Indianapolis Colts UDFA Zavier Scott Film Session Interview
The Indianapolis Colts came away with quite the haul in the 2023 NFL Draft, finishing the week with 12 new draft pick additions to the roster. The Colts were also plenty active after the draft, signing 15 undrafted free agents to the team.
One of those undrafted free agents, Zavier Scott (Maine), was kind enough to join us for a little film session interview this week. My colleague Destin Adams and I sat down with the young receiver to discuss his versatility, how he was used at Maine, and break down some of his best attributes. You can watch the entire interview over on the Horseshoe Huddle YouTube channel, but here are some of the highlights from the conversation:
The Versatility
Zavier Scott is one of the more versatile players in this entire draft class. Some of his snaps by position last year are:
13 snaps at Quarterback (wildcat)
58 snaps at running back
232 snaps at slot receiver
257 snaps at outside receiver
6 snaps as an inline tight end
For the year, Scott finished with 41 receptions for 421 yards and one touchdown. He also rushed the ball 39 times for 369 yards and four touchdowns on the season. Scott was truly a do-it-all player that lined up all over the field at Maine:
(The versatile role) kind of grew over time, honestly. At UConn, I was a receiver that played as a running back during my redshirt freshman year. When I got to Maine, we were going back and forth on receiver or running back. Let’s feel things out. The coaching staff saw my skillset and saw that I could do both, so the role grew over time.
Ability as a Receiver
Scott's best attribute in the passing game is how dependable he is as an option. He hauled in over 73% of his passes a year ago, and over 70% of his overall receiving yardage came after the catch in 2022. He seamlessly transitions from receiver to ball carrier when the ball touches his hands, which led to big YAC opportunities for the Maine offense with him on the field
Scott on transitioning from receiver to ball carrier as a receiver:
I think it’s the instincts kicking in. Just realizing that I have to secure the catch first and then whatever happens after that, happens after that. It’s just playing football at the end of the day. It’s a very simple game; avoid defenders and try to get to the end zone. This is just doing what I’ve always prepared for.
Rush Game Prowess
Unlike most wide receiver prospects, Zavier Scott has some experience in the run game as well. He ran the ball 39 times a year ago, forcing 21 missed tackles on those few rush attempts. He also averaged over 9.0 yards per carry on those attempts, which is pretty impressive no matter which level of football you are playing at.
Scott on his ability to play both running back and wide receiver:
I think the fact that I could do both made it hard for coaches to figure that out as well. I just worked at both of them and made sure I kept improving at both of them so things like this could happen… I feel comfortable at running back. That was one of my more natural positions…
Blocking Impact
Zavier Scott also isn't afraid to mix it up in other ways as a receiver. He logged nearly 400 run blocking snaps over the past two seasons at Maine. Maine also trusted him a ton in the run game, oftentimes motioning him inside as the lead blocker on counter and wham rushes. Scott fared quite well with these types of assignments.
Scott on run blocking:
It is something that I knew was a part of the game and that I knew was going to be important at any level. So I was just taking it serious when it happened and taking it serious when it came to being better with blocks. I have some tricks that I like to do — like I get my hands on first — to play around with it a little bit. I just always wanted to take it serious as any other phase of the game.
The Bottom Line
Zavier Scott is the type of player that you want filling out the bottom of your roster. He is a versatile playmaker that wears many hats for a football team. I wouldn't be shocked whatsoever if Scott emerges as a legit player for the Indianapolis Colts out of training camp this summer.
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Follow Zach on Twitter @ZachHicks2.
