From now until the 2023 NFL Draft, we will scout and create profiles for as many prospects as possible, examining their strengths, weaknesses, and what they can bring to an NFL franchise. These players could be potential top-10 picks, all the way down to Day 3 selections, and priority undrafted free agents. Today, a scouting report on Wyoming OT Frank Crum.
#75 FRANK CRUM, OT, WYOMING – (R-SENIOR) 6080, 313 POUNDS
HULA BOWL INVITE
MEASUREMENTS
| Player | Ht/Wt | Hand Size | Arm Length | Wingspan |
| Frank Crum | 6080, 313 | 10 1/2″ | 33 7/8″ | N/A |
| 40-Yard Dash | 10-Yard Dash | Short Shuttle | 3-Cone | |
| 4.94 | 1.69 | 4.73 | 7.39 | |
| Broad Jump | Vertical | Bench Press | ||
| 9’6″ | 31.5″ | 22 |
THE GOOD
— Has the height, weight, frame, and arm length you desire at the position
— Athletic blocker that can mirror pass rushers vertically and climb to the second level
— Has plenty of starting experience at both left and right tackle in college
— Does a good job executing on down blocks and kick-out blocks toward the sideline
— Can handle twists and stunt pickups well with the guard
— Does a good job using his long arms to keep pass rushers extended and off his frame
— Can execute combo blocks from the defensive line, climbing to the linebacker
— Fights hard to maintain his block to and through the whistle
— Demonstrates some nastiness as a blocker, driving his opponent off the ball and finishing him to the ground
THE BAD
— Isn’t the most fluid athlete when it comes to making blocks in space
— Footwork can be erratic as he oversets outside or panics when the edge rusher gets the corner
— Lacks quickness to seal the edge against athletic pass rushers, having slower feet
— Height causes him to shoot his hands and lunge into blocks, leading to whiffs
— Can do a better job latching on and sustaining his blocks
— Can get uprooted by explosive power rushers
— Falls on the ground a lot due to balance issues, as well as lunging into defenders
BIO
— Redshirt Senior (6th year) prospect from Laramie, WY
— Father, Gary, was an offensive lineman, was a team captain in 1981, and won all-conference honors as a senior
— Grandfather, Earl, lettered for the Cowboys in 1940
— All-conference player as a high school senior, also played basketball
— Zero-star recruit coming out of high school
— Is a licensed real estate agent in the state of Wyoming, according to his X page
— Redshirted during the 2018 season
— Appeared in 12 games last season and made five starts in 2019
— Appeared and started all six games in a COVID-shortened 2020 season
— Appeared in all 13 games with 13 starts in 2021
— Played and started 12 games in 2022
— Made the move from right tackle to left tackle in 2023 and started 13 games
— First-Team All-Mountain West (2023)
TAPE BREAKDOWN
Frank Crum was born to play in Wyoming. It’s in his blood… literally. His grandfather played for the team back in 1940 and his father became a team captain and all-conference player for the Cowboys from 1978-81. Needless to say, the Laramie native knew where he was going to school before college football even became an idea. Still, Crum was lightly recruited coming out of high school, yet developed into a dependable player who became a mainstay on the offensive line. He started 49 games during his college career, with 36 starts at right tackle and 13 at left tackle, making him an experienced, versatile blocker who brings plenty of intriguing traits to the table.
When you pop in the tape on Crum, you see a big, tall, long blocker who does his best in the running game. Crum strains on every play to make his block and drive his opponent off the line of scrimmage. He drives his feet well on contact and doesn’t stop after first contact, carrying his blocks to and through the whistle, as you can see in the clips below.
Crum does a good job on down blocks and kick-out blocks to the sideline, using his size and length to overwhelm smaller defenders at the point of attack. Watch below as Crum executes a good block on the linebacker attempting to fill the gap for Illinois, pushing him easily out of the way to allow his back to get past the line of scrimmage. He also possesses the athleticism to climb to the second level and make combo blocks off the defensive lineman to the linebacker on the second clip below against Texas, driving the defensive lineman off the ball to pave the way for the runner while taking the defender into the safety attempting to fill the alley.
When it comes to pass protection, Crum has the length and athleticism to mirror pass rushers and use his long arms to keep them at bay. Watch the sequence of plays below against the Longhorns, where Crum shows his lateral movement skill as well as his punch. He extends his hands to keep defenders from getting inside his chest while staying measured in pass protection for potential counters by the pass rusher to keep his quarterback clean.
Still, Crum has a fair amount of technique issues that he needs to clean up. He tends to lunge forward into his blocks quite often, shooting his hands and dropping his head at his target, causing him to whiff on blocks. You see that in the clip below as Crum shoots his arms and leans into his block attempt, having the pass rusher counter by spinning across Crum’s face into the pocket, getting a hit on the quarterback as he attempts to pass.
Crum also tends to struggle to maintain his blocks at times, having defenders fall off his grasp both in pass protection as well as a run blocker. Look at the clips below, with the first showing Crum missing a block out in space against the linebacker as he lunges and shoots his hands at him, not having his feet underneath him. In the second clip, watch Crum drive the defender out toward the sideline, being in the perfect position to make the block on the outside run. However, Crum fails to sustain the block as he doesn’t get his inside hand on the defender’s chest, letting him go completely to allow the defender to make the tackle on the ball carrier.
CONCLUSION
Frank Crum is a big, athletic offensive tackle who brings tantalizing traits to the table and the versatility of starting at both tackle spots in college. He needs to continue to work on his footwork and play strength as well as cut down on his tendency to lunge into defenders, causing him to end up on the ground and miss blocks. Still, there is some upside with Crum, who can come in and develop as a backup or on the practice squad, having the potential to develop into a quality swing tackle in the league, given his experience.
When coming up with a pro comp for Crum, Storm Norton came to mind as another big, long offensive tackle who starred at Toledo before signing with the Detroit Lions as an UDFA in 2017. Norton has nearly identical size and length to Crum, while Crum is a better overall athlete. Norton has been a journeyman in the league, bouncing from team to team’s practice squad, but has played in 50 NFL games with 21 starts to his name. I see Crum having a similar journey, needing to develop into a quality backup first before getting his shot to start due to injury or thanks to his development.
Projection: Late Day Three/UDFA
Depot Draft Grade: 6.7 – Backup/Special Teamer (Fifth Round)
Games Watched: at Texas (2023), at Air Force (2023), at Illinois (2023)
