So I have decided to do a CAP of Scott Frost, the QB for the Nebraska Cornhuskers from 95 to 97, as he would have been after the 1998 NFL Draft. As I have said earlier Frost really could be called the Tim Tebow of the 1990s, a pounding, running QB who was very successful in college, pulling off a perfect season and defeating Peyton Manning's Tennessee Volunteers in the Orange Bowl. and a finalist for the Johnny Unitas Golden Arm award. Unlike Tim Tebow, Frost, who did play in the NFL, was never given a chance to play QB.
Both Colt McCoy and Tim Tebow can be compared, in some ways to Scott Frost. However unlike both of them, Frost had a lower completion rate (54.5%) and also made fewer attempts to throw the ball, mostly running the option where he and his blockers would truck through to gain yards. Frost was one of the first players to both throw and pass for 1000 yards in a single season, and the first Nebraska Cornhusker to do so. So to sum it up, like Tebow, Frost was a run first kind of QB who did not play in a pro style offence. The main comparison to Colt McCoy is a question of arm strength. Scouts did not like Frost's arm, the fact that the relatively few passes he attempted were short to medium range and the fact that he had a fairly pedestrian completion percentage did not help. With questions about his accuracy and skill at throwing the ball, Frost was ultimately drafted as a Strong Safety, a position he had played in high-school and sparingly in college. After playing for 6 years as a second and third string backup for 4 different NFL teams, picking up 1 INT, 1 Sack and a couple of tackles, Scott Frost left the NFL to pursue a coaching position at his alma-mater The University of Nebraska. Eventually Frost went on to become the Wide Receivers Coach for the Oregon Ducks, where he is most noted for being the official to restrain and carry LeGarette Blount off the field the infamous night of the cheap shot.
Along the same lines of the work that Warren Piecee has done (although I say this hesitantly because I have not done anything close to the exhaustive calculations, research and comparisons) I can now give you a likely representation of Scott Frost, if he had of stayed a QB in the NFL. I used the Madden 11 ratings for Tim Tebow and modified them accordingly. Scott Frost was smaller, and slightly faster than Tebow, and one could argue that he was an even tougher and stronger runner, often barreling right through the linebackers and defensive backs that came his way. Because of this I have increased his strength and Trucking ratings. Also, since Frost had some experience as a defensive back I increased ratings (such as zone coverage, tackling and hitpower which would usually be low on a QB) to allow frost to be an adequate reserve Strong Safety.
Now for Frost's QB performance, actually throwing the ball. The deciding factor that kept Scott Frost from becoming a professional QB was his low completion percentage. To someone just looking over his stats, this would probably lead them to think that Frost was an inaccurate passer, which is not exactly true. While his completion percentage is nothing to write home about, Frost had only 7 career INTs and set records at Nebraska for the most passing attempts made without an interception. This would indicate not only very good judgement but a certain degree of accuracy. If he was really inaccurate you would expect him to get picked off a lot more than he did. Now after all this, its time for my ratings (which are much more generalized and off the cuff than the great work you see from Warren on Marcus Vick and now Sean Glennon)
Scott Frost QB HT 6'3" WT 220lbs.
OVR=66
STR=86
AGL=84
SPD=79
ACC=87
AWR=73
CAT=45
CAR=76
THP=81
KPW=12
KAC=12
TKL=71
PBL=12
RBL=39
JMP=74
RTN=12
TRK=86
ELU=75
BCV=89
STF=74
SPN=73
JKM=79
IBL=65
RBS=39
RBF=46
PBS=12
PBF=12
PMV=37
FMV=58
BSH=60
PUR=69
PRC=49
MCV=36
ZCV=41
SPC=37
CIT=41
RRN=25
HPW=76
PRS=58
RE=12
STA=70
MTA=66
DTA=56
TOR=77
PAC=61
INF=94
STA=95
TGH=99
OVR as Strong Safety: 61
now I will explain my choices for why I rated him this way and how I came to these conclusions. I made the Strength and Trucking ratings higher than Tebow because, as I stated, Frost was a stronger runner, and would have made a very interesting running back, especially in some short yardage situation. Now for throw-power, I suppose that could have been lower, but 81 is not exactly high, it is in the same neighborhood as McCoy who, while he has a much higher completion percentage made most of his throws at the same range envelope Frost did. I feel that the accuracy ratings I gave him reflect Frost's typical throwing performance, with most completions being made at either short or medium range. I rated him high for Throw on the Run because there are either designed plays where he would roll out or times he would beak a tackle and have to scramble out of the pocket and then make something happen. I also gave him a half decent play action pass rating because I think that is something he would have been adequate at. Last but not least the Awareness rating, I know it is very high for a rookie but I have done this to try to reflect Frost's good judgement by not throwing very many picks. Also it is no fun to play with an INT machine.
Now, all said and done this gives us a look at what kind of NFL player he could have been. 66OVR is not high and with this rating he probably would have been a 2nd or 3rd string backup. That being said, he would have been a great fit to this developmental/project sort of role (what the Browns are currently trying to do with McCoy), especially as it would have given him some time to learn/adapt to the pro system and apply his strengths to it. In the right environment, and given the right amount of time (probably 2 years) Frost could have become an acceptable, possibly even decent, starting QB. Would he have been the next Joe Montana, probably not. This being said, he could be a very interesting Free Agent to sign in Franchise mode and then bring a long for a few years. At worst you would get a serviceable backup. Also I could have been too liberal with some of his run ratings. Again I appreciate any comments anyone has. Also Warren if you read this, feel free to try to do your own variation of Scott Frost, I would be interested to see how that would turn out and what the differences would have been between the two.
Edit: Just thought I would add this highlight reel and relate a story about frost that I told in an earlier thread.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1eWfe597CKY
My story is about why I decided to make this CAP. Sometime one Saterday during the 1997 NCAA season my father and I, who usually watch football on Sundays. This particular we happened to be watching a Nebraska game, with none other than Scott Frost playing at QB. I cannot tell you who the other team was, but I can say that Frost's performance was decisive and something we really took notice of. I remember my dad saying "wow can't wait to see what he will do in the NFL next year" . Players like Frost are what make the game great, you can just tell by watching that reel how much he wants the win. Even with the disadvantages he would have had, I think he would have been one hell of a competitor in the NFL as a QB.
07-28-2010, 02:52 PM
