Arizona quarterback Matt Scott goes through drills at the NFL combine in Indianapolis.
Feb. 25, 2013
While it's debatable whether or how much NFL combine measurables matter for quarterbacks, there's no debating that former Arizona quarterback Matt Scott helped himself over the weekend in Indianapolis.
Scott dominated his positional group in the athleticism tests, finishing third among all quarterbacks with a 4.69 time in the 40 (West Virginia's Geno Smith was first at 4.59), first in the 20-yard shuttle at 3.99 seconds, first in the three-cone drill in 6.69 seconds, fourth in the vertical jump at 31 inches (Florida State's EJ Manuel was first at 34 inches) and second in the broad jump at 9 feet, 10 inches (Smith was first at 10 feet, 4 inches). The shuttle and three-cone drill times were the best and second-best, respectively, for a quarterback in at least the last eight years, which is as far back as the NFL has combine results officially documented. The only quarterback in that time with a better three-cone drill time: Tim Tebow.
Scott also got himself noticed during passing drills, according to national NFL writer Adam Caplan:
That sentiment was echoed by both Rob Rang at CBS Sports ...
"The ball explodes out of his hand on short and intermediate throws. Several caught receivers by surprise during the gauntlet drills with how quickly they arrived. It wasn't all good for Scott, however, as his accuracy tailed off on deeper throws. Also, while Scott demonstrates plenty of arm talent, his footwork can be a bit inconsistent. He didn't consistently step into his throws Sunday."
... and Tony Pauline at USA Today:
"He looked comfortable and confident on the field Sunday and delivered his passes with speed and accuracy. His timing was a bit off as receivers were waiting on throws, but general managers around the league are excited about Scott's potential after his workout."
While Rang's analysis wasn't all positive, he went on to say that "as one of the few quarterbacks in the 2013 class with dual-threat capabilities, Scott could spark interest early in Day 3 (fourth through seventh rounds) of the draft or perhaps even earlier."
Probably also helping his cause: Scott, who was listed at a relatively thin 196 pounds at Arizona, measured in at the combine at 213 pounds and an even 6-foot-2.
-- Matt Swartz
