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Blake Frohnapfel, QB, UMass: 2016 NFL Draft Scouting Report

By Raekwon Gilbert

Sep 19, 2015; Foxborough, MA, USA; Massachusetts Minutemen quarterback Blake Frohnapfel (7) throws a pass during the first half against the Temple Owls at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 19, 2015; Foxborough, MA, USA; Massachusetts Minutemen quarterback Blake Frohnapfel (7) throws a pass during the first half against the Temple Owls at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports /
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Despite what you may believe, NFL quarterbacks are hard to find. No matter how awards or highlight players a quarterback can make at the collegiate stage it will not always translate to the NFL. Even you do find a player that fits all the on-field requirements there still are questions that need to be answered by the player’s action off the field.

Players like Robert Griffin III, Johnny Manziel, and Jamarcus Russell all miss out on the needed requirements to be a NFL starting quarterback. That’s why you must take all measures of learning about off the field as much as on the field.

This year’s quarterback has a lot of talent leading the way with household names like Jared Goff Carson Wentz, and Connor Cook but I feel there’s one guy that could turn out to be the gem of the whole quarterback group. That player names is Blake Frohnapfel from the University of Massachusetts.

Player Bio:

Graduate student who previously played at Marshall.

HT: 6-6 Weight: 238lbs

Career Stats – 6,650 passing yards, 56.9 completion percentage, 44 passing 25 interceptions, and a 125.5 passing rating.

Strengths:

The NFL is a size league and it’s simple how many teams instantly judge a player. Size, speed, and instincts. Not all players have them but Frohnapfel checks off two of them at least (we’ll talk about that later too). At 6-6 238lbs, Frohnapfel has prototypical NFL size that teams will automatically love.

His ability to feel the field with his eyes and feel pressure around him is kinda special. Not saying that he’s elite as Andrew Luck was while in the pocket but he does do a great job of utilizing his size and eyes against his opponents well.

One thing that does jump off film a lot when watching him is that his ball placement is surprisingly good despite not having the best footwork ( I still haven’t forgot to tell you. We’re getting there). Frohnapfel does a great job of timing all of his passes at certain times especially when his receivers are getting out of their breaks.

If you compare his game film from his Marshall days to his UMass days then you’ll find that he seemed more comfortable at UMass because the offense schemed around him and his ability. One of the great he did there was connect with his wide outs down the field at any time during the game.

That’s always something to thibk about when you’re game planning against a guy like that.

Weakness: 

A problem that many taller quarterbacks seem to have coming out of college is their footwork and movement around the pocket. This is an issue that Frohnapfel has been dealing with since his days at Marshall. Many times when he’s under pressure, he tends to hop around in the pocket instead of generally moving swiftly in and out away from defenders.

I’ve always thought that his arm strength was above-average but his accuracy isn’t the greatest thing in the world. Yes, I know that I said that he has a special touch when placing the ball but there are many times where he overthrows to his wide outs or he isn’t completing the easy 15 yards and down throws.

At UMass he had a great receiver core but there were times during the season where they were carrying him during the game instead of the other way around.

Draft Projection: 7th round – Priority Free Agent.

Really hope he turns out to be a great player.

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