Matt Bernstein

while bernstein is not used much as a receiver, he runs solid routes, shows very good receiving hands and some running skills after the catch. he has enough quickness out of his break point and on the cut. he runs good routes for a big back and his best attribute as a receiver is his run-after-the-catch ability. he has soft hands to catch the ball away from the body. he just lacks the speed to be relied upon as an upfield receiving threat, but compensates with adequate ability on the short and underneath throws.

Given the chance to finally carry the ball some in 2004 in the Penn State, Minnesota and Michigan State games, he displayed the ability to move the pile for extra yardage, getting the bulk of his yards after initial contact. He is mainly a one-cut type, but has the balance and lateral agility to cut back in the open. There is not much shake in his running style, but he has more than enough power to run over defenders when he can't avoid them. He does show a good burst to pick his way through the line of scrimmage and has never put the ball on the ground as a runner.

negatives

Mainly a one-cut runner and not the type that will make defenders miss, but has the strength and leg drive to power his way through tackles...Will usually run at a low pad level, but when he gets too high in his stance, he narrows his base, causing him to get knocked around some...Not a natural pass catcher. Will sometimes double catch the ball, but shows good body control and has large hands to secure the ball as a receiver...Has good training habits, but must work on maintaining his weight to prevent a loss of quickness (best when playing at the 255-265 pound level)...Sports hernia injury will need a full medical evaluation in order to ensure that he will be capable of playing in 2006, or teams will quickly shy away from him on draft day.

bernstein is a very intelligent athlete, garnering academic all-big ten honors. he has excellent size and athletic ability for his position. bernstein possesses good body thickness and while his frame may have reached maximum growth level, he does show improving strength. he has a thick, defined chest and big arms with a good bubble and surprisingly low body fat for a player of his frame.

Bernstein will not win many foot races, but does show good quickness and feet. He has outstanding agility and balance through the holes and the change of direction flexibility to cut back and bounce outside when the inside rushing lanes are clogged. He plays and practices hard, easily retaining plays, and is a low-rep type. He shows true aggression as a blocker and relishes his role as a lead blocker. He shows very good field vision and footwork at the hole. Coming out of his stance, Bernstein generates a good burst and bounce, but lacks top-end speed to elude in the second level.

his intangibles are that he possesses great physical measurables, but there will be lingering concerns by pro teams due to his 2005 injury as he was slow to recover and return to the field the second half of the season. if he returns to full health, he has the best combination of blocking, receiving and running skills of any fullback in the 2006 draft class. the thing that stands out about this guy is his blocking, and he will make a living at the next level doing it. there are very few that show the strength to break arm and grab tackles or deliver punishing open-field blocks like bernstein does.

His good change of direction agility allows him to turn the corner and get upfield to deliver crunching cut blocks for the outside running game. He keeps his feet powering his way up the middle of the field and his frame and strength allow him to create huge holes for the running attack between the tackles. If his medical evaluation shows that he will have a clean bill of health for the 2006 season, he should be the first fullback taken in the draft, possibly very early during the second day.

positives

Has a rare-sized, thick frame with good upper and lower body development... More quick than fast, but shows urgency coming out of his stance and a quick burst to the line of scrimmage as a lead blocker...Plays with good initial movement and has the balance and lateral agility to get out on the edge to block vs. blitzes and games in pass protection...Runs at a good pad level, showing enough pick agility and burst running between the tackles...Has the power to break arm tackles and move the pile...Shows very good ball security and has never fumbled as a runner...Has decent quickness in and out of his break point as an underneath receiver...Runs good routes for a big back and has good run-after-catch ability...Best at reading coverages, finding seams and settling in the soft spot of the zone...Very strong at the point of attack, and by running at a low pad level, makes it difficult for bigger defenders to push him back through the rush lanes when lead blocking...Can execute the lead block with tremendous force and will generally sustain.

he's a devastating run blocker, especially when cutting, where he shows excellent knee bend and explosion to wipe out his man and clear the rush lane. he does a nice job fitting up in the hole, delivering more than enough strength to face up and drive defenders off the line. you never see him ducking his head, missing his target or being on the ground when coming through as the lead blocker.

Bernstein sets and mirrors well in pass protection, using his strong hand jolt and proper placement to lock on and sustain. He can easily execute the lead block, and the thing you notice on film is his ability to adjust and block moving targets in space. He strikes with consistent force and will generally sustain his blocks. In pass protection, he is very alert, keeping his head on a swivel to pick up secondary targets, blitzes and games.

2005: Experienced severe stomach pain during practices prior to the North Carolina game (9/17), but received a pain-killing injection and played in that game...Was given another injection prior to the Michigan game (9/24)...Missed the last eight games when it was discovered that he had a sports hernia, possible tears of muscles in the abdominal wall and a hip strain.

Campus: 4.87 in the 40-yard dash

410-pound bench press

620-pound squat

365-pound power clean

33.5-inch vertical jump

31 ½-inch arm length

9 ½-inch hands

Right-handed

24/33 Wonderlic score.

Attended Edgemont (Scarsdale, N.Y.) High School, playing football for coach Brian Connolly

Two-time Class C Player of the Year selection

Excelled as a tailback and linebacker. Rushed for 1,885 yards and 25 scores as a junior

Added 37 touchdowns and 2,002 yards on the ground and made 108 tackles with seven forced fumbles as a senior, earning the prep version of the Heisman Trophy for that performance

Finished his career ranked third all-time in New York prep history in scoring with 504 points

Also a Con Edison Scholar-Athlete.

History major

Son of Steven and Nancy Bernstein

Born 12/26/82

Resides in Scarsdale, New York.