An invaluable opportunity at the Reese’s Senior Bowl
Waletzko knew he was being noticed, but he didn’t realize how many people had seen his play until one day after a late-season practice. His coach called him up in front of his teammates. A team captain, Waletzko was expecting to address his teammates. Then, his coach presented him with an invite to the Reese’s Senior Bowl.
“I had some people tell me that it might happen, might not, but you really never know,” he said. “Honestly, when he called me up, I didn’t know what was going on. But when he showed me [the invite], I was truly honored because that was my ultimate goal — to be able to play in that game to showcase my abilities. I honestly can’t thank Jim Nagy and that organization enough for allowing me to go down there, especially being from a smaller school.”
Not only did Waletzko show up at the Senior Bowl, but he proved that the moment — and the stage — wasn’t too big for him. Waletzko looked like he belonged, physically and mentally. For Waletzko, a great deal of preparation went into the event, as he did homework on his opponents. Going against college football‘s elite helped him play at his highest level.
“Me realizing that I’m from a smaller school and that these guys are the best kind of raises your level of competition,” Waletzko said. “I think that the good ones do rise. There’s a saying: ‘You rise to the level of your competition.’ I think that holds true. When you realize you got one of those guys across from you, you’re laser-focused, ready for the battle. I think it really helped me to have that mindset…I am from a smaller school, but it doesn’t matter. We’re all on the same playing field now.”
Matt Waletzko has a unique, potentially dominant skill set
Watching Waletzko, one of the first things that stand out is his size. The North Dakota tackle stands at a massive 6’7″, 310 pounds, with arms over 35 inches and a wingspan close to 86″. Waletzko is aware of how rare his length is. And he makes sure he uses it to his advantage.
“It’s a huge tool and a huge gift that I have. It holds up in a bunch of different scenarios. So if I’m pass setting, it’s just really important to know what my strengths are and what his strengths are. So if he’s a quicker guy off the edge, then you can maybe be more patient, rather than a guy who’s going to get in you faster and try to bull rush you. A big piece of advice that I’ve taken is just to get a lever, to get one hand on a guy, and just fight.”
Waletzko emphasized that plays take place over the span of just a few seconds. Having a wider frame and longer arms gives him more time and distance to work with. It also gives him a greater margin for error — though Waletzko aims to avoid errors altogether.
Trusting keys and traits in pass protection
Even with his traits, Waletzko makes sure to vary his approach based on who he’s facing. When asked how to identify keys in pass protection, Waletzko cites research as the most valuable tool and explains how situational awareness can come from that.
“You can tell a lot from a guy based on what he shows on tape and his kind of body style, like going through the Senior Bowl week,” he said. “Arnold [Ebiketie], he’s a quick-twitch player. He’s really explosive, fast. So I try to be more patient and kind of let him kind of dictate it. Because a lot of times, if you lunge out or try to reach out, these defensive players are way too good, and they’ll catch you slip. If you do get caught in that situation, you’re going to lose.”
It boils down to two lessons for Waletzko: 1) Just know who you’re going against, and 2) Always be ready for anything. He’s learned that from watching Andrew Whitworth, whom he tries to emulate.
“The thing I’ve learned from Andrew Whitworth is, when a guy is a quick-twitch player, he shuffles his feet, tries to match his feet with the defender’s feet so he can always stay in front of them,” Waletzko said. “Maybe it’s not him reaching out with his hands, but just trying to shuffle in front of him and do the same exact things that he’s doing, and kind of mirror him just so you can put yourself in the best situation to win.”
Using different stances based on situation
Waletzko understands how to alter his plan based on his opponent. But even more than that, he knows opponents are watching his film, trying to mine it for things to exploit. A lineman’s stance is one of those keys. Waletzko says three-point stances are more natural for running downs, while two-point stances are more natural for passing downs.
“Playing out of a two-point, your hands are up a little higher,” he said. “It allows you to uncoil them a little faster and get latched onto guys faster. Obviously, there’s different scenarios. What we were taught is, if we had a tight end to us, we’d go on a three-point no matter what. But if we had an open side, we could go two-point if we wanted to.
“You can mix it up whenever you want just to keep defenders on their toes because they’ll pick up on if you’re in a two-point in obvious passing situations, or if you’re in a three-point and just run situations. Just mix it up to keep the defenders guessing.”
Big things in store for the small-school prospect
Waletzko likes to fish in the offseason. His biggest fish ever was a 49.5-inch muskie. Waletzko talked about reeling it in — waiting a whole 10 minutes before setting the hook. Some people would get tired of waiting. But Waletzko showed the same kind of patience he shows in pass protection on the football field. And now, he has the muskie to brag about.
“Especially with muskies, it’s like one in 10,000 casts,” he said with a triumphant smile. “You’ll get a bite or get a fish. People fish the whole year and don’t catch a musky.”
You’d better believe Waletzko got a picture of it. But right now, Waletzko doesn’t have time to hit the lakes. After a strong Senior Bowl showing and with the Combine and pro days looming, it’s all football. And Waletzko still has that chip on his shoulder.
“The goal for me is just to make an impact right away with my team,” he said. “Do whatever I can. Battle for a spot, make the roster, and do whatever I can to better whatever organization I’m on.”
The leap to the NFL will present another step up for Waletzko. But at this point, he knows he’s well-equipped for the challenge. And he knows that, whatever they throw at him, he can match with the best he has to offer. Because the good ones do rise.
Waletzko doesn’t just know that — he’s lived it.