Matt Herian attended Pierce High School in Pierce, Nebraska where he was a three-sport athlete, playing football, basketball, and running track. He was a two-time all-state basketball player who averaged 15 points and 9 rebounds per game as a senior. He was a three-year starter on the football team, playing both tight end and linebacker. As a senior he caught 38 passes for 786 yards and 10 touchdowns. He added 76 tackles and 3 interceptions as a linebacker on defense. He finished his career with 2,386 receiving yards and 24 touchdowns and a was a three-time member of the all-state team. He was recruited by Iowa and Iowa State but opted to accept a scholarship from the University of Nebraska instead. Matt saw action as a true freshman, setting the Nebraska school record for receiving yards by a freshman with 301 yards on just 7 catches, averaging 43 yards per reception. Four of those receptions went for touchdowns. He started all 13 games as a sophomore, leading the team in receptions with 22 grabs on the year. He finished the season with 484 receiving yards and 3 touchdowns. As a junior, Herian caught 25 passes for 308 yards and 3 touchdowns before fracturing his left leg against Missouri, effectively ending his season. He was named second team all-big twelve for his performance as a junior. His broken leg, which required two surgeries, caused him to miss spring practices and the entire 2005 football season.

Matt Herian has proven to be a big-play tight end for the Cornhuskers ever since his true freshman season in 2002. He is an intelligent player and an extremely hard worker who is always trying to make improvements in his game. He is an outstanding receiver with soft hands who rarely uses his body to catch the ball. He is quick enough to blow by most linebackers and his speed allows him to make plays down the field. He lacks prototypical size for an NFL tight end but despite his lack of size he is a very good blocker, having received plenty of experience in that area early on during his career at Nebraska. He needs to work on running more precise routes and would benefit from bulking up and increasing his strength. He does have the frame in which to do so. The biggest question with Herian is his injury concerns. He missed the end of the 2004 season and the entire 2005 campaign with a broken leg. He was considered to be a smallish tight end prior to his injury and he reportedly lost even more weight during his lengthy rehab. Matt Herian should be a second day pick in the 2007 NFL draft.