From now until the 2024 NFL Draft, we will scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top-10 picks, all the way down to Day 3 selections, and priority undrafted free agents. This scouting report is on Miami (FL) C Matt Lee.
#55 Matt Lee/C Miami (FL) – 6035, 301 lbs. (Senior)
East/West Shrine Bowl + Combine
MEASUREMENTS
| Player | Ht/Wt | Hand Size | Arm Length | Wingspan |
| Matt Lee | 6035/301 | 9 1/4″ | 32 1/8″ | 78 5/8″ |
| 40-Yard Dash | 10-Yard Dash | Short Shuttle | 3-Cone | |
| 5.03 | 1.76 | N/A | N/A | |
| Broad Jump | Vertical | Bench Press | ||
| 9’3″ | 31″ | N/A |
The Good
– Strong anchor and able to absorb bull rushes
– Tight hands and impactful punch
– Displays good explosiveness and snap off the ball
– Drives feet and looks to finish as a run blocker
– Able to pull and hit a moving target
– Impressive grip strength
– Re-fits his hands in pass pro to keep them inside
– Good IQ and recognition to pick up blitzes and stunts
– Held own against top competition and playing “up” after transferring to public school
– Accurate snapper
– Tons of starting experience
The Bad
– Lacks length and bulk, smaller-frame overall
– Has his head in blocks due to below-average length
– Plays with some forward lean and can fall off blocks, especially in run game
– Good run blocker but not overwhelmingly punishing
– Struggles against big zero-techs with length who can get into his pads and control the line of scrimmage
– Good but not great athlete, inconsistent in space
Bio
– Four-year college starter, 46 total starts (3,558 total o-line snaps)
– Turns 23 in June of 2024
– Spent 2019-2022 at Central Florida, transferred to Miami (FL) for 2023
– Two-star recruit from Oviedo, Florida, chose UCF over Army, Air Force, and multiple Ivy League Schools (Columbia, Cornell, Harvard, and Yale)
– Initially committed to USF out of high school before flipping to UCF, his “dream school” where his father and sister attended
– Spent six days in the transfer portal in January of 2023 before committing to Miami (FL)
– Played tackle in high school for a single-wing style offense that didn’t throw the ball
– Had a 3.9 high school GPA
Tape Breakdown
Matt Lee was lightly recruited out of high school, initially committing to South Florida before quickly flipping to Central Florida and moving up to Miami (FL) for this final season. A well-rounded player, Lee’s tight hands and strong anchor stand out the most. Like Wisconsin’s Tanor Bortolini in that regard but a better athlete and pass protector overall, Lee may have to use his hop step to anchor (which Steelers OL Coach Pat Meyer teaches) but he’s hard to run back into the pocket. Examples – he’s No. 55, the center, in all the below clips.
He shows good snap out of his stance and the ability to pull, something not all centers can do. Lee is experienced and smart in ID’ing blitzes and stunts and has his head on a swivel in pass protection when uncovered. It’s hard to find many players with more snaps than him, and he comes NFL-ready. His football IQ makes sense when you consider he was offered by nearly every Ivy League school.
But Lee’s lack of bulk and length can hurt him in the run game. Against large zero-techs, he gets stalemated or loses in the run game. He had a tough time in this 2022 contest against Cincinnati, was pushed around throughout, and it was the worst game I watched on tape, even compared to him playing “up” in 2023.
To his credit, he had a solid outing in 2023 against Clemson and their top d-line prospects (here, a great drive block against No. 33 Ruke Orhorhoro, a potential Top 75 pick. While Lee doesn’t have a standout weakness besides his anchor, he doesn’t have a standout trait. Should he come to Pittsburgh, he’ll have to get comfortable not retreating and giving ground in pass pro, something he did at UCF and Miami (FL). That’s not how Meyer’s system functions. You don’t give ground. Be aggressive or set flat. It’ll be an adjustment.
Conclusion
Overall, Lee has a well-rounded game. He lacks ideal weight and length but shows a combination of quickness, run blocking, and football IQ. He may not exceptionally stand out in any one area and is likely limited to center at the next level, but he shows quality backup potential who could step in and start if injuries strike. A sleeper in a solid class. My NFL comp is Corey Linsley.
Projection: Early-Mid Day Three
Depot Draft Grade: 7.3 – Rotational Player (Fourth Round)
Games Watched: vs Cincinnati (2022 – UCF), at UNC (2023), vs Texas A&M (2023), vs Clemson (2023)
