NFL Draft 2014 News: Teddy Bridgewater, Blake Bortles
Blake Bortles celebrates after defeating the Baylor Bears during the Fiesta Bowl at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
There is no doubt in my mind that Louisville Cardinals quarterback Teddy Bridgewater is the top draft-eligible QB in the class, and I would honestly compare him to Russell Wilson of the Seattle Seahawks. Like Wilson, Bridgewater is extremely intelligent, and he has amazing work ethic and intangibles. He also has more-than-sufficient physical tools, which give him enough upside to be a successful QB. While he can certainly take off and run, Bridgewater is actually a pocket passer, so the concerns about him being “too light” are total bunk. One of the most underrated traits that a quarterback can possess is vision, and both Bridgewater’s and Wilson’s vision are top notch. Bridgwater has all the physical tools and mental tools to be a great QB, and the Houston Texans shouldn’t pass up on him with the top pick in the 2014 NFL Draft.
Sports Illustrated’s Greg Bedard had an incredible piece up on the MMQB about Teddy Bridgewater, and it has me even more convinced that the Louisville passer is the best quarterback in the draft. An NFL exec told Bedard, “He lives and breathes football. Always has. Teams are going to fall in love with him.”
I think they already love him.
Anyway, Bridgewater does have a few challengers for the top spot among quarterbacks in the 2014 NFL Draft, and one of them is UCF Knights star Blake Bortles, who captured the hype with a fantastic 2013 season. He led UCF to a big bowl game win over the Baylor Bears yesterday, and he’s been “money” all season long. This is a guy who has been compared to the likes of Ben Roethlisbeger and even a poor man’s Andrew Luck, and it’s clear that he is going to be a top-ten pick. Unlike Bridgewater, Bortles hasn’t declared, but I would be surprised if he chooses not to.
CBS Sports’s excellent Dane Brugler spoke with some NFL scouts who believe that Bortles would be the top QB in the draft if he chooses to declare, and it’s not a surprise to hear that some scouts are that high on him. While Bortles is an excellent QB prospect, I don’t think he’s quite as good as Bridgewater.