Matt Waletzko grew up in a small town. He went to a small school. He’s used to being slept on. But now, ahead of the 2022 NFL Draft, people are starting to learn Waletzko’s name. And he’s proving himself on the big stage. In the words of Waletzko himself, “the good ones do rise.” And Waletzko’s ascent is just getting started.
Growing up in central Minnesota
Hailing from Cold Spring, Minnesota, Waletzko got his start in the Land of 10,000 Lakes. In the heart of Minnesota, there are rivers, lakes, rolling fields, and forests. But football is also a pretty big deal. As far as Waletzko can remember, it’s been a part of his life.
“[Cold Spring] was kind of a sports town. So I mean, whatever sports season’s going on, the town’s revolving around it. I just can remember back — I was probably seven or eight years old — going down to the varsity football games and shaking [players’] hands as they came out of the locker room, playing two-hand-touch at halftime. I just fell in love with it, being able to have that connection right in front of me.”
Waletzko was a big kid, and as he grew older, he only got bigger. He played football at Rocori High School and started going to football camps just after his sophomore season. The experience was enlightening, but interest was hard to come by at times. So Waletzko had to take the lone offer that came to him.
“I went to the North Dakota State [camp],” he said. “Wisconsin, Iowa, a lot of the Missouri Valley Conference ones, like Northern Iowa. And then that summer, going into my senior year at the North Dakota camp, they gave me a scholarship offer, and they were actually my only scholarship offer. I had walk-on offers from a couple of other FCS schools, but nothing scholarship-wise. So it was pretty clear where I was going to go.”
Perfecting his game and persevering at North Dakota
Waletzko’s journey to North Dakota took him one state over and three hours west to Grand Forks. Mentally, he was ready to take the next step in his development. But physically, he had to reshape himself to compete at the highest level.
“In my later years in high school, I had a lot of the baby fat,” Waletzko said. “My first year [at North Dakota], I was 320, and then at fall camp, I just shed like 15 pounds. The workouts in college and nutrition and everything, it just kind of helps shape your body. But I really made an emphasis for myself to change my body, because I knew playing in that division, we had to be able to move, had to be agile, have strength, have good feet. And I just felt like I wasn’t at that point with the weight I was at coming in. So I made the changes.”
Waletzko was proactive in improving his form, and he quickly gathered results from that process. In his second year, he dropped to 295 pounds and started putting weight back on the right way, with good nutrition, exercise, and weight goals. Waletzko was back up to 310 pounds at the Senior Bowl, but it’s a different kind of weight. Now, Waletzko feels like he’s worked up to that number the right way.
“I feel really good right now. Just with my frame, I think I have room for more. Ultimately, being at that 312, 315, maybe even 320, when I get in the NFL, I think will be a good number for me.”
A momentum-halting injury in 2019
Waletzko didn’t expect to play in Year 1. Not only did he appear, however, but Waletzko also started the final five games of the season at left tackle. He went on to start the first six games of the 2019 season, well on his way to becoming one of the best offensive linemen in the league. But six games in, a season-ending injury halted his advance.
Injuries are draining, but they happen in football. Playing in the trenches, Waletzko understands more than most how violent of a sport it is. But for Waletzko, dwelling on the circumstances doesn’t solve anything. You just put your head down and keep moving.
“I think getting through that was motivation for me because you really have one of two options,” he said. “You can either look at the injury as an opportunity to get better at things that maybe you’re not good at, or you can just feel bad for yourself. So I think I really used it as an opportunity to kind of grow my leadership style. I used that time to help other guys, use my voice, and do whatever I could to benefit the team in the long run.”
Even to where he is today, Waletzko says that by using the injury as an opportunity, he was able to grow out of his shell and start leading by example. While never ideal, that injury helped make him stronger today.
Rebounding with All-MVFC honors in 2020 and 2021
Waletzko used the injury to sharpen his mind and his process off the field. And when he was finally back to 100%, he charged forward with a full head of steam. In a truncated 2020 season, Waletzko started all seven games, earning second-team All-MVFC honors. And in 2021, he dominated the left side for most of the season.
A minor upper body injury took Waletzko out of the last few games in 2021. However, the North Dakota offensive tackle still earned first-team All-MVFC recognition alongside fellow 2022 NFL Draft prospects like Northern Iowa’s Trevor Penning and North Dakota State’s Cordell Volson.
“It definitely meant a lot,” Waletzko said of his success. “It was a goal for myself coming into the year, to kind of solidify myself and make a name for myself throughout the whole FCS. That conference is just loaded with talent across the board. Every team has really good talent. It was just such an honor to be able to play in that conference. Being alongside a list of those top names definitely meant a lot.”