Matt Skura came to Duke as a guard and played there after redshirting his freshman season. He was a decent guard but was moved to center so Duke could better utilize his ability to breakdown defenses.
After the move he excelled at center and earned his way to a second-team USA Today All-American and consensus first-team All-ACC pick in 2015.
He was an all-bowl team pick after the Pinstripe Bowl, and worked his way to be one of the team captains in 2015.
He played high school ball at Worthington Kilbourne in Columbus, Ohio where he went on to be the No. 13 center in his 2011 recruiting class. He became a part of one of the best offensive lines in 2013 when he switched to center and helped lead the Blue Devils to the first ranked line in sacks allowed in the ACC.
While the offensive line may get overlooked by flashier skill players, he was a critical part in a major program turnaround for the Blue Devils.
Measurables:
Height 6’3″
Weight 305lbs.
Arm Length 35 1/4″
Hand Size 10″
40-yd Dash 5.39 seconds
Three Cone Drill 7.89 seconds
Bench Press Reps 27
Broad Jump 103.0″
Games watched:
2015: Miami(FL)
Strengths:
Skura has great technique, and uses it very well in pass protection. He is able to trap defenders and box them out of the pocket after they choose what side they’re going to rush on. He also plays the game with great intelligence and recognition skills.
He was adept at picking up blitz packages, and that is a skill that translates soundly to the professional level. Skura is also a very well sized in the middle of the line and has a frame fit for an NFL center.
While at Duke, he was often praised for his great work ethic in the weight room and during the team’s strength and conditioning programs.
Weaknesses:
Matt Skura isn’t a power blocker. He relies more on his finesse and sound technique to win battles in the trenches. This isn’t necessarily a terrible thing, but your technique has to be tops to succeed at the next level if that’s the game you play. He struggled against bull rushers which brings questions to how he would fare against upper echelon tackles like Ndamukong Suh and company.
He’s also not fast off the snap, something I noticed against Miami when he was usually the last one out of his pre-snap stance. He also struggled against countermoves and will need to improve his footwork in those situations.
Overview:
Matt Skura isn’t the top center in the class. Ryan Kelly has that secured, but he is a player who could be developed into a starter. His time in college gave him versatility. He can play guard or center which would allow him to see the field sooner for a team in need of interior line help.
He should hear his name called on day two and you should expect a team in need of interior lineman (the Redskins, Browns, Ravens, or Giants) to scoop him up later in the draft. In the end Skura has as much value as a franchise would want to place on a highly intelligent, fundamentally sound, versatile lineman.