Perseverance paid off for former UofA QB Matt Scott

It appears Matt Scott’s patience has paid off.

After biding his time for three years in Tucson behind now Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Nick Foles the former Arizona Wildcat has caught the attention of NFL teams here at the Combine in Indianapolis.

“I committed to Arizona for a reason,” Scott said at Lucas Oil Stadium Friday afternoon. “Running from my problems instead of facing them was not going to be an option for me.”

Scott spent most of last season running away and passing over defenses in Rich Rodriguez’s first year at UofA. The Chino, California native scored 33 total touchdowns (27 through the air) and was a consistent performer throughout his senior season. He capped off his final game in red and blue leading a dramatic comeback in the ‘Cats last-second victory over Nevada in the New Mexico Bowl.

Now that it is all in the past, his focus is squarely on making the most of his opportunity in Indy. He believes his varied skill set will serve him well at the next level, but warned he’s a pass-first, not run-first quarterback, even though he rushed for over 500 yards last season and is adept at running the popular ‘zone-read’ offense which is a staple in Rich Rod’s offense.

You won’t see Scott’s name at the top of the list among Day 1, or even Day 2, quarterbacks, but that certainly doesn’t mean his versatility has gone unnoticed by coaches, general managers, and scouts.

“I know there are a lot of people that really like him,” NFL.com draft analyst and former Dallas Cowboys Director of Player Personnel Gil Brandt told Pros2Preps.com earlier this week. “I think he’ll be taken down in that fourth-round area or a little past that.”

Scott said he trained in San Diego following the ‘Cats season in hopes of improving his 40-yard dash time and has gained over 10 pounds of muscle to handle the rigors of the NFL. He weighed 213 at the Combine.

ESPN draft analyst Todd McShay told Pros2Preps.com teams will see Scott’s potential as April’s draft gets closer.

“There’s enough developmental upside to use a late-round pick on him and give him an opportunity to come into camp and see what he can do.”