Cinnaminson Native Could Hear Name Called At NFL Draft

CINNAMINSON, NJ — When he was a little kid, no one expected Matt Gono would one day play football in the NFL. It would’ve been a huge stretch, since he didn’t play football. That changed during his senior year at Cinnaminson High School.

That was when he first met Cinnaminson football coach Mario Patrizi, who approached the 225-pound Liberian native and asked him if he had ever played football. When he said he only played soccer and basketball, Patrizi told him, “No more of that,” according to the Courier Post. Gono wanted to play tight end, but Patrizi put him at tackle, and he was starting by his junior year, according to the report.

After he graduated in 2014, he went off to Wesley College, where he was named the team’s “rookie of the year” after playing in all 14 games as a freshman, according to the school’s website. He was first-team all-conference and an all-East Region player as a sophomore, and started all 12 games as junior.

He is now on the verge of a professional career. He recently worked out with the Super Bowl Champion Philadelphia Eagles, a team he cheered for growing up and “went nuts for” when he was watching them win the Super Bowl in February, according to philly.com.

The NFL Draft began Thursday night in Dallas, and Gono's name wasn't called on the first night. He is projected to go in the sixth or seventh round on Saturday, according to nfl.com. According to his profile on the league’s website:

“Gono has long arms and possesses the desired physical traits teams covet from small-school, developmental prospects. He overwhelmed inferior competition with his size and talent on the Division III level but will need more coaching and technique work before he is ready to match up against NFL talent. Gono flashes ideal bend and athletic ability on tape but needs more consistent aggression to handle guard responsibilities. Gono could be a late round stash-and-coach project with average upside.”

His athletic ability and energy are cited as strengths. “Fires out of his stance with impressive burst. Carries good flexion throughout lower body. Has ability to bend and leverage opponents if he can correct pad level out of stance. Can torque opponents off their spot with twitchy hip turn when turning edge defender out. Has athletic attributes necessary for recovery in run or pass. Decent movement in space,” the website says.
As a tackle at a Division 3 school, though, the level of opposition has been cited as a weakness, as well as his need to play more aggressively and finish consistently.

If he gets drafted, he finished strong, no matter where he goes.

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