think some people expected him to do much, but I'm hearing he's opened up some eyes. That's what you want from these events. You want to be trending upward."
Freund attended Wednesday's practice, which was held at an indoor facility on the campus of South Alabama due to rain in Mobile.
"Matt had a really good day (Wednesday)," Freund said. "From the people I've talked to, he's got better every day which is what they want to see from a smaller school guy. Some were saying he was the best offensive lineman there at (Wednesday) practice."
Waletzko missed UND's final two games of the 2021 season with an upper-body injury but Waletzko has shown the injury isn't hampering him at practice.
In addition to his showing at the Senior Bowl, Waletzko will have an opportunity to impress at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis in early March.
The Senior Bowl is an invite-only showcase of the top upperclassman prospects in the country, with more than 100 prospects split into two teams.
The National team is coached by the New York Jets staff, while the American team is coached by the Detroit Lions. The game is at 1:30 p.m. Saturday on NFL Network.
Waletzko, of Rocori High School, is on the National team. At practice, he's gone up against a fellow Minnesota native in practice in Boye Mafe, an edge rusher who attended Hopkins High School and then the University of Minnesota.
Former UND offensive lineman Matt Waletzko poses with UND offensive coordinator Danny Freund on Wednesday, Feb. 3, at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala.
Submitted photo.
By Tom Miller
February 04, 2022 10:26 AM
GRAND FORKS — Former UND tackle Matt Waletzko is one of the few FCS players at this week's Senior Bowl, the premier college football showcase event.
Coming from the FCS, Waletzko is practicing this week alongside plenty of players ranked ahead of him in NFL Draft projections.
UND offensive coordinator Danny Freund, though, said Waletzko is opening up the eyes of NFL scouts this week in Mobile, Ala.
Freund is in Mobile this week to support Waletzko, a 6-foot-7 All-American and four-year starter for the Fighting Hawks.
"Matt is closing the gap on some of these guys," Freund said. "These teams know they have to get him in and have him develop, but there's so much upside with the long arms and the athleticism.
"I don't think some people expected him to do much, but I'm hearing he's opened up some eyes. That's what you want from these events. You want to be trending upward."
Freund attended Wednesday's practice, which was held at an indoor facility on the campus of South Alabama due to rain in Mobile.
"Matt had a really good day (Wednesday)," Freund said. "From the people I've talked to, he's got better every day which is what they want to see from a smaller school guy. Some were saying he was the best offensive lineman there at (Wednesday) practice."
Waletzko missed UND's final two games of the 2021 season with an upper-body injury but Waletzko has shown the injury isn't hampering him at practice.
In addition to his showing at the Senior Bowl, Waletzko will have an opportunity to impress at the NFL Combine in Indianapolis in early March.
The Senior Bowl is an invite-only showcase of the top upperclassman prospects in the country, with more than 100 prospects split into two teams.
The National team is coached by the New York Jets staff, while the American team is coached by the Detroit Lions. The game is at 1:30 p.m. Saturday on NFL Network.
Waletzko, of Rocori High School, is on the National team. At practice, he's gone up against a fellow Minnesota native in practice in Boye Mafe, an edge rusher who attended Hopkins High School and then the University of Minnesota.
