Canadian offensive tackle Matthew Bergeron has been selected by the Atlanta Falcons with the 38th overall pick in the second round of the 2023 NFL Draft.
The native of Victoriaville, Que. was the first Canadian selected, coming off the board just seven picks into Day 2 of the draft. He will now get a chance to block for the team’s eighth overall selection in round one, star Texas running back Bijan Robinson.
Bergeron attended Cégep de Thetford and became the first player in that program’s history to play NCAA football when he received a solitary scholarship offer from Syracuse University. He made five starts at right tackle as a true freshman in 2019 and flipped to the left side the next season, recording 39 consecutive starts in his four-year college career.
The six-foot-six, 316-blocker was a two-time All-ACC selection for the Orange, earning second-team status in 2022. He also received an invite to the prestigious Reese’s Senior Bowl all-star game and attended the 2023 NFL Combine, drawing rave reviews for his movement skills despite opting out of many tests.
The Canadian Football League Scouting Bureau recently named Bergeron the top-rated prospect in the 2023 CFL Draft but he is unlikely to be selected due to his NFL opportunity. As many as six Canadians could hear their names called in this year’s NFL Draft, with a chance to shatter the previous record of four set in 2021, 2014, and 1986.
