K-State lineman hopes to be first openly gay NFL player following Fort Worth showcase
Kansas State offensive tackle Scott Frantz doesn’t view himself differently than any other college football player pursuing their dreams of playing in the NFL.
Frantz joined dozens of other aspiring college players at last week’s College Gridiron Showcase, the biggest interview process for guys not in the limelight who want to extend their playing careers. In Frantz’s case, it’s his first chance to get in front of NFL scouts.
“I tell every team the same thing,” Frantz said. “I’m just like everyone else here. I’m here to take advantage of all the opportunities I’m given and make a 53-man roster, just like everybody else.
“From what I’ve gathered, that’s all that matters. If you show up and you’re a good guy and you work hard and you play well, that’s all that matters. No one gives a crap about the other stuff.”
That premise is about to be tested because the NFL has still never seen an openly gay man play in a regular-season game.
Several players have come out after their playing days. Former Missouri standout Michael Sam came out before the draft, and made history by being selected in the seventh-round by the St. Louis Rams in 2014.
Sam didn’t make the Rams’ roster and then had a two-month stint on the Dallas Cowboys’ practice squad. But he retired in August 2015 without ever playing in a regular-season game.
Frantz understands the significance of his pursuit from a historical perspective, but he isn’t carrying that as any kind of a weight as he begins to go through the pre-draft process.
“I don’t think it’s a burden at all,” Frantz said. “If there’s people that look up to me because of that, I think that’s awesome. Anything I can do to be a role model to people.
“There’ll definitely be a lot of people that look up to me because of that, but that stuff is not even really on my mind at all. I’m just trying to make the most of my opportunity.”
No backlash from teammates, opponents
Frantz has played college football in one of the top conferences in the country for the past four seasons, including the last three since coming out in the summer of 2017. His teammates at Kansas State embraced him, and Frantz said he never had any opposing player use an anti-gay slur toward him on the field.
“Not once,” Frantz said. “It’s not an issue. Just like everybody else, I’m a football player. That’s what people see me as.”
Frantz’s agent, Brett Tessler, agreed.
Both recognize the big-picture storyline of what his success would mean, but they aren’t focused on that at this point.
“Obviously it would be very special to a lot of people, but Scott isn’t approaching this as a personal cause,” Tessler said. “He’s really just gone about his business and let his play do the talking since he came out a few years ago. He’s been one of the most respected and well-liked players at Kansas State, and he’ll be just fine wherever he ends up next.
“I’m extremely proud to be working with a player and person like Scott Frantz, and I know he’ll work hard to succeed at the next level.”
‘I can play all five positions’
Frantz has proven to be a pretty good football player, starting 51 consecutive games at left tackle for the Wildcats since his redshirt freshman season in 2016. He was selected to the All-Big 12’s second-team this season.
At the College Gridiron Showcase, Frantz showed his versatility along the O-line, too. He took reps at center and left guard. To make it at the next level, Frantz understands the importance of being able to play inside.
“I’m just thankful for an opportunity like this to showcase I can play center, I can play guard,” Frantz said after the first day of practice last week. “The teams can go back and watch tape of me at left tackle the last four years, but they don’t have any tape at guard or center. I’m just trying to show them that I’m a versatile player and that I can play all five positions [along the line].”
Said Tessler: “For any young lineman fighting to work their way into a starting lineup, the ability to play multiple positions is huge. Especially if the guy is able to snap. Scott’s athletic versatility, as well as his ability to grasp everything mentally, will greatly increase his chances of success.”
Draft prospects
One NFL draft analyst views Frantz as either a late-round prospect or a priority undrafted free agent. The knock on Frantz?
“Really short arms hurts him,” the analyst said of the 6-foot-5, 303-pound player. “Struggles with power.”
Frantz has heard that criticism of his game before.
“I remember back in high school recruiting, I was told that I wasn’t tall enough and I didn’t have long enough arms to play tackle in college,” said Frantz, who played his high school football at Lawrence Free State in Kansas.
Frantz paused, before adding with a smirk: “And then I went on to start 51 straight games at left tackle in the Big 12. I get NFL guys are taller, longer, faster — but I believe I can play any of the five positions.
“Whatever scouts see me at for my best position for their given team, that’s what I’ll play.”
Frantz hopes to showcase his foot speed and hands in workouts throughout the pre-draft process. Those are areas where he believes he can excel.
K-State has a strong history of producing quality offensive linemen in recent drafts, such as Dalton Risner and Cody Whitehair. Frantz hopes to follow in their footsteps.
“You can see the offensive linemen K-State has in the league are dependable,” Frantz said. “They don’t get hurt. They’re trustworthy. They make it a long time in the league. I want to show people that I’m here to carry on that tradition. You can trust Kansas State offensive linemen.”
This story was originally published January 12, 2020 at 6:00 AM.
